Last time we were in 1st this late in the season...

Draft Guru · 12-27-2011, 05:32 PM

The good ol' 2001/02 season. Eric Lindros' first year with the Rangers. The first half of the season, the FLY Line (Fleury-Lindros-York) was on fire. Rangers were in first up until Christmas. Then Lindros took a hard hit at center ice in San Jose from Mark Smith, he was out for a few games, Rangers lost 7 in a row and then missed the playoffs completely.

Found these two videos on Youtube. Check out some of the players on that team. Ulanov. Karpa. Sandy McCarthy. Brings back memories, mostly bad haha. Pretty safe to say our team is FAR FAR FAR better than that roster was.

**HatTrick Swayze** · 12-27-2011, 05:37 PM

That is crazy, I remember that like it was yesterday (unfortunately). Loved the FLY line and still own a Lindros home jersey...

Thanks for posting.

NYRKING30 · 12-27-2011, 05:40 PM

ulanov... the prized roster possession of the panthers in the bure trade

Zuccarello Awesome* · 12-27-2011, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HatTrick Swayze

That is crazy, I remember that like it was yesterday (unfortunately). Loved the FLY line and still own a Lindros home jersey...

Thanks for posting.

Same here. Yikes.

Draft Guru · 12-27-2011, 05:51 PM

I'm as big a Richter fan as anybody else. But watching those videos, wow. He's so small in the net compared to today's goalies. And that was only 9 years ago.

Bickel41 · 12-27-2011, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Draft Guru

I'm as big a Richter fan as anybody else. But watching those videos, wow. He's so small in the net compared to today's goalies. And that was only 9 years ago.

Both Giacomin and Richter played at about 5,11 185-190 lbs. Henrik is about 6,1 but only plays at about 195 lbs so not much of a difference.

Draft Guru · 12-27-2011, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris6net

Both Giacomin and Richter played at about 5,11 185-190 lbs. Henrik is about 6,1 but only plays at about 195 lbs so not much of a difference.

I'm talking more goalie equipment and positioning in the net (aka Butterfly goalies). There's nothing to shoot at in today's NHL.

Go to the 3 minute mark of the 2nd video and look at Richter when Johnsson walks in all alone. So much more net to shoot at then you ever see today.

UlfNilsson · 12-27-2011, 06:07 PM

My most glorious jersey is my Theo Fleury 3rd jersey (authentic) from the 2000 season. It still looks like I bought it yesterday. I've worn it a thousand times.

alvesNYR · 12-27-2011, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris6net

Both Giacomin and Richter played at about 5,11 185-190 lbs. Henrik is about 6,1 but only plays at about 195 lbs so not much of a difference.

Richter definitely seemed closer to 5'9"-maybe 5'10". He looked small.

Here he is next to 6' Graves and 6' Leetch.

NHL.com has him at 5'10".

Obviously the equipment has A LOT to do with how much net you see/how small the goalie looks but Richter seemed smaller than his height and weight indicated.

mike14 · 12-27-2011, 06:36 PM

Still remember that season. Richter, Leetch and entire FLY line got selected for the Olympics, the Rangers were riding high.

Very soon after the gold medal game Richter and Marty faced off against the Rangers again, absolutely destroyed us and the season just unraveled from there.......

KreiMeARiver · 12-27-2011, 07:05 PM

yeah, the "glory years". Horrible memories of hope, quickly extinguished by heartache. The worst.

darko · 12-27-2011, 07:13 PM

Ah the highs and lows of that season. Probably trimmed couple years of my life.

skroob** · 12-27-2011, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYRKING30

ulanov... the prized roster possession of the panthers in the bure trade

I remember how we would all regret giving up Filip Novák. I was one of the people saying that!

007 · 12-27-2011, 07:33 PM

Best hockey game I ever went to was Lindros' first game as a Ranger vs. the Flyers at MSG.

The guy who sold me his season tickets for the game was almost in tears -- he had to go to his son's hockey game instead. That was the only reason he ever missed a Rangers game (I always admired that), but this time, I think he'd rather have sold me his son!

Giglio NYR15 · 12-27-2011, 09:42 PM

Wow I remember this..I was 10 yrs old during this season. I remember I always used to say Thank god I had the Yankees, at least they won, just coming off that subway series. It sucked I was too little for the cup year. They started sucking as soon as I really grew into them in the late 90s. Fast forward and im 21 and ready for a cup run, I think our boys are too.

Also, thanks..Ive been looking for the stat of when we were last 1st in the East. I can find the end of the season standings from the seasons, but not game by game or at various points in the season.

NYRKING30 · 12-27-2011, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skroob

I remember how we would all regret giving up Filip Novák. I was one of the people saying that!

haha he turned out to be a nothing. who eventually became their first round pick that we gave them?

NYRKING30 · 12-27-2011, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giglio NYR15

Wow I remember this..I was 10 yrs old during this season. I remember I always used to say Thank god I had the Yankees, at least they won, just coming off that subway series. It sucked I was too little for the cup year. They started sucking as soon as I really grew into them in the late 90s. Fast forward and im 21 and ready for a cup run, I think our boys are too.

Also, thanks..Ive been looking for the stat of when we were last 1st in the East. I can find the end of the season standings from the seasons, but not game by game or at various points in the season.

haha same here as well except im a mets fan. oh those tortureous years

EEDAWGZ · 12-27-2011, 10:15 PM

Its good to be reminded of the hard times, its making this season all that much sweeter

EEDAWGZ · 12-27-2011, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYRKING30

ulanov... the prized roster possession of the panthers in the bure trade

skroob** · 12-27-2011, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYRKING30

haha he turned out to be a nothing. who eventually became their first round pick that we gave them?

garbage by the name of Petr Tatíček. Rob Globke was taken with our 2nd that we also gave them.

They also flipped us a 2nd in return, but that was also a steaming pile of grate dane dookie (Lee Falardeau).

It basically worked out to be 51 games of Bure in Blue for nothing.

skroob** · 12-27-2011, 10:52 PM

However, had we held those picks, and picked different players than FLA did, we would have been able to take Semin (who went later in the 1st) and Duncan Keith (who went later in the 2nd), so take that for what its worth.

pld459666 · 12-28-2011, 05:34 AM

I seriously hate the fact that Lindros ever had his name on a Rangers Jersey.

It never seemed to fit, and I was never comfortable wanting him to do well.

Crease · 12-28-2011, 06:22 AM

I knew this thread would appear at some point. The FLY line was unstoppable for the first half of that season. IIRC, the Islanders were right up there with us for a while.