“Denis Potvin may be the most remembered player in Rangers history,” said Rangers president Glen Sather. “Every game you hear his name chanted, so we feel it’s time to give him the proper recognition.”

Throughout most games at Madison Square Garden, the fans chant “Potvin Sucks” in remembrance of the hit he placed on Ulf Nilsson back in February, 1979. Although he never played for the Rangers, he is part of the lore of the team.

A former first round draft pick and captain of the Islanders, Potvin led the Isles to four straight Stanley Cups, while tormenting the Rangers under coach Herb Brooks. His play prevented the Rangers from breaking the 1940 curse, which lasted to 1994.

Potvin retired in 1988, but his name has lived on, which took pressure off many a Ranger team.

“I think it’s great,” said Ranger captain Chris Drury. “When the times are tough the fans chant “Potvin Sucks” and don’t boo the team. He’s been an MVP for us during losing streaks.”

“I never heard of Denis Potvin until I came here,” said goalie Henrik Lundqvist. “He should be thankful these fans remember him.”

When reached for comment, Potvin, 55, said he is touched by the gesture, but doesn’t want to say anymore until he speaks to Sather.

“I wish they asked me first,” he said. “I don’t know if I will get an outpouring of love like Mark Messier or Adam Graves. I have to speak to Glen.”

Happy April Fools Day from the staff at NYSD.

This is Glen Sather’s first step correcting the mistakes of last July. In the off-season makeover, Sather decided to change the heart of the team. Sure he got the squad younger, but in the process he lost some personality.

Avery was a big part of that, but even larger though was Jaromir Jagr. And more than The Grate One, No. 68’s presence is missed on 33^rd Street.

Yes, we know why he’s no longer here. Failing to score 84 points last season to kick in the option on his contract, he became a free agent and looking to continue his $8 million-plus salary. Not willing to pay a 36 year-old that kind of money with a full cap hit, Sather passed, sending the Ranger captain off to Russia to play for Omsk of the K.H.L.

Looking back, Sather probably wouldn’t have signed Wade Redden and Markus Naslund, and paid Jagr his king’s ransom, because the future Hall of Famer is what the Rangers need right now.

Forget the 25 goals and 43 assists last season, No. 68 brought a presence on the ice that’s missing from this year’s Ranger team. With Jagr, the Blueshirts had a true No. 1 finisher, who commanded the opposing team’s checking line against him on the ice. This meant the other Ranger lines went against lesser defenders. Last year, that meant the No 2 line of Scott Gomez, Brendan Shanahan and Avery, which opened them up to some scoring opportunities.

If Jagr was still on the team this year, he would have Brandon Dubinsky as his pivot, with Gomez and Nikolai Zherdev able to open the ice up on their pairing.

Also he always had two men on him, which allowed some free looks for some fortunate left winger. Usually it was Marty Straka, but just look back and take a look at the production of all the wingers on Jagr’s line in the last few years. Avery joked about it, while Nigel Dawes scored at his best pace. Heck, playing with Jagr made Marcel Hossa look like his brother for a short period of time.

Then there’s the leadership. By all accounts Chris Drury is a quiet captain, who leads by example. Not a bad thing, but this Ranger team seems to need something more. Jagr was very vocal in the dressing room, at least the European players on the club. Sure Brendan Shanahan would be gone, but Jagr would be fully entrenched in the captaincy. With Drury and Gomez taking the alternates a smoother transition of power would probably have happened.

And he is still productive with 25 goals with 26 assists in 48 games for Omsk this season. It is a lesser league, but if he was on Broadway, you would figure the Rangers would score a few more goals and also have a better power play.

Sure Jagr seemed to mail in parts of last season and by his own admission, he saved himself for the playoffs. And when the quest for the Cup started, he was the best player on the ice. Although the Rangers went out in the second round, Jagr single handedly carried the Rangers on his back, scoring five goals with 10 assists in 10 games. He outplayed both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, spurring a Garden cheer for the superstar.

And that’s what’s missing. No one on the Rangers offense right now can carry the team like Jagr could. Avery will certainly help if the Rangers can get him in a few weeks, but it won’t solve what’s really missing from this squad.

Although there are rumors Jagr wants to come back to the NHL, the Rangers will lack the cap room to sign him, if he is able to get out of his Omsk contract. And that means not signing Jagr will be a mistake, the Rangers and their fans will continue to rue.

It’s the brand of hockey the Blueshirts are performing that has raises the alarm. Right now, they are a pure vanilla team, which has trouble playing, as Tom Renney calls it, “the greasy type of game” which wins matches as the weather gets warm.

With Sean Avery in the lineup, the Rangers sported a 50-12-13 record. (Jim Leary/NYSD)

In short, this year’s Ranger team is missing Sean Avery.

Yet, that may be corrected in the near future. A report in The New York Post states that general manager Glen Sather is working on bringing ‘The Grate One’ back to Broadway. It will be a complicated deal where Avery will pass through waivers, but then will get recalled. If it works, the Rangers will be responsible for half of Avery’s remaining contact or about $1,935,500 a season, while the Dallas Stars will pick up the rest.

Now, this could backfire, if Avery is claimed by another team, but that probably is unlikely because the gritty forward turned himself into a pariah a few months ago after making disparaging remarks about his former girlfriend, Elisha Cuthbert and her relationship with Calgary defenseman Dion Phaneuf.

Avery was suspended for six games by Commissioner Gary Bettman and forced to undergo counseling under the NHL/NHLPA behavioral health program.  The Post reports, Avery is about to be reinstated, but the Stars have said they don’t want the forward back.

So for Avery to play, he needs to find another team. Enter Sather.

Back in 2007, the Rangers were suffering from the same bland play. Sather made the trade Feb. 5 to bring Avery to Broadway. Almost immediately, the little forward made his presence felt by knocking opposing goalies out of the crease – mainly Martin Brodeur – while bringing that type of tough forward play not seen on 33^rd Street since Adam Graves played on the Garden ice.

But Avery left last season as a free agent because neither side would budge on their number.

So if this deal works out, the Rangers will get Avery at their price, while the forward will come to the city he has grown to love. On the ice, he will bring the type of grittiness the team needs.

It could be argued that the two playoff series the Rangers have won in the last 12 years came about because of Avery. In 2007, he unnerved the Atlanta Thrashers in Game 2, which eventually resulted in a Rangers sweep. Then last season, he was in Brodeur’s face so much against the Devils, the NHL had to change the rules about screening the goalie.

And then there’s the record. With Avery in the lineup, the Rangers went 50-23-13, while held a 24-35-9 mark with the agitator on the bench.

If the trade does go through, there is some risk. Avery’s two biggest allies, Jaromir Jagr and Brendan Shanahan are playing elsewhere, so he may not mesh into this club’s fabric. Actually there have been rumors about some Rangers told Sather they didn’t want to come back if Avery returned. It only took the Stars 23 games to get tired of the forward, will the Ranger players be willing to take him back with open arms?

But something has to be done. After a three game stretch going 0-2-1, the Rangers need a desperate shot in the arm. They have little cap room, so something needs to be done on the cheap. Avery at less than $2 million could do it.

Lightning stuck right for the Rangers in 2007, now Sather hopes it will strike twice.