7 Biggest Trades in New York Rangers History, Ranked

Trades have played a huge role in shaping the history of the New York Rangers.

Some deals – like the one that brought Mark Messier to New York – are remembered fondly by the fan base. 

Others, like the one that saw Rick Middleton go to Boston, still drive fans up a wall.

Here are my picks for the seven biggest trades in the long history of the Rangers.

7 Biggest New York Rangers Trades in Team History

1. Louie DeBrusk, Bernie Nicholls, and Steven Rice for Mark Messier  

This is one of the most important trades in the history of the NHL.

Mired in a five-decade Stanley Cup drought, the New York Rangers struck a deal with the Edmonton Oilers for their captain and five-time champion Mark Messier.

Messier was a prolific scorer but was also known as one of the best leaders in the NHL, and the Rangers hoped that he would be able to shoulder the pressure of finally bringing Lord Stanley back to New York.

Messier accomplished that goal in 1994, and is now considered one of the great New York City sporting icons.   

2. Brad Park, Jean Ratelle, and Joe Zanussi for Phil Esposito and Carol Vadnais

We are a couple of generations removed now, but this was one of the biggest blockbusters in NHL history when it was made.

Esposito was one of the best players in NHL history and joined the Rangers after scoring 459 goals and 1,012 points in nine seasons with the Bruins. 

The Rangers paid a massive price to bring Esposito to New York, as Brad Park and Jean Ratelle were not only fan favourites, but two of the best players on the Blueshirts at the time of the deal.

The gamble to bring Esposito to New York didn’t pay off for the Blueshirts,  but it set the tone for the franchise in the years to come. 

The Rangers are always trying to bring stars to New York and are willing to pay a hefty price to do it.

3. Igor Ulanov, Filip Novak, a First-Round Pick, a Second-Round Pick, and a Fourth-Round Pick for Pavel Bure and a Second-Round Pick

Other trades had bigger impacts on the ice, but this deal got the entire NHL buzzing.

Pavel Bure was one of the biggest stars in the 1990s, and it only seemed like a matter of time before “The Russian Rocket” would head to the Big Apple. 

The trade finally got over the line right before the 2002 trade deadline, and it didn’t take long for Bure to become a star in New York City, even if he didn’t stick around all that long. 

4. Anson Carter for Jaromir Jagr

This trade looks bizarre on paper all these years later, but there is a back story to the move. 

The Washington Capitals were so desperate to move Jaromir Jagr, that they retained half of his salary and traded him to New York for Anson Carter, a serviceable middle-six winger. That’s it.

The Caps’ loss was the Rangers’ gain, as Jagr scored 54 goals and recorded 123 points for the Rangers in his first full season, leading the Blueshirts to a playoff berth despite being a long shot according to their NHL odds.

Jagr only spent three full seasons in New York, but he played a massive role in turning the Blueshirts into a perennial playoff team.

5. Rick Middleton for Ken Hodge

Desperate for Esposito to find his scoring touch, the Rangers thought a good way to kick-start “Espo” would be to bring in his old linemate, Ken Hodge, from Boston.

The Bruins were happy to oblige, so long as the Blueshirts sent over Rick Middleton.

The Rangers did just that, leading to one of the most lopsided trades of the NHL to that point. 

Middleton would record seven consecutive 30-goal seasons and four straight 40-goal campaigns with the Bruins, while Hodge only played one full season on Broadway.

6. Derick Brassard and a Seventh-Round Pick for Mika Zibanejad and a Second-Round Pick

This was a classic sell-high, buy-low swap.

Derick Brassard had established himself as a strong No. 2 centre on Broadway and was still in his prime when he was traded, but the Rangers were willing to part with him for Mika Zibanejad, the sixth pick in the 2011 NHL Draft. 

Zibanejad wasn’t struggling to find his game in Ottawa, but the Rangers unlocked something in the Swedish centre and it wasn’t long before he was a point-per-game player on some terrific Rangers teams. 

7. Scott Gomez, Tom Pyatt, and Mike Busto for Ryan McDonagh, Chris Higgins, Doug Janik, and Pavel Valentenko

It would be a few seasons before the impact of this trade was truly felt, but it ushered in a new era for the Rangers.

Ryan McDonagh was a blue-chip prospect at the time of the deal and he made good on that promise during his time on Broadway. 

McDonagh and the Rangers were often considered one of the favourites to win the Eastern Conference according to their hockey odds during his tenure, and he led the Blueshirts to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014.