{"id":370750,"date":"2025-12-26T07:03:16","date_gmt":"2025-12-26T07:03:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/370750\/"},"modified":"2025-12-26T07:03:16","modified_gmt":"2025-12-26T07:03:16","slug":"rangers-quarter-century-roster-evaluating-who-makes-the-cut-from-kreider-to-lundqvist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/370750\/","title":{"rendered":"Rangers\u2019 quarter century roster: Evaluating who makes the cut from Kreider to Lundqvist"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 21st century has yet to bring the New York Rangers an elusive championship, but the organization has given its fans plenty of likable players and a fair amount of success. The club\u2019s 1,009 wins \u2014 including a comeback 7-3 win Tuesday in Washington \u2014 are the ninth-most of any team since the calendar flipped to 2000, and it\u2019s had multiple deep playoff runs highlighted by the 2014 trip to the Stanley Cup Final, plus five appearances in the Eastern Conference final (2012, 2014, 2015, 2022 and 2024).<\/p>\n

With 2025 winding down, it felt like a good time to reflect, so we put together an All-Quarter Century Rangers lineup, plus added in a few honorable mentions. Our roster covers a lot of ground, from the dreadful post-Wayne Gretzky teams of the early 2000s to the Black-and-Blueshirts that flirted with championship glory in the 2010s to the most recent Presidents\u2019 Trophy winner in 2023-24. In fact, there\u2019s at least one player from every 21st-century Rangers roster in our lineup.<\/p>\n

Our criteria was based on trying to balance impact with longevity. Multiple players were selected who had relatively short stints in New York but played starring roles during their stay, while others were rewarded for consistency over longer periods of time. It led to some interesting debates that we\u2019ll touch on below.<\/p>\n

Without further ado, let\u2019s dig into our selections. Each of us left a thought on one of the players we included.<\/p>\n

Note: Players\u2019 statistics do not include Tuesday\u2019s Rangers game against Washington.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Forwards<\/p>\n

First line<\/p>\n

Left wing: Artemi Panarin
2019-present
467 games, 199 goals, 586 points<\/p>\n

From a pure productivity standpoint, Panarin is the greatest free-agent signing in franchise history \u2014 and it isn\u2019t particularly close. He\u2019s led the team in points in each of his first six seasons and is on pace to do it in the seventh and final year of his $81.5 million contract. He\u2019s been the Rangers\u2019 driving offensive force since the day he arrived, highlighted by top-five finishes in Hart Trophy voting in 2019-20 and 2023-24. \u2014Vincent Mercogliano<\/p>\n

Center: Mika Zibanejad
2016-present
686 games, 262 goals, 616 points<\/p>\n

The Rangers haven\u2019t had many true top-line centers this century, but peak Zibanejad is an exception. In four seasons from 2019-20 until 2022-23, he had 133 goals and 297 points in 276 games (a 39-goal, 88-point pace over 82 games), all while playing defense that put him on Selke ballots. From a playoff overtime winner against Montreal to his five-goal game to the game-tying goal in the 2024 Stadium Series game against the Islanders, he\u2019s had plenty of huge moments for New York. Acquiring him for Derick Brassard and a seventh-round pick is one of the Rangers\u2019 best trades in recent history. \u2014Peter Baugh<\/p>\n

Right wing: Jarom\u00edr J\u00e1gr
2004-2008
277 games, 124 goals, 319 points<\/p>\n

J\u00e1gr\u2019s 2005-06 season is the greatest by a Rangers skater this century. He had 54 goals and 123 points \u2014 both franchise records and 44 more points than Michael Nylander, his next-closest teammate \u2014 and carried the Rangers to the playoffs for the first time since 1997. He didn\u2019t win the Hart Trophy that season, finishing second to Joe Thornton: an outcome the late, great \u201cNew York Post\u201d columnist Larry Brooks long rued. J\u00e1gr was back at Madison Square Garden recently, and the crowd showered him with cheers when the jumbotron showed him. \u2014Baugh<\/p>\n

