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New York Rangers

Team Overview: After a very disappointing 1992-93 season, the Rangers were affected by multiple adverse adjustments to their roster from NHL ’93 to NHL’ 94. What’s left is a top heavy roster that is negatively affected by the weight bug. Not all is lost though, Mike Gartner is a border line top 10 player and Brian Leetch is a serviceable #1 D-man, these two players allow the Rangers to be a respectable squad.

Forwards: Aside from the previously mentioned Gartner, the Rangers forwards are very average, they also don’t necessarily compliment each other well which further compounds the issue of constructing a solid line. While many of the substitutes are light, they aren’t big hitters, pair that with a sheer inability to score the puck consistently up and down the roster and the Ranger forwards have an uphill battle on both sides of the rink.

Feed the ‘Stache:

Tikkanen-Gartner-Messier

Esa Tikkanen: 9 weight, 5/5 skating, 4/2 shot, 4 sth & pass, 3/4 aware, Shoots: L

With his enticing 5 speed, Tikkanen typically always finds a use in the line-up despite being rather heavy, especially for a winger. Often times though, his speedy presence can come at a very frustrating cost. The biggest culprit of this is his poor shot rating. Even after making a beautiful deke or receiving an easy one-timer, Tikkanen is well renowned for his ability to miss the yawning cage...consistently. Oddly enough for a heavyweight, Tikkanen is best suited as a puck carrying set-up man. He has the speed and elusiveness to give the defense fits and he can easily keep pace with Gartner to feed him for some offensive chances. One of the disadvantages of being fast and heavy though is that it may be tough to line up a poke check at such a high speed. If Tikkanen is struggling with his goal-scoring and defense, he becomes a liability, especially if he’s getting pushed around in addition. Don’t be afraid to sub him out if this occurs, his strengths don’t make him immune to a benching.

Mike Gartner: 7 weight, 5/5 skating, 5/3 shot, 5 sth & pass, 4/4 aware, Shoots: R

No doubt Gartner is an enjoyable player to use, but to steal a term from baseball, he is wildly effective. Along with Mike Modano, Gartner probably leads the league in stupefying moments where the user is left saying “I can’t believe he missed that!” or “Only Gartner baby, only Gartner!” A unique combo of speed and shot power, Gartner is about as effective from 5 feet from the goal as he is 50 feet. Gartner is an extremely gifted one-on-one player, although a bit heavy, his cannon like shot power adds another element to his game that most players don’t possess. Also gifted with a great play-making skill set, it will likely fall by the way side since the Rangers have no one worth putting at center. The attack will eventually lead towards getting Gartner the puck and letting him do his magic. While not a big hitter, Garter does have the speed to get involved on the fore check or back check to try and work the poke check. The more turnovers and counter attacks he creates, the more opportunities he has to use his speed to wreak havoc.

Mark Messier: 10 weight, 5/4 skating, 3/3 shot, 5 sth & 5 pass, 4/4 aware, Shoots: L

Aside from Eric Lindros and Cam Neely, no other player in the league may have as much trouble matching performance with overall rating then Mark Messier. Sublimely skilled (if shooting is ignored), Messier would suggest to project as one of the elite playmakers in the league. Alas, using Messier as a playmaker is akin to playing chicken, tempting fate and nearing closer and closer to the edge of the cliff, deciding when to move the puck with Messier is always a dangerous game. Icing Messier though is the lesser of many evils, while Messier doesn’t bring anything unique to this line, other than his wretched defense, he is capable of making a quick give and go pass to Gartner to spring him into space. Just don’t ask Messier to score, getting him near the net is nearly impossible and he has no ability to score from range. No need to fall off that cliff.

While an extremely mobile line that is gifted at moving the puck, it is held back immensely by its severe weight disadvantage and lack of finishing touch. For the most part, the offense is all about feeding Gartner at some point and letting him light the lamp because Tikkanen and Messier are so inept at doing it themselves. Defensively, using the mobility of the line is key, keeping the opponent to the outside and attempting to use the poke check should be the main goal.

