NEW YORK – It was 1970 and the end of another disappointing season of New York Rangers’ hockey.  At 38-22-16, the Rangers had played well, but their 82 points were only good for a 4^th place finish.  They had ensured a postseason berth on the very last day of the regular season, eliminating the Montreal Canadiens by virtue of a tiebreaker.

It didn’t matter all that much, as the Rangers were knocked out in the First Round by the Boston Bruins, four games to two.  Thus, two streaks remained intact.  To that point, it had been 20 years since they won a playoff series and 30 years since they won a Stanley Cup.

That season, a 20 year-old right wing made his professional debut with the St. Lawrence University Saints.  In 10 games, the 5’10, 185 native of Bowmanville, Ontario amassed four assists and 32 penalty minutes.  And, although the forward became a polished scorer in both the collegiate and minor leagues [85 goals, 209 points in 191 total games], his greatest success would be with a New York Rangers organization that hadn’t won its biggest prize in more than half a century.

“Any time a Stanley Cup is won, a career is defined,” Mike Keenan said during the Rangers’ masterful 4-0 victory against the Florida Panthers on Monday evening.  “In particular, it’s even more thrilling to win in New York City.  I’ve always been appreciative of the fact that I had a great team here and was able to achieve something with a group of players that were committed to winning.”

In 1979-80, Keenan began his coaching career with the Peterborough Petes in the Ontario Hockey Association and had instant success [47-20-1].  A move to the Rochester Americans in the American Hockey League followed and, within three seasons, so did a championship.  By 1984, he was behind the Philadelphia Flyers’ bench and, in fact, began his tenure by posting consecutive 53-win seasons.  But, the Flyers had also lost the Cup Finals twice in three years. 

Four years with the Chicago Blackhawks, beginning in 1988-89, and one more Finals loss preceded his next assignment.

It was 1993-94 and Mike Keenan had, finally, caught up with the Rangers.  The streak was at 54 years and counting.  On paper, this appeared to be a perfect marriage.  Keenan was an experienced coach looking to break through. 

And New York was just the city to break through in.

There were 52 regular-season wins and a Game Seven victory against the upstart Vancouver Canucks.  And a ticker-tape parade for the ages.  But, before the NYC Department of Sanitation could sweep the streets, Keenan was on the move again.  He accused the team of breach of contract when it was a day late in allocating a bonus.

Just one month after winning the Cup, Keenan declared himself a free agent. 

As he spoke, there was a trace of regret in his voice.  It should have been the happiest moment of his career.  But, much like a line change, life changed on the fly.  When a change of ownership ensued, Stanley Joffe –who had brought Keenan to New York- was axed.  The tension between the beleaguered coach and General Manager Neil Smith mushroomed.   

Four years remained on Keenan's contract.

“'What do think would have happened in New York if the coach who won the division, the conference and the President's Cup was fired? Smith is quoted as asking.  “The Rangers waited 54 years for a Stanley Cup, and the coach is let go with four years left on his contract?”

There was an opportunity to leave and Keenan walked through the door.  Just a day after he reportedly reached a deal with the Detroit Red Wings, he agreed to another deal with the St. Louis Blues.

The backlash played out like a soap opera.  In the eyes of Rangers fans, he was portrayed as a traitor.  In the eyes of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, he was forced to pay a price.

In the end, Keenan returned $400,000 of his signing bonus to the Rangers, was fined $100,000 and suspended for 60 days.  But, he was not alone.  Bettman also nailed the Blues $250,000 and the Red Wings $25,000 for tampering.

Time has healed some of the wounds.

“Whenever I come back to Madison Square Garden, it’s always nice,” Keenan, 56, said.  “The fans have treated me well.  It doesn’t seem like that long ago, although the time passes.  The distance is getting greater, but it’s still a great memory.”

The March 3, 2004 trade of Brian Leetch to the Toronto Maple Leafs, in particular, ignited some of those memories.  The midnight departure of Leetch, who played his entire Hall-of-Fame career with the Rangers, occurred just one month after Mike Richter’s No. 35 was raised to the rafters in a poignant retirement ceremony.

The sudden fiscally-responsible Rangers brass had stunned the hockey world.

“Well, they had some players here.  And, sometimes as a manager, you have to make some tough decisions and move players to improve your own program.  Brian Leetch was a great Ranger player and will be remembered as such.”

The man who simply cannot sit still has coached in St. Louis, Vancouver, Boston and Florida.  In May 2004, he was named GM of the Panthers.

His first year on the job was marred by a work stoppage that lasted 301 days.  Still, there was work to be done. 

“I was very fortunate,” he recalled, “because, in the manager’s position, I was watching hockey all year long as a scout throughout North America and Europe.  So, I really didn’t miss it from the point of view that I wasn’t watching it.  I saw plenty of hockey.”

Now, he is watching a different NHL.  Rules have been designed to increase scoring and win back the fans.  There will be an abundance of penalty calls, as officials will whistle anything close to interference or obstruction.  The net has been moved two feet closer to the end boards and the bluelines have been stretched another two feet into the neutral zone; the additional four feet is expected to create much more offense.  The center red line has been obliterated for passing, but will remain intact on icing calls.  A goaltender can only venture behind the goalline if the puck is within the designated trapezoid.

“There are a lot of great things about the former play of the NHL. Certainly, for some of the generations that I’ve been through, there was some great hockey.  In the recent era, there is some debate about it.  I can’t say, this early, in this new game, if it will be better or not.”

While Keenan has some reservations about the league’s latest incarnation, the defensive-minded Panthers remain his focus.  On paper, they appear to be largely affected by these changes.

“It’s always been a balance between good offense and good defense.  It starts with the goaltending.  From that perspective, we [the Panthers] have got a young, talented goalie [Roberto Luongo] who has a great skill set, who has the ability to win games on his own.  From that point of view, we will be strong defensively.  And, if we develop a good balance of offense, we’ll be able to put a good game together.”

It is thirty-five years later and the Rangers are in the midst of two more streaks.  They have not made the playoffs for the last seven seasons and have not won a Stanley Cup in more than a decade.  For that matter, neither has Keenan.

Once, they were good for each other.  Probably, too good.  But, whatever should happen five, ten or twenty years from now, the New York Rangers and Mike Keenan will forever be linked.

All it took was that one magical season. 

And an equally magical hockey life.  

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