Big cheer for Jarom\u00edr J\u00e1gr pic.twitter.com\/8T7gYBm0dL<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Peter Baugh (@Peter_Baugh) November 5, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Second line<\/p>\n

Left wing: Chris Kreider
2012-2025
883 games, 326 goals, 582 points<\/p>\n

Kreider recently returned to Madison Square Garden as a member of the Anaheim Ducks, and the long ovation he received was fitting for what he meant to the franchise. Other than Henrik Lundqvist, he might be the most beloved player this century. The goals played a huge part in that \u2014 he\u2019s third-most in franchise history with 326, tied for the power-play goal record with 116 and sits alone with 48 in the playoffs \u2014 but his constant presence did, too. He was the branch between the highly successful teams in the early 2010s to the 2024 run, during which he scored a natural hat trick to vanquish the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 6 of the second round. \u2014Baugh<\/p>\n

Center: Derek Stepan
2010-2017
515 games, 128 goals, 360 points<\/p>\n

Stepan wasn\u2019t a prototypical No. 1 center, but he shouldered that burden well during an era in which the Rangers were built to grind you out more than outscore you. He never registered more than 57 points with New York but never dipped below 44, giving those teams steady contributions and solid defense for his entire seven-year tenure. Stepan played through a broken jaw on the run to the 2014 Cup Final, but his signature moment came in the 2015 playoffs. His overtime winner against the Washington Capitals clinched a spot in the conference finals, giving the Rangers their first Game 7 OT goal since St\u00e9phane Matteau in 1994. \u2014Mercogliano<\/p>\n

10 years ago today, Derek Stepan scored the overtime-winner in Game 7 to send the Rangers to the Eastern Conference Final #Hockey365<\/a> #NYR<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/nvzwiX57r8<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Mike Commito (@mikecommito) May 13, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Right wing: Mats Zuccarello
2010-2019
509 games, 113 goals, 352 points<\/p>\n

Zuccarello was a true underdog story, going from undersized and undrafted to critical offense-driver. It took a few years to establish himself, but from 2013-19, no Ranger posted as many points. He willed himself to get there, which earned the Norwegian recognition as a three-time recipient of the team\u2019s Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award. Zuccarello was also a beloved teammate, with Lundqvist getting choked up on the day he was traded to the Dallas Stars, and a fan favorite, with chants of \u201cZucccc!\u201d often flooding the Garden. He still has a sense of Rangers history: He wore a customized Sam Rosen jersey during warmups last season to recognize the retiring broadcaster when the Minnesota Wild were in town. \u2014Mercogliano<\/p>\n

Third line<\/p>\n

Left wing: Rick Nash
2012-2018
375 games, 145 goals, 252 points<\/p>\n

The 2010s Rangers were built on goaltending and grit, but a recognition that they needed more firepower up front prompted the 2012 trade that brought Nash from the Columbus Blue Jackets. He never quite produced at the same level in New York, topping out at 69 points while finishing seventh in Hart Trophy voting in 2014-15, but the 6-foot-4 winger changed the complexion of the lineup. He topped 20 goals four times, using his big frame and soft hands to score from the high-danger areas, and turned himself into a stronger defender and penalty-killer. \u2014Mercogliano<\/p>\n

Center: Derick Brassard
2013-2016
254 games, 69 goals, 174 points<\/p>\n

When games mattered most, Brassard raised his level of play, earning the nickname \u201cBig Game Brass.\u201d He had an overtime winner against Pittsburgh in the 2014 playoffs and helped New York reach the Stanley Cup Final that year. The next season he had a hat trick and a five-point night in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference final, keeping the Rangers\u2019 season alive until a Game 7 loss to the Lightning. \u2014Baugh<\/p>\n

\"Derick<\/p>\n

\n Derick Brassard\u2019s five-point night in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference final forced a deciding Game 7 in 2015. (Mike Carlson \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Right wing: Mari\u00e1n G\u00e1bor\u00edk
2009-2013
255 games, 114 goals, 229 points<\/p>\n

