New York Rangers 1994 Stanley Cup Finals
(Photo by J Giamundo/Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images)

The New York Rangers celebrated one of the most important teams in their history with a 1994 Stanley Cup reunion. 

Dom Renna

It was a star-studded affair Friday night at Madison Square Garden as the New York Rangers celebrated the 25-year anniversary of their fourth Stanley Cup.

Every member of the 1994 team, except for Alexander Karpovtsev who tragically died in 2011 and Brian Noonan, were on hand to be a part of the big party at the Garden. Ranger legends in Mark Messier, Brian Leetch, Mike Richter, Adam Graves, and Stephane Matteau were in attendance to remember the team’s only championship in the last 25 years.

The ceremony began with Sam Rosen and John Davidson, the Rangers television broadcast duo, giving some remarks about the season that was in 1993-94. They would go on to announce members of the ’94 team with the Rangers broadcast intro song playing in the background.

Fans were brought out to create a red carpet feel for members of the ’94 team to come out to.

Players were introduced to loud ovations including one of the loudest “Let’s go Rangers” chants the Garden has heard this season. The entire 2018-19 Rangers team were out on the ice to watch and once everyone was announced and in their seats, a big celebratory video with highlights from the 1993-94 season played.

Following the hoopla and pageantry, Mark Messier addressed the fans in attendance at center ice one final time to talk about that Stanly Cup Championship season.

“We were galvanized by a belief of what was possible instead of hearing the talk of the failures…Why shouldn’t we be able to do it?” Messier sad.

He would go on to talk about how the team rallied together despite the talk of constant tension and drama that went on behind closed doors. But as the emotional Messier said, there is always going to be drama, especially on Stanly Cup Champion teams.

“The thing that made us so special was the way we connected with the Ranger fans and the city,” Messier said.

Messier finished his remarks by telling the current team that they are watching and want them to bring New York another Stanley Cup. When they do, Messier and the rest of the ’94 team will be there watching.

Until then, we continue to celebrate the magic that 1994 brought New York.

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Dominick is a graduate of Canisius College. He has covered the Rangers for the last seven seasons and the Yankees for the last four.