Feed the ‘Stache 2:

Tikkanen-Gartner-Amonte

Tony Amonte: 6 weight, 4/4 skating, 3/3 shot, 3 sth & pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: R

Amonte is arguably the best of a bunch of light weight players with plus skating and mediocre skills, but that isn’t meant to be much of a compliment. Despite never garnering starter consideration in the GDL, Amonte still finds a use on the Rangers because he brings a more defensive presence then Messier which allows Tikkanen to be the main playmaker. Amonte lacks both finishing and creative skills, but he is quick and light which will hopefully limit the amount of turnovers he commits.

Trading in a little playmaking skill for some defensive prowess may be a wise decision because Messier isn’t exactly adept at getting to the prime offensive areas in which to create offense for Gartner. The end game is the same though, get the puck to Gartner and let him do something amazing.

Are we sensing a theme yet?:

Turcotte-Gartner-Amonte

Darren Turcotte: 6 weight, 4/4 skating, 3/3 shot, 4 sth, 3 pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: L

If one Amonte wasn’t enough, here’s a second winger just like him to accompany Gartner. I feel compelled to copy and paste what I wrote for Amonte and insert Turcotte’s name where needed. I’m trying to be a credible author here though, so this is what I have to say about Turcotte. While Turcotte isn’t Amonte, he isn’t not Amonte, do you follow?

What we’ve done here is turned a fast, skilled, heavy line into a less fast, less skilled, less heavy line. It’s probably a useful line when playing light weight teams such as Detroit, Vancouver or Boston, but aside from Gartner, there just isn’t enough skill being iced to truly compete with the opponent unless the Rangers play out of their mind. Again, on offense the idea is the same, get the puck to Gartner. Again, and again, and again, and again...

Other Options: Turcotte and Amonte are ok players who can at least skate a fair bit and not got mangled. What lies below is a ragged collection of guys who will get mangled but are more skilled, or won’t get mangled, yet are somehow less spectacular.

Adam Graves: 6 weight, 4/4 skating, 2/3 shot, 3 sth & pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: L

Typically good for a 4th or 5th forward spot on a GDL roster, Graves fittingly enough is the 5th or so best forward for the Rangers. Read what I wrote for Turcotte and Amonte, then insert a puny shot which is compensated by no other skill. For the truly masochistic, run Turcotte, Amonte, and Graves out on the same line. That ought to be fun.

Ed Olczyk: 9 weight, 4/3 skating, 4/3 shot, 4 sth & pass, 3/3 aware, Shoots: L

If Ed had a bit more speed he’d be somewhat useful with his plus skill set. What the reality is though is a guy who doesn’t really set up all that well in the offensive zone and will have issues getting his shot off because why would you try to feed Olczyk when the puck is already on the stick of Gartner?

Alexei Kovalev: 7 weight, 4/3 skating, 3/4 shot, 3 sth & pass, 3/3 aware, Shoots: L

This version of the AK plays a bit more like a single action revolver in the hands of a noob. A bit slow, cumbersome to use, and lacking shot power or a threat from range, AK is a desperation option at center if the user strongly desires to put Gartner out on the wing.

Sergei Nemchinov: 6 weight, 4/3 skating, 3/4 shot, 3 sth & pass, 3/5 aware, Shoots: L

Slow moving, defensive minded forwards don’t have much place in ’94, especially if they aren’t a super light-weight. Useful in the 5th or 6th forward slot for the GDL, but only if he doesn’t get playing time.

Forwards: 6/10 (3/10 if Gartner is hurt or in the box)

Defense: Much like the forwards, Leetch is a very solid #1 option, he is supported by a skilled heavyweight and then a few solid yet unspectacular options.

Patrick-Leetch

Brian Leetch: 6 weight, 6/3 skating, 4/1 shot, 5 sth & pass, 4/4 aware, Shoots: L

Comfortably among the top 10 defenders in the league, Leetch provides a lot of positive attributes to the team, but he lacks the one dominant skill that the premier players typically possess. While having only average speed, Leetch is surprisingly fast due in large part to his perfect agility and light weight which allows him to accelerate quickly and turn on a dime. This asset is useful not only on offense, but defense as well in that he is very easy to use and has the checking power to bring down some mid-heavy weights. Offensively, its pretty tempting to try and get Leetch involved because he is a far better puck carrier than Tikkanen or Messier, but his lack of shot accuracy hampers his finishing ability and his passing can sometimes be a hindrance, especially in close because he passes the puck so hard, the receiver has a tendency to have the puck bounce off their stick. Overall though, don’t be too afraid to integrate Leetch in the offense, just remember he is the one covering Messier, which leaves the right side of the ice extremely vulnerable if Leetch gets wiped out.