G\u00e1bor\u00edk was actually traded to acquire Brassard, his linemate in this exercise. But when he was with New York he had two 40-plus goal seasons. He\u2019s the only Rangers player this century to reach that mark twice. The fact that his trade tree includes Brassard and eventually Zibanejad reflects some savvy decision-making. \u2014Baugh<\/p>\n

Fourth line<\/p>\n

Left wing: Jesper Fast
2013-2020
422 games, 55 goals, 147 points<\/p>\n

Seven of the eight wingers we selected were unanimous choices among me, Peter and a few experts polled for this exercise, but the final spot drew several different opinions. Carl Hagelin had a few supporters, but he never eclipsed 38 points across four seasons. J.T. Miller and Alexis Lafreni\u00e8re have been here longer, but the consistency wasn\u2019t there for either. And Pavel Buchnevich was traded just as his career was taking off.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, Fast felt most deserving. His stats don\u2019t measure up to others, but he was a heart-and-soul player who played excellent defense and was defined by his hustle. Former Rangers head coach (and current assistant) David Quinn once remarked that no one came back to the bench as tired as Fast, who emptied the tank on every shift. That\u2019s why he was voted by teammates as the Players\u2019 Player Award winner for five consecutive seasons from 2016-20. \u2014Mercogliano<\/p>\n

Center: Vincent Trocheck
2022-present
270 games, 79 goals, 217 points<\/p>\n

The fourth-line center spot was hotly contested as well, but Trocheck\u2019s 2023-24 season put him on the team over the likes of Brandon Dubinsky, Brad Richards and Petr Nedv\u011bd. He was excellent that year, both in the regular season (career-high 77 points, All-Star Game appearance) and in the playoffs, during which he had 20 points in 16 games and scored or had the primary assist on three overtime winners. Dubinsky was the hardest forward for us to leave off, but we decided to go with Trocheck\u2019s peak over Dubinsky\u2019s longer tenure with the team.<\/p>\n

Center hasn\u2019t been a strong suit for the Rangers in the 2000s, and the fact that two of the four players up the middle on our All-Century lineup (Brassard and Trocheck) have played fewer than 300 games with the team reflects that. \u2014Baugh<\/p>\n

Right wing: Ryan Callahan
2006-2014
450 games, 132 goals, 254 points<\/p>\n

There was no debate about Callahan, who was named captain in 2011 after growing into the leader of the Black-and-Blueshirts at a young age. He was known as a grinder who finished top-10 in Selke voting three times, but he was no slouch offensively either, with 22 or more goals in three seasons and 16 or more in six. Callahan won the Steven McDonald Award four times, which sits one behind Adam Graves for most all-time. \u2014Mercogliano<\/p>\n

Honorable mentions: Pavel Buchnevich, Brandon Dubinsky, Carl Hagelin, Kevin Hayes, Alexis Lafreni\u00e8re, J.T. Miller, Petr Nedv\u011bd, Ryan Strome, Brad Richards<\/p>\n

Defense<\/p>\n

First pair<\/p>\n

Left defense: Ryan McDonagh
2011-2018
516 games, 51 goals, 238 points<\/p>\n

In retrospect, the Rangers probably should have never traded McDonagh, who is still averaging 20 minutes a night with Tampa Bay more than seven years later. While on the Rangers, McDonagh was a captain and consistently led the team in time on ice per game. He finished as high as eighth in Norris Trophy voting and twice had more than 40 points in a season. \u2014Baugh<\/p>\n

\"Adam<\/p>\n

\n Adam Fox is the only Ranger to win a Norris Trophy in the 21st century. (Bruce Bennett \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Right defense: Adam Fox
2019-present
458 games, 66 goals, 395 points<\/p>\n

