One of the great debates for fans of any team is who is the best player to wear that jersey number. As a diehard New York Rangers fan, I ask that question to myself whenever a new player receives their number. This is part seven of a ten-part series of who I believe are the greatest all-time New York Rangers by jersey number. Today I discuss numbers 30-39. If you missed any of the first six parts, go check out the links below!
Greatest All-Time New York Rangers by Jersey Number (Part 1: 90-99) – NHL Belly Up Sports
Greatest All-Time New York Rangers by Jersey Number (Part 2: 80-89) – Belly Up Sports
/Greatest All-Time New York Rangers by Jersey Number (Part 3: 70-79) – Belly Up Sports
Greatest All-Time New York Rangers by Jersey Number (Part 4: 60-69) – Belly Up Sports
Greatest All-Time New York Rangers by Jersey Number (Part 5: 50-59) – Belly Up Sports
/Greatest All-Time New York Rangers By Jersey Number (Part 6: 40-49) – Belly Up Sports
Number 39: Tony Granato
The Rangers drafted Granato in the sixth round of the 1982 NHL draft. After an outstanding college career at Wisconsin. Granato turned in one of the best rookie seasons in Rangers history. His 36 goals that season are still a Rangers rookie record. He was also named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. During his second season with the Rangers, he was traded to the LA Kings in a blockbuster deal for Bernie Nicholls.
Final Rangers stat line: 115 GP 43 G 45 A 88 PTS
Number 38: Robbie Ftorek
The Rangers acquire Ftorek during the 1981-82 season from the Quebec Nordiques. Ftorek made an immediate impact on the Rangers lineup, producing 32 points in the 30 games he played that season to help lead them to the playoffs. In the playoffs, Ftorek would lead the team in scoring with 7 goals and 11 points in 10 games. Ftorek would play four seasons for the Rangers before retiring.
Final Rangers stat line: 170 GP 32 G 55 A 87 PTS
Number 37: Jan Hlavac
The Rangers acquire Hlavac from the Calgary Flames before the 1999-00 season. Hlavac had a great rookie season, scoring 19 goals, which was the 4th most on the team. He followed that up with a career-best 28 goals in his second season. Hlavac teamed up with fellow countryman Petr Nedved and Radek Dvorak to form the “Czech-mate” line. After two seasons he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers for Eric Lindros. The Rangers would reacquire Hlavac for a second stint on Broadway for the 2003-04 season.
Final Rangers stat line: 218 GP 52 G 80 A 132 PTS
Number 36: Mats Zuccarello
The Rangers discovered Zuccarello after his strong performance at the 2010 Winter Olympics with Team Norway. The Rangers signed him as a free agent, and he became just the seventh Norwegian player to play in the NHL. Following a few tough seasons to start his NHL career, Zuccarello solidified his spot in the Rangers lineup during the 2013-14 season. He would produce 59 points that season to lead the team and he would also put up another 13 points in 25 playoff games to help led the Rangers to the Stanley Cup Final. He would lead the team again in scoring again during the 2015-16 season, starting a streak of three consecutive years, becoming the ninth player in Rangers history to do so. The Rangers announced their rebuild during the 2018-19 season and would trade the fan favorite to the Dallas Stars.
Final Rangers stat line: 509 GP 113 G 239 A 352 PTS
Number 35: Mike Richter
The Rangers drafted Richter in the second round of the 1985 NHL Entry Draft. Early in his career Richter formed one of the best goalie duos in the league along with the next man on this list John Vanbiesbrouck. Richter would take over the full-time job prior to the 1993-94 season. That year Richter would be named to his second All-Star game, winning the game MVP, he would win an NHL best 42 games and lead the Rangers to the Presidents Trophy. Most importantly Richter would backstop the Rangers to their first Stanley Cup in 54 years. Richter would go on the become the first Rangers goalie to win 300 games and have his number 35 retired by the team. He was inducted into the US Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008.
