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 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 Corey Locke, Sandis Ozolinsh, James Sheppard, 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” On this edition, we feature a Hartford mainstay and a guy named Mike.
Mike Eastwood, Center
Time with Rangers: 75 games, 6G, 12A throughout two seasons.
Acquired from Toronto for for Tie Domi, Mike Eastwood brought his imposing physical presence to the the Phoenix Coyotes before he would up on Broadway. The Rangers acquired Eastwood, along with Dallas Eakins, from Phoenix in exchange for Jayson More. Throughout 75 games, he notched six goals and 12 assists, fitting the mold of a classic bottom-six center known for his size. A year later, he was traded to the Blues in exchange for Harry York.
In his 13-season career, Eastwood participated in 783 NHL games, accumulating 87 goals and 149 assists. He also made appearances in 97 playoff games, 15 with the Rangers, contributing eight goals and 11 assists for a total of 19 points and amassing 64 penalty minutes.
Kris Newbury, Center
Time with Rangers: 24 games over three seasons in New York, Wolf Pack/Whale mainstay.
I had this inexplicable belief that Kris Newbury was destined to become a future bottom-six forward, although I don’t know why I held onto that notion. Despite his shorter stature, Newbury always displayed a tenacious, physical style of play. However, his skill set never quite translated to success in the NHL.
After brief stints with the Maple Leafs and Red Wings, Newbury found himself with the Rangers in 2010. During his three seasons with the Whale/Wolf Pack, he consistently delivered as a 40+ point player. Nevertheless, his time with the Rangers proved less fruitful, as he managed only two points and accrued 68 penalty minutes in 24 games.
Evidently, he failed to leave a lasting impression, prompting the Rangers to trade him to Philadelphia for Danny Syvret three seasons later.
Newbury continued his journey, making stops in Philadelphia for one more season before finding himself in various lower leagues. His career took him to teams such as Adirondack, Charlotte, Bakersfield, Hershey, and Ontario in the AHL, and he even had a one-season stint in Germany. He would return to North America, bouncing around in the ECHL before landing with the Deseronto Bulldogs in the Eastern Ontario Super Hockey League.
Share:
More About:Players