Brian Leetch is regarded as the best defenseman in franchise history, but Fox is No. 1 from this century. He burst onto the scene in 2019, going straight from Harvard to the NHL, and became the Rangers\u2019 fourth Norris Trophy winner by his second season. His arrival coincided with New York\u2019s sudden surge back into contention, with Fox leading the blue line for deep playoff runs in 2022 and 2024. \u2014Mercogliano<\/p>\n

Second pair<\/p>\n

Left defense: Marc Staal
2007-2020
892 games, 43 goals, 188 points<\/p>\n

Longevity matters, and Staal played more games than any Ranger this century, just edging out Kreider and Henrik Lundqvist. Staal showed some offensive promise early, but a 2013 eye injury altered the course of his career. Still, he stabilized into a consistent, stay-at-home defenseman for the Rangers. He remains involved with the team, occasionally taking the ice in his player development role. \u2014Baugh<\/p>\n

Right defense: Dan Girardi
2007-2017
788 games, 46 goals, 230 points<\/p>\n

While Callahan was the leader of the Black-and-Blueshirts, Girardi embodied their rugged style of play from the back end. He took on the toughest assignments and willingly sacrificed his body, with his 1,691 blocked shots registering first on the franchise\u2019s all-time list by a healthy margin. (The NHL started tracking the stat in 2005-06.) \u2014Mercogliano<\/p>\n

Third pair<\/p>\n

Left defense: Brian Leetch
2000-2004
300 games, 61 goals, 214 points
Note: Leetch\u2019s Rangers career obviously started before 2000. For this exercise, we just used his stats from Jan. 1, 2000 on.<\/p>\n

The Rangers weren\u2019t good when Leetch was there in the 2000s, but he still managed a fifth-place Norris finish, the highest of any Ranger besides Fox in the last 25 years. That came during the 2000-01 season, when he led the team with 79 points \u2014 a mark that still stands as the franchise\u2019s single-season high for a defenseman this century. \u2014Baugh<\/p>\n

\"Michal<\/p>\n

\n Michal Rozsival led the Rangers blue line during the late 2000s. (Nick Laham \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Right defense: Michal Rozs\u00edval
2005-2011
432 games, 42 goals, 176 points<\/p>\n

This was the only spot on defense that garnered differing opinions. It was neck-and-neck between Rozs\u00edval and Jacob Trouba, who both spent five and a half seasons in New York. The latter captained more successful teams, but we gave a slight nod to the former because he was more productive offensively while shouldering responsibility as the team\u2019s No. 1 defenseman for many of those years. \u2014Mercogliano<\/p>\n

Honorable mentions: Ryan Lindgren, K\u2019Andre Miller, Brady Skjei, Anton Str\u00e5lman, Jacob Trouba<\/p>\n

Goalies<\/p>\n

Starter: Henrik Lundqvist
2005-2020
887 games, 459 wins, .918 save percentage<\/p>\n

If we were voting for quarter-century MVP, Lundqvist would be the clear choice. He carried multiple teams much further than the talent in front of him would have otherwise been capable of and elevated his game in the biggest moments. The 2023 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee posted a .922 save percentage and franchise-record 61 wins in the playoffs, including a 6-2 record with an otherworldly .961 save percentage in Game 7 settings. Those six wins came in six consecutive appearances from 2012-15 and are tied for the most in NHL history. \u2014Mercogliano<\/p>\n

No. 2: Igor Shesterkin
2020-present
303 games, 177 wins, .917 save percentage<\/p>\n

Shesterkin\u2019s 2021-22 season is one of the great goalie years this century; it earned him my Hart Trophy vote back when I was covering Colorado. The Rangers have not always done Shesterkin many defensive favors in front of him, and yet he always seems to keep them in games. Plus his playoff track record is elite: a 23-20 record with a .928 save percentage. \u2014Baugh<\/p>\n

Because the Rangers have been lucky enough to have Lundqvist and Shesterkin shouldering so much of the goaltending burden this century, we didn\u2019t think the position needed an honorable mention category. Either Lundqvist or Shesterkin has been the primary starter in all but one season since 2005-06.<\/p>\n