Final Rangers stat line: 666 GP 301-258-73 .904 SV% 2.89 GAA
Number 34: John Vanbiesbrouck
The Rangers drafted Vanbiesbrouck in the fourth round of the 1981 NHL Entry Draft. “The Beezer” would lead the NHL in wins, 31, in just his second full season and was awarded the Vezina Trophy. In his nine full seasons with the Rangers he would help lead the team to the playoffs in seven of them. He was named to his first NHL All-Star game in 1986. The Rangers would trade Vanbiesbrouck after the 1992-93 season knowing they would lose him in the upcoming expansion draft. He would go on to play in 3 more All-Star Games and was inducted in the US Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007.
Final Rangers stat line: 449 GP 200-177-47 .890 SV% 3.45 GAA
Number 33: Tony Amonte
The Rangers drafted Amonte in the fourth round of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft. Amonte had a monster rookie season, scoring 35 goals and putting up 69 points. He would finish 3rd in the Calder voting and was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. He followed up his big rookie season with an even better sophomore season. Finishing second on the team in points with 76 and his 33 goals were 3rd on the team. Amonte was surprisingly traded at the trade deadline during the 1993-94 season to the Chicago Blackhawks for the next man on this list Stephane Matteau and Brian Noonan. Although he missed the Rangers run to the Stanley Cup he would go on to play in 5 All-Star games and was inducted into the US Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009.
Final Rangers stat line: 234 GP 84 G 99 A 183 PTS
Number 32: Stephane Matteau
The Rangers acquired Matteau at the trade deadline during the 1993-94 season for Tony Amonte. Rangers coach Mike Keenan, who previously coached him in Chicago, pushed for the Rangers to add him for the playoffs. The move paid off big time during the Eastern Conference Final. Matteau would score arguably the biggest goal in Rangers history, a double OT Game 7 wrap-around against the New Jersey Devils. Matteau scored 6 goals and had 9 points in the Rangers Stanley Cup. During the 1995-96 season, Matteau would be traded to the St. Louis Blues and was once again reunited with Mike Keenan.
Final Rangers stat line: 85 GP 11 G 10 A 21 PTS
Number 31: Igor Shesterkin
The Rangers drafted Igor in the fourth round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Igor dominated in the KHL and made his NHL debut during the 2019-20 season. Playing behind Rangers legend Henrik Lundqvist, Igor would play just 12 games but would win 10 of them. Igor would break out this past year and is considered one of the best goalies in the world. Igor put together one of the best statistical seasons in NHL history for a goalie. He won the Vezina Trophy, was a finalist for the Hart Trophy, and was named to the First Team All-NHL. In his first real playoff action Igor led the Rangers to the Eastern Conference Final. The 79 saves he made in Game 1 of the first round against the Penguins set a franchise record.
Number 30: Henrik Lundqvist
The Rangers drafted Lundqvist in the seventh round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. “The King” would become an immediate star in New York. In his rookie season, he would help break a seven-year playoff drought while setting a Rangers record winning 30 games. He would also be named to the All-NHL Rookie team. Hank would go on to become the best goalie in the world and arguably the greatest goalie in NHL history. Lundqvist won the Vezina trophy following the 2011-12 season. He was a finalist for the award four other times. He was named to five All-Star games. Only goaltender in NHL history to record 30 wins in each of the first seven seasons. His 459 wins are the most in Rangers history and the most wins by a European-born goaltender in NHL history. The Rangers retired his #30 this past season.
Final Rangers stat line: 887 GP 459-310-96 .918 SV% 2.43 GAA
Sound Off
There it is the greatest all-time New York Rangers to wear jersey numbers 30-39. This part was dominated by the goalies. Do you disagree with any of the selections? Comment below if you do. To hear more about my decisions on who I selected tune into my weekly Rangers podcast The Broadway Hat. Make sure you are following all of the social media pages below so you can follow along with all ten parts!
Be sure to bookmark our hockey page for hockey coverage and follow Belly Up Hockey on Twitter: @BellyUpHockey. Follow me on Twitter for more takes on the New York Rangers and USA Hockey: @KHallNY. You can also listen to my NY Rangers podcast The Broadway Hat Podcast on Apple Podcast and Spotify for Rangers news and interviews with past and current players.
