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” In this edition, we feature a defenseman who was booed and a grit winger who still with the organization to this day.
Jed Ortmeyer, Forward
Time with Rangers: 177 games over three seasons
Undrafted in the NHL, Ortmeyer joined the New York Rangers on May 10, 2003. His debut season (2003–04) saw him split time between the Rangers and the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, achieving his first NHL goal on November 25. The 2004–05 lockout season was entirely spent with the Wolf Pack, but he returned full-time for the Rangers in 2005–06, contributing to the “HMO Line.”
During the 2006 off-season, the “HMO Line” disbanded, and Ortmeyer faced a health setback with a pulmonary embolism. He returned in 2007, making an impact with notable performances, earning the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award. Becoming a free agent in 2007, he signed a two-year contract with the Nashville Predators but faced injuries.
Moving on from Nashville, Ortmeyer signed with the San Jose Sharks in 2009. He had brief stints with the New York Islanders, San Antonio Rampage, and Houston Aeros before joining the NHL’s Minnesota Wild in 2011. During the NHL Lockout, he played for the Missouri Mavericks in the Central Hockey League in 2012–13, returning to the AHL with the San Antonio Rampage later that season on January 31, 2013.
Ortmeyer currently serves as the Director of Player Development with the New York Rangers.
Tom Poti, Defenseman
Time with Rangers: 231 games over four seasons
Poti entered the NHL scene when the Edmonton Oilers drafted him in the third round, 59th overall, during the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.
On March 19, 2002, Poti was on the move, as the Rangers acquired Poti and Rem Murray in exchange for Mike York and a fourth-round pick in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. While with the Rangers, Poti served as the point man on the top power-play unit until Fedor Tyutin assumed the role. Unfortunately, Poti’s time with the Rangers was marred by fan dissatisfaction, leading to boos and cheers when he touched the puck and when he’d get off the ice, respectively.
In the summer of 2006, Poti took on a new chapter by signing as a free agent with the Rangers’ cross-town rival, the New York Islanders. However, the echoes of boos continued whenever he played at Madison Square Garden.
Transitioning to the Washington Capitals, Poti signed a four-year deal on July 1, 2007, worth $3.5 million annually. He achieved his first playoff series victory with the Capitals when they eliminated the Rangers in seven games on April 28, 2009.
Despite signing a three-year contract extension in 2010, Poti’s career faced challenges due to a recurring groin injury. Limited to only 21 games in 2010–11 and missing the following season, there were doubts about his NHL future.
After being cleared to return for the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season, Poti underwent a conditioning assignment with the Hershey Bears of the AHL. Eventually called up to Washington, he played in 16 games. Poti became a free agent at the season’s end and announced his retirement on May 1, 2014.
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