James Patrick: 9 weight, 4/4 skating, 4/1 shot, 4 sth & pass, 3/4 aware, Shoots: R

A solid #2 option, Patrick has all the skills that we can ask for a player in his position...except for his weight. On a team with some major checking presence, having Patrick on the ice wouldn’t be as big of a deal as he could be compensated by his teammates thus allowing his skating and puck skills to shine. On the Rangers though, Patrick is just another strong skating heavy weight who seems to constantly be playing a game of hot potato until the puck gets on Gartner’s stick. If Patrick can manage to play some solid defense and use his speed to run down some breakaways, he becomes a very useful option.

A highly skilled duo, Patrick and Leetch will not look uncomfortable with the puck. They just do not get the help they need in terms of a physical presence from the forwards that would make them a highly regarded pairing.

Zubov-Leetch

Sergei Zubov: 7 weight, 3/3 skating, 3/2 shot, 3 sth & pass, 3/4 aware, Shoots: R

Nothing about Zubov stands out and makes him extremely useful. He is merely mentioned because he is the lightest option aside from Leetch and his skill set isn’t crippling. If Zubov can sit back in his own zone and play a steady game by covering up the slot and not committing turnovers with the puck, he’s doing his job.

This could be a useful pairing against a heavy team such as Pittsburgh or one with a slug in the middle such as New Jersey, NYI, or St. Louis for example because Zubov then becomes a body checking presence. If Zubov is sitting back in the zone, then it gives Leetch a bit more leeway on offense and not too much skill is lost with the benching of Patrick.

Other Option: Only one other guy is worth icing, the Rangers are hampered with fat and unskilled d-men on the bottom half of their depth chart.

Kevin Lowe: 8 weight, 4/3 skating, 3/1 shot, 4 sth, 3 pass, 2/4 aware, Shoots: L

A very heady player, Lowe has found himself some occasional starting duty in the GDL because he stays in his own zone, can move the puck around a bit, and is a decent skater. If Lowe stays within himself, he’s fairly effective, just don’t try to wheel and deal with him.

Defense: 6.5/10

Goalie Zone: Aside from Boston, no other team provides a pair of worthwhile goalies that should garner equal consideration as a starter. Much like Boston though, neither option is elite, they are merely league average at best.

Mike Richter: 7 weight, 3/4 skating, 4/4 aware, 3 puck control, 4/4/4/4 save, Catches: L

While Richter may have the superior save ratings, he has some issues getting to the puck, even in manual goalie. Richter is a bit on the heavy side for a goalie and his lack of agility makes his first move sluggish which can be the difference between a save and a goal. Richter is very rarely in the top portion statistically of most leagues, don’t feel compelled to make a reach for him in the draft.

John Vanbiesbrouck: 5 weight, 3/4 skating, 5/5 aware, 3 puck control, 3/4/3/4 save, Catches: L

Vanbiesbrouck is by no means a great goalie either, but he’s a bit easier to move around the crease which makes him the more effective goalie of the two despite slightly downgraded save ratings. Sure, his overall is pumped up by high awareness, he, unlike Richter though, is not unfamiliar with the upper end of the goalie statistics on occasion.

Most users typically tend to lean towards using Beezer, don’t be afraid to play a hunch though as both are fairly similar. The Rangers could be a lot tougher with a solid goalie in net, but that just isn’t the case.

Goalie: 5.5/10

Bottom Line: When taking a close look at the Rangers, it becomes noticeable that they are similar to the Penguins due to their heavy lineup and lack of scoring touch. What sets the Rangers apart though is their speed, a top 10 player in Gartner and a solid, light defenseman in Leetch. If Gartner can shake loose and be a force the Rangers play pretty well, but the opposite typically provides a very ugly result.

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this is an awesome team for SNES (and, I assume, Genesis weight fail fixes). Patrick and Lowe shut shit down and Leetch, Andersson and Zubov are speedy defensive replacements that can score in a time of need. Tikkanen is a mainstay at left. Turcotte is sweetness in the middle (think Mullen, Carson, Linden) or on the right. Messier is pretty good in those spots, too, as is Olczyk, as is Nemchinov. Gartner, Amonte, Graves and Kovalev are available for that other wing slot or a multitude of injuries. this is a team where you want to see everybody skate before you decide who should be where. don't let the inaccurate speed ratings fool you, somebody is probably otherworldly and ready to dunk. with Richter as the only goaltender, let's just hope you are good at defense and manual goaltending. like REALLY good. my favorite team in this game. I'd do it like this:

b: TIK/TUR/MES//LOW/PAT//RIC

1: TIK/TUR/GAR//LOW/AND

2: OLC/MES/KOV//PAT/ZUB

3: AMO/NEM/GRA//WEL/LEE

pp1: TIK/MES/TUR//LOW/LEE

pp2: AMO/OLC/GAR//PAT/ZUB

pk1: GRA/MES//PAT/AND

pk2: TIK/NEM//LOW/LEE

Edited by trudatman
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this is an awesome team for SNES (and, I assume, Genesis weight fail fixes). Patrick and Lowe shut shit down and Leetch, Andersson and Zubov are speedy defensive replacements that can score in a time of need. Tikkanen is a mainstay at left. Turcotte is sweetness in the middle (think Mullen, Carson, Linden) or on the right. Messier is pretty good in those spots, too, as is Olczyk, as is Nemchinov. Gartner, Amonte, Graves and Kovalev are available for that other wing slot or a multitude of injuries. this is a team where you want to see everybody skate before you decide who should be where. don't let the inaccurate speed ratings fool you, somebody is probably otherworldly and ready to dunk. with Richter as the only goaltender, let's just hope you are good at defense and manual goaltending. like REALLY good. my favorite team in this game. I'd do it like this:

b: TIK/TUR/MES//LOW/PAT//RIC

1: TIK/TUR/GAR//LOW/AND

2: OLC/MES/KOV//PAT/ZUB

3: AMO/NEM/GRA//WEL/LEE

pp1: TIK/MES/TUR//LOW/LEE

pp2: AMO/OLC/GAR//PAT/ZUB

pk1: GRA/MES//PAT/AND

pk2: TIK/NEM//LOW/LEE

This is one of the few teams I have a lot of exposure to in the SNES version and I agree that it is a very daunting lineup. I mainly stuck with Tick-Gartner-Messier, I liked the speed and shot power in the middle for the big one timers since guys like Messier are so inconsistent with their one timer due to the weak shot ratings.

Olczyk and Bourque did prove some worth in spot duty, but I never gave the lighter guys any chance, it'd be interesting to give them a shot now that you mention that they have some value, although I wonder how valuable they'ed be against a human opponent as opposed to a CPU.

Patrick probably turns into the best defenseman, hes faster and a better checker than Leetch, plus his offensive ratings are comparable. Is Beukeboom worth anything now? He's a big boy, is it safe to assume he can lay some lumber out there?

Probably a top 5 team in SNES, SNES players feel free to confirm this assumption or call me an idiot, either way.

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Phil Bourque doesn't quite make the cut, as Graves, Amonte and Kovalev are slightly better and there is no fourth line, so Bourque just isn't needed. pretty much the same for Buekeboom, although if you have a particular liking of either of these players, I'd say "use them." the elite are Turcotte, Messier, Tikkanen, Lowe and Patrick. the scrubs are Erixon, Hartman, Kocur and Broten; they should be avoided. the borderline players are Bourque, Wells, Andersson and Buekeboom; they aren't too bad and you will need defensemen if you play with fatigue (manual line changes). everybody else (Leetch, Kovalev, Zubov, Graves, Amonte, Olczyk, Nemchinov and Gartner) is middle ground and serviceable, but not all that impressive. did I forget anybody? I would say this team is in the top few, with VAN, CHI, PIT being slightly better.

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Two teams in one day? That's a good sign, AJ!

I'd feel a few similarities between the Rangers and the Flyers, but the key difference is speed and the quality of their d-men. The Rangers are faster and have a nice skillset and weight-wise in the classic rom, they have the edge on depth. Their d-men don't become total dodos compared to Galley and Yushkevich; they're not as exasperating on defense and they can help a lot.

Pretty strong team on SNES too, I agree. Curiously enough, Lowe has seen some action in Blitz over the last few seasons.

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I was really surprised by this review, but maybe that's because I didn't know about the weight bug until I got into this site seriously 5 or 6 weeks ago.

