As time passes, and we avidly follow our favorite sports teams, a multitude of players come and go. While we may recall them during their time with the team, some manage to slip through the crevices of our memory, only to resurface through a nostalgic memory or an old piece of media, causing us to reconnect their faces and names with the iconic Rangers uniform.
Among the hallowed names like Messier, Leetch, Giacomin, Lundqvist, and others, there are those more unknown Rangers, such as Emerson Etem, Ilkka Heikkinen, Enver Lisin, and others who may have faded from our recollection. As we traverse the regular season, we’ll delve into a few of these “Forgotten Rangers”
Featured on this edition of Forgotten Rangers, are a throw-in from the Nikolai Zherdev trade, a 2009 deadline acquisition, and the forgotten depth defenseman from 2012.
Dan Fritsche, Center
Time with Rangers – 16 games during the 2008-09 season
Columbus threw Dan Fritsche into the mix when they traded him to the Rangers on July 2nd, 2008, as part of a deal that included the enigmatic Nikolai Zherdev, exchanged for Fedor Tyutin and Christian Backman. The standout player in that trade was undoubtedly Zherdev, who had showcased immense skill during his time with Columbus. Fritsche, on the other hand, was considered a potential depth player for the Rangers. However, his impact on the team was far from memorable.
During his brief 16-game stint as a Ranger, Fritsche managed to score just one goal and provide three assists. He found himself as a healthy scratch for 22 out of 23 games until January of that year. Fritsche’s unimpressive performance led the Rangers’ management to trade him to Minnesota on January 29th, 2009, in exchange for Erik Reitz. To put it bluntly, it felt like I’ve made more noticeable dents on car doors while driving than the dent Dan Fritsche made in the Rangers’ lineup that season.
Fortunately for Fritsche, he eventually found his stride in Switzerland after some stints in the AHL. He spent three seasons with Geneve-Servette HC, HC Lugano, and eventually with the ZSC Lions, all competing in the top-tier Swiss league, the NLA.
On November 29, 2013, Fritsche was traded to the ZSC Lions, who were under the guidance of current Ottawa Senators assistant coach Marc Crawford at the time. Zurich went on to capture the NLA title in the 2013–14 season, with Fritsche playing a significant role by contributing four points in four championship games. Fritsche concluded his professional hockey career while playing for the ZSC Lions in 2015.
Nikolai Antropov, Center
Time with Rangers: 18 games in 2008-09, 7 playoff games.
The 2008-09 season proved to be a rollercoaster ride. The journey began in Switzerland, where Adam Graves’ number was honored in the rafters, Tom Renney was relieved of his duties, and John Tortorella was brought in as the new head coach. Meanwhile, the Rangers’ roster saw considerable changes in an effort to salvage their playoff hopes.
One notable move was acquiring Nikolai Antropov from the Maple Leafs in exchange for a second-round pick and a conditional draft selection. Antropov’s contribution played a crucial role in keeping the Rangers afloat, securing them the 7th seed in the playoffs under the old conference alignment.
During his tenure as a Ranger, Antropov made a substantial impact. In the regular season, he tallied 13 points, including 7 goals and 6 assists in just 18 games. His performance continued into the first round of the playoffs against the Washington Capitals, where he notched 2 goals and 1 assist in seven games. Unfortunately, the Rangers’ postseason journey was cut short by a late goal by Sergei Fedorov, resulting in their ouster.
Following that season, Antropov opted not to re-sign with the Rangers. Instead, he inked a four-year, $16.25 million deal with the Atlanta Thrashers, who later became the Winnipeg Jets. Antropov made history by scoring the first goal for the newly relocated Winnipeg Jets in a game against the Montreal Canadiens. After his contract with Winnipeg concluded, Antropov ventured into the KHL before eventually concluding his professional career in 2015.
On a personal note, Antropov was a favorite of mine, despite his short tenure at MSG. His towering presence as a center with exceptional hands stood out on a team that lacked physicality. Despite my want to see him return to the organization, factors like age and potential contract demands made it clear that the Rangers were in no rush to extend him an offer.
Jeff Woywitka, Defense
Time with Rangers: 27 games during the 2011-12 season
Ah, yes, the curious case of Jeff Woywitka. I’ve always associated Jeff with fellow defenseman, Anton Stralman due to their overlapping tenures on the same team but not concurrently. Woywitka had established himself as a serviceable defenseman during his time with the St. Louis Blues and the Dallas Stars, often playing in the role of a bottom-pair defenseman, logging respectable minutes—a quintessential, run-of-the-mill blue-liner.
In the summer of 2011, Woywitka signed a contract with the Montreal Canadiens but, unfortunately, didn’t secure a spot on the roster later that year. This presented an opportunity for the Rangers, who promptly claimed Woywitka. He performed admirably in 27 games, boasting a plus/minus rating of +2, and contributing one goal and five assists. Personally, I liked Jeff Woywitka during his stint as a Ranger, but it seems the Blueshirts had different plans in mind.
As the season unfolded, Woywitka found himself assigned to the Connecticut Whale, presumably to accommodate the arrival of Anton Stralman. (Stralman was signed later that season, and my memory is a bit hazy on the exact details, so let’s go with that explanation for his demotion!)
The following season, Woywitka left the Rangers and returned to the Blues organization. Subsequently, he ventured overseas to play hockey in Germany before eventually retiring from the sport in 2015.
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