While the New York Rangers were enjoying the golf course, former Blueshirt Carl Hagelin raised the Stanley Cup in San Jose last night.
New York Rangers fans, if someone told you four years ago that Marian Gaborik, Brad Richards, Daniel Carcillo, and Carl Hagelin would all have Stanley Cup rings by the end of the 2016 season, you probably would have been pretty excited right?The hockey gods have not been kind to the Blueshirt faithful. They do however, have a twisted sense of humor.
You could also put the New York Rangers emblem next to the word irony in the dictionary. Here is how the Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word:
Four players that leave the Rangers, only to win the Stanley Cup the very next year?
That’s irony at it’s best (worst).
I have to admit that while many fans were happy for Carl Hagelin, I wasn’t overly pumped for the former Blueshirt. Something about seeing him in a Pittsburgh Penguins jersey while holding that Stanley Cup made me a tad sick.
Don’t misinterpret me, it’s not that I was upset that Hags found some success, because I am very happy for Hags the person.
But as for Hags the Pittsburgh Penguin, I’m not exactly going to hang any newspaper clippings.
I was pretty happy for Brad Richards when he won the Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks. Like Hagelin, Richards loved playing in New York.
While it stings that these players enjoyed success once they were traded away from New York, the part that hurts the most is that they all played a large part of their respective team’s success in the playoffs, minus Carcillo (his name was etched on the Stanley Cup but he didn’t play in the playoffs).
Marian Gaborik tallied 14 goals and 8 assists in the playoffs the year his Los Angeles Kings beat the Rangers in the finals (the ultimate irony).
Brad Richards may have only scored three goals in 2015, but his 11 assists were a vital part of Chicago’s success.
And like Richards, Hagelin’s 16 playoff points (6 goals, 10 assists) made his line one of the scariest on the team.
The result?
That moment you realize defense and speed (Sullivan, Hagelin) STILL wins championships. #StanleyCup#NYRpic.twitter.com/g53GT9Ff2b
— Elite Sports NY (@EliteSportsNY) June 13, 2016
Still not convinced?
Remember that assistant coach that everyone hated? The same coach whose power play was trash and offensive strategy made no sense?
Yeahhhh. Perhaps Tortorella had a point. Remember folks, this is the guy Sather fired Torts over. #NYR#StanleyCuppic.twitter.com/8iLua9XVWM
— Elite Sports NY (@EliteSportsNY) June 13, 2016
We’ve seen this ironic story play out in Tampa Bay as well, with Brian Boyle, Anton Stralman, and Ryan Callahan all enjoying some serious success.
If these ironies have taught us anything, it’s that the 2013-14 New York Rangers were a very talented and special team.
But for now, let’s just hope that we’ll see Henrik Lundqvist raise the Stanley Cup soon.
Oh, but let’s make sure he’s wearing a Rangers’ jersey when it happens.