I realise i'm probably going to get totally shot down for this by all the "vets", but hey, who cares? It's my opinion!

I've always seen the Rangers as a top team in 94. Not like a Chicago or Detroit, but a team thats competitive & capable of beating anyone on their day. I'm convinced in the hands of really top player they're really not a bad side at all.

I think the key to New York is a quick passing and possession game. If they're not getting hit, and have the puck more than their opponents it reduces the "weight bug" influence doesn't it? Messier is not going to outpace anyone, but he can be a great playmaker if he receives it in space and moves it on quickly to Tikkanen or Gartner to use their speed. Graves is agile & pacey making him a great little set up guy who can duck and weave into space before laying it off for a one-timer, and Amonte & Turcotte continue that theme too. Leetch & Patrick are solid enough against almost any team, but importantly have high end puck skills to help keep possession.

If you like running it with Detroit, or bullying people with Boston or Montreal you're probably going to struggle with the Rangers, but for people that like to play "The beautiful game" to use a soccer analogy New York have great depth and skills. A possession game is key, but there are so many guys on the team who are good with the puck it should be possible to play it against almost anyone. Don't hang onto it for long, unless Tikkanen or Gartner have it, move it quickly so you don't get hit & they're a really good side.

I'm a huge fan of these articles since I got into this site, so don't think i'm criticising AJ. You're great, but I do think different playing styles can be taken into consideration - If a team's on the heavier side, acknowledge that you're not going to be running the puck as much, and you won't want to give it up easily by taking risks or making silly decisions. If you play a quick passing game, keep possession and frustrate your opponent this team can definitely be made to work by a top player............of which i'm not one! lol

.....................OK, watch me get shot down for this now!!!! lol

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.....................OK, watch me get shot down for this now!!!! lol

Didn't want to quote your entire piece, that'd just be too large to re-post. But I really do appreciate your feed back on the subject at hand and I have good news for you, I'm not going to completely shoot you down about the Rangers.

I think you said it best that the Rangers require a different play style from Detroit, Boston or Montreal and I couldn't agree more with the assessment. The Rangers do rely on puck possession and sound puck movement, they are just not a team built to do this to great effectiveness on a consistent basis.

Gartner is a top 10 player, I personally don't like him that much, but its harder to argue the results in stat keeping leagues where Gartner time and time again shows up near the top of the list in points. Tikkanen is starting material, I dont have the draft results right in front of me but he is typically a late 2nd-3rd round pick due to his speed alone. Leetch and Patrick are very skilled with the puck and have no issue chipping in on offense.

Messier on the other hand is a guy who plummets in the GDL draft being left on the board until a heavily influenced(alcohol) Hokkee picks him up in the mid rounds. Yes, hes a great puck mover if he can stay on his skates. Thats the catch though, keeping him on his skates. Another thing that kills the Rangers is their lack of shooting prescision, among the starters, the highest accuracy rating is a 3. Make all the pretty pass plays you want, the team just isn't going to score on a consistent basis. I and many other guys have seen it, when the Rangers are on, they can do a lot of damage. When they are off, paying much attention defense isn't needed because they cant hit the net to save their life.

Can the Rangers beat Detroit and Chicago? Absolutely

Are the Rangers dangerous in the hands of an elite player? You bet

Are they a top 10 team in the game? Probably not

But hey, if you can make them work at the highest level, then kudos to you.

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Well i'm glad I didn't get shot down too bad! lol

Even if i'm not too hot at it I like to try to play a possession game, and i've always felt like NYR were one of the best to do it with. There's nothing worse that conceding goals or missing opportunities because you played a simple pass, only for it to flick off the intended target's heels and drop nicely infront of a waiting opponent!

Hopefully with NYR playing a good possession game you won't get turned over too much and so have good periods of control in the game to try to create some decent chances!

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  • 2 years later...

New York Rangers

Team Overview: After a very disappointing 1992-93 season, the Rangers were affected by multiple adverse adjustments to their roster from NHL ’93 to NHL’ 94. What’s left is a top heavy roster that is negatively affected by the weight bug. Not all is lost though, Mike Gartner is a border line top 10 player and Brian Leetch is a serviceable #1 D-man, these two players allow the Rangers to be a respectable squad.Forwards: Aside from the previously mentioned Gartner, the Rangers forwards are very average, they also don’t necessarily compliment each other well which further compounds the issue