NYC Rankings: Elite Sports NY presents the five most beloved non-championship teams in New York sports history.
By Robby Sabo
Sadness, despair and perhaps a little loneliness.
Those are the descriptions fans of the New York Rangers are feeling right now after witnessing their team put up a goose-egg in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
There will be no more putting the 16 Stanley Cup puzzle pieces together. There will be no more “I believe” mantras. There will be no more Rangers right there by your side as you come home from work and kick your feet up on that couch for the night.
The party is officially and sadly over.
For Henrik Lunqvist – who’ll turn 34 next season – he’ll have to wait at least one more year for the chance to get to the promised land.
It’s interesting though. Although some will argue the window of championship opportunity for this team is closing, the level for which fans love them remains extremely high.
When considering the current landscape of New York sports, there’s no doubt about it. These Rangers are the most beloved group in the Big Apple by a wide margin.
Can they compare to some of the championship teams of years past, such as the Derek Jeter Yankees of the 1990s? Of course not.
It brings up a fascinating question nonetheless: who are the most beloved non-championship teams in New York City sports history?
We begin with No. 5:
