Heading into the 1995–1996 season, the Rangers signed Ray Ferraro after trading Petr Nedved and Sergei Zubov to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Luc Robitaille and Ulf Samuelsson. Combined with the prior addition of Pat Verbeek, the Rangers had assembled a strong, if somewhat aging, forward core that was still productive despite being past its early-90s peak. Ferraro’s signing fit perfectly with the team’s goal of becoming tougher and more physical following their 1994 Stanley Cup run.
Ferraro was a highly skilled, offense-first center known for his instincts and relentless edge. He dominated junior hockey, highlighted by a 108-goal season and a 192-point campaign, before going on to build a long, productive 18-year NHL career. Despite being undersized at 5’10”, 175 pounds, he consistently filled a top-six role, often centering a second line. Nicknamed “The Big Ball of Hate,” Ferraro combined scoring ability with an aggressive, disruptive style and proved his consistency with standout seasons like his 40-goal, 80-point performance in 1991–92.
During his brief stint with the Rangers, Ferraro produced well, recording 54 points (25 goals, 29 assists) and a +13 rating in 65 games. For much of the 1995–96 season, the Rangers were meeting expectations. The trio of Mark Messier, Adam Graves, and Verbeek led the offense, with both Messier and Verbeek surpassing 40 goals. Graves continued to produce, while Ferraro meshed effectively with Robitaille and Alexei Kovalev. On paper, this looked like a legitimate contender.
Ferraro brought effort, speed, and consistent production. He was exactly the type of player who helped teams win. Everything about his fit made sense. Then, on March 14, 1996, the Rangers made a trade that still goes down as one of the worst trades in franchise history.
Still trying to replicate their 1994 formula of being tough to play against, and after adding role players like Bill Berg and Sergio Momesso, General Manager Neil Smith executed a seven-player blockbuster with Los Angeles. The Rangers sent Ferraro, Ian Laperriere, Nathan Lafayette, promising defenseman Mattias Norstrom, and a fourth-round pick to the Kings in exchange for Jari Kurri, Marty McSorley, and Shane Churla. The deal, even at the time, felt completely illogical.
Kurri, a Hall of Famer and one of the greatest players of his era, was nearing the end of his career and couldn’t recapture his form in New York. He played just 14 games, recording one goal and four assists, before leaving in the offseason to sign with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. His time with the Rangers provided little return.
Kurri would go on to play two more NHL seasons with Anaheim and Colorado, reaching the 600-goal milestone. At one point, he held records among European-born players with 601 goals, 797 assists, and 1,398 points.
McSorley, another veteran from the Oilers dynasty years, also failed to make an impact. He appeared in just nine regular-season games for the Rangers, posting a -9 rating, and played sparingly in the playoffs. He was traded to the San Jose Sharks that offseason. His career later ended following a notorious stick-swinging incident involving Donald Brashear, which resulted in a suspension, an assault conviction in British Columbia, and ultimately his exit from the NHL.
Churla, known primarily as an enforcer dating back to his days with the Minnesota North Stars, had built a reputation for racking up penalty minutes—often nearing or exceeding 300 per season. However, his time with the Rangers was minimal that season, appearing in just 10 games with limited impact.
The Rangers did make the playoffs that year, defeating the Montreal Canadiens in the first round before being eliminated by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second. That Penguins team, led by Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr, also featured former Rangers Nedved and Zubov, an ironic twist. The Rangers could not hold up against the Penguins’ high-end speed and skill, and the trade with the Kings highlighted it.
Meanwhile, the trade worked out far better for Los Angeles. While Ferraro initially appeared to be the centerpiece, Mattias Norstrom ultimately became the most significant piece. Unable to establish himself in New York, Norstrom developed into one of the most respected captains in Kings history. While New York never gave him a chance, he thrived in LA.
Ferraro provided solid production in Los Angeles, scoring 48 goals and 98 points over 197 games across four seasons. Laperriere became a fan favorite as a physical, agitating presence, spending nine years with the Kings and playing 595 games while accumulating over 1,000 penalty minutes. Lafayette, on the other hand, had a more limited role, appearing in just 94 games over four seasons.
As for Ferraro, he remained a productive player for the rest of his career. After some challenging years in Los Angeles, particularly following Wayne Gretzky’s departure, (99 reunited with Messier in New York for one final playoff push), Ferraro found renewed success with the expansion Atlanta Thrashers. During the 2000–01 season, he led the team with 76 points (29 goals, 47 assists).
In his final NHL season, Ferraro played 61 games before being traded to the St. Louis Blues for a playoff run. He contributed 10 points in 15 regular-season games and added three assists in 10 playoff games, helping the Blues reach the Western Conference Semifinals before falling to the eventual champion Detroit Red Wings.
Ferraro retired at 37 following the 2001–02 season, finishing his 18-year career with 408 goals and 490 assists for 898 points in 1,258 games. His 408 goals rank among the top 100 all-time, including 278 even-strength goals and 130 power-play goals.
He enjoyed a strong career across six teams, with notable success in Hartford and memorable years with the Islanders. Even in his brief time with the Rangers, he proved to be an effective and valuable player. It’s fair to wonder how things might have unfolded had New York held onto him. While he wasn’t a franchise savior, his speed, skill, and tenacity could have helped address many of the issues that plagued those mid-to-late 90s Rangers teams.
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