As time passes, and we avidly follow our favorite sports teams, many 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 Pascal Dupuis and 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.” In this edition, we look at two guys who were depth pieces during the 1994 season.
Phil Bourque, Left Wing
Time with Rangers: 16 games in ’93-’94
A remnant from the previous season, Phil Bourque spent a significant portion of two seasons as a member of the New York Rangers. Before his tenure in New York, Bourque played a role as a depth player for the Pittsburgh Penguins, contributing to their championship victories in the ’90-’91 and ’91-’92 seasons.
After his time in Pittsburgh, Bourque donned the Rangers’ jersey for 55 games during the ’92-’93 season. However, his playing time began to dwindle in the following season, as the team bolstered its roster with additional talent, relegating Bourque to a spot in the press box. In March 1994, he was traded to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for future considerations.
Bourque’s life took a harrowing turn when he survived a nearly fatal incident, enduring a 40-foot fall down a cliff near Arizona’s Lake Powell. This accident resulted in three broken vertebrae in his neck, a fractured skull, a shattered sinus cavity, a broken cheekbone, and a fractured nose. Following his recovery, Bourque returned to professional hockey, playing one season with the then-IHL’s Chicago Wolves before embarking on a three-season stint in Germany.
Ultimately, Bourque decided to hang up his skates after the 1999-2000 season.
Peter Andersson, Defenseman
Time with Rangers: 8 games in ’93-’94
Peter Andersson, yet another player retained from the prior season, occupied a depth role for the ’93-’94 team but struggled to secure a regular spot on the roster. Designated as one of the “Black Aces,” Andersson was on call to step in when needed. His appearances in a Rangers jersey that season were limited to just eight games before he was traded to the Florida Panthers in exchange for a 9th-round draft pick.
Subsequently, Andersson continued his hockey career with the Panthers before ultimately concluding his playing days in European leagues. He retired from professional hockey in 2005. Notably, Peter Andersson is the father of two sons, Calle, currently playing for HC Lugano in the Swiss league, and Rasmus, who is an active member of the Calgary Flames.
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