It was high praise coming from Adam Graves, on Feb. 22, 2009, when another No. 9 for the Rangers ceremoniously was lifted next to his own in the Garden rafters.
“It is my honor,” Graves said that day, “to introduce the greatest player to ever wear No. 9 for the New York Rangers.”
He was speaking of Andy Bathgate, Rangers right winger from 1952-1964 whose illustrious career earned him a place in the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1978.
On Friday, it was the Hall of Fame that announced Bathgate had died at the age of 83. The cause of death was not released.
“Andy set the bar for what it means to be a Ranger,” Blueshirts legend Rod Gilbert said in a statement. “He was a true innovator of the game and my idol. As a young player, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to play with him and learn from him. He was class personified, on and off the ice. He will be sorely missed by everyone in the Rangers organization and throughout the hockey world.”
Bathgate was one of the most prolific scorers of his day, the first Ranger to notch 40 goals in a season when he did it in 1958-59, also the year he won the Hart Trophy as league MVP. In an era when Gordie Howe was the dominant right wing, Bathgate still was a two-time first-team All-Star, and he played in eight All-Star games.
His trademark was a blistering slap shot at a time when “the slapper” was a far less popular weapon than it is today. But Bathgate also was a creative passer and a dependable performer who played in every regular-season game from 1958-64.
Coming up in 1952, the native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, was the star on many Rangers teams that were an afterthought in the six-team league. In 1961, he was named captain, and by 1964, he had played in just 22 career postseason games — and was traded to the Maple Leafs in one of the biggest blockbuster deals of the day.
By the time he was traded, Bathgate held every major Rangers scoring record. That included scoring a goal in 10 straight games, a mark that still stands for the Rangers.
In his first year with the Leafs, he scored five goals in 14 playoff games en route to winning his lone Stanley Cup. Bathgate finished his career with stints for the Red Wings, Penguins and eventually the Canucks of the WHA. He scored 349 goals and 973 points in 1,069 NHL games, and played 18 seasons of pro hockey.
“Today the New York Rangers and the hockey world lost a beloved and cherished member of its community with the passing of our legendary Blueshirt, Andy Bathgate,” Rangers president Glen Sather said in a statement. “Andy’s Hall of Fame career and many tremendous accomplishments place him among the greatest players who have ever worn a Rangers jersey. Those fortunate enough to have known him fondly remember how he always carried himself with the utmost class and dignity. The entire Rangers organization sends our most heartfelt condolences to Andy’s wife, Merle, and the Bathgate family.”
“Andy Bathgate was a strong leader, a consistently prolific scorer and a fierce competitor,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. “Andy was an All-Star, a Hart Trophy winner, a Stanley Cup champion and a Hall of Famer who earned the respect of the entire hockey world. The NHL family sends heartfelt condolences to his family and his many friends.”
— With AP