Ranking The Most Underrated Rangers Players Of All-Time

The names of Hall of Fame Rangers such as Andy Bathgate, Gump Worsley, Bryan Hextall and Rod Gilbert are familiar to Blueshirt historians – as they should be.

But there's another layer of aces who were very valuable but lesser known. Here's The Maven's first of many "Underrated Blueshirts Through The Years," Part One:

1. TAFFY ABEL: A rare American (Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan) stickhandler, Abel was overshadowed by the more flamboyant Ching Johnson. Taffy starred on the 1928 Cup-winners, sharing defense with Johnson.

2. BUN COOK: Older brother Bill Cook was Rangers captain and a Hall of Fame right wing. Fred – nicknamed Bunny – was left wing on the outstanding, Cooks-Frank Boucher line. Bun was a star in his own right, but not in Bill's class.

3. MURRAY MURDOCH: By the Rangers third year (1928-29) left wing Murdoch was en route to becoming the club's iron man. By then he had established himself as a reliable forward who played hard but admirably clean.

4. LEO BOURGAULT: Once reliable Taffy Abel moved on, coach Lester Patrick gave heavy duty to his grand defenseman who neatly filled in next to Ching. Bourgault, from Sturgeon Falls, Ontario, was one of Patrick's favorites.

5. CECIL DILLON: Born in Toledo, Ohio, this energetic right wing joined the varsity in 1930 for what would be nearly a decade of productive scoring behind the Cooks-Boucher unit. "Cees" was one of the most popular Rangers.

6. EARL SIEBERT: Kitchener, Ontario produced a ton of NHL aces and Siebert was one of the best. He joined the team in 1931 and was another defenseman who excelled along with Johnson. A tough player, Earl rang up plenty of penalty minutes.

7. ANDY AITKENHEAD: Over the decades New York featured many colorful goalies but few won Stanley Cups. A native of Glasgow, Scotland, Aitkenhead led the Blueshirts to their second Stanley Cup in 1932-33, his rookie year.

8. BUTCH KEELING: Originally a Toronto Maple Leaf, Keeling came to the Rangers in 1928 and established himself as a superior right wing on the 1933 Cup-winners and thereafter. He lasted through the 1937-38 season.

9. OTT HELLER: Another Kitchener discovery, Heller was a physically big defender from the 1933 Cup-winners. As kingpin Ching Johnson got older, coach Patrick depended more on the likes of Heller who was to become a lifetime Ranger; a low-key icon, so to speak.

10. DAVE KERR: Although he would – in good time – become famous as a Cup-winner, this Toronto-born goalie was new to New York when he arrived in the mid-1930's. His game was solid in an era of Rangers rebuilding and a reason why a championship lay ahead!