The Most Underrated Rangers Now And Then

If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times, the most underrated Ranger is Jimmy Vesey.

And by that I also mean that he's underrated and underappreciated by the general staff as well.

Given the opportunity this proper Bostonian could score more, work the power play – man, oh, man; woman, oh, woman, this character could do everything.

What Jimmy does do, he does very well and, thank you, without any fuss or fanfare. Here are five more current Rangers underrated aces:

1. RYAN LINDGREN: Adam Fox gets the attention because of ultra-skill and Jacob Trouba gets the headlines because he just won't go away. Lindgren does more of the hard work, corner work – okay, dirty work – than any defenseman. In other words, he goes about his business without any funny business.

2. WILL CUYLLE: When the hustling left wing showed up for camp last year, he seemed destined for Hartford. But his gritty game and occasional goal wouldn't let the general stall let him go. Still his solid play eludes the media, but won't for long. He was fifth on the left wing list when became a Ranger. I give him a 3-A (for admirable) now.

3. ZAC JONES: Soon or later – preferably sooner – the high command will realize that this native of Richmond, Virginia is better than Trouba and K'Andre Miller. Maybe they scratched him so often last season to bring back Jones for the 2024-25 season as the Blueshirts' "Secret Weapon."

4. BRADEN SCHNEIDER: Prince Albert, Saskatchewan's gift to The Garden is just beginning to get noticed. A year ago, he was rated sixth out of the half-dozen better backliners. If he plays his cards right, this guy will move to the top four group, maybe even up there with Jonesy.

5. JONATHAN QUICK: People tend to forget that Igor Shesterkin was playing so badly in goal during a significant mid-season stretch that J.Q., the Milford, Connecticut icon, not only stepped in but handsomely stepped up. He was so good that The Maven began figuring Quick could be the playoff goalie. By June he was a forgotten stopper.

FIVE UNDERRATED HEROES OF THE PAST:

1. CLARENCE (TAFFY ABEL): When the Rangers – a year later – followed the New York Americans into old MSG, they needed a hero defenseman. They got him in Ching Johnson. But it was Abel who supported Ching as both won the 1928 Stanley Cup.

2. ANDY AITKENHEAD: In 1933, Blueshirts boss Lester Patrick gambled with a rookie in goal. This native of Scotland amazed everyone when the New Yorkers won their second Cup. But Andy soon was ignored behind heroes such as Frank Boucher, the Cook Brothers – Bill and Bun – and, naturally, Ching Johnson.

3. LYNN PATRICK: Lester Patrick's older boy – defenseman Muzz was the younger one – was accused of being the "Son Of Nepotism," because of Lester but Lynn proved the skeptics wrong. Meanwhile 1940 Cup-winning goal scorer, Bryan Hextall, got much more attention. Yet someone must have liked Lynn; he made it to the Hall of Fame.

4. FRANKIE EDDOLLS: When the Rangers took Detroit to the 1950 Final – seven games and double OT in game seven before losing – center Don Raleigh was the scoring leader and Chuck Rayner the super goalie. But defenseman Eddolls, who came to New York in the famed Buddy O'Connor steal, emerged as the top blueliner. Frankie peaked that year but it was a memorable one, Cup or not.

5. ROD SEILING: On February 22, 1964, the Rangers made one of the biggest deals in club history. They shipped Hall of Famer Andy Bathgate and center Don McKenney to Toronto and received forwards Dick Duff, Billy Collins and Bob Nevin as well as D-Men Rod Seiling and Arnie Brown. Cool, competent and collected, Seiling was a huge asset on the blue line but with minimum kudos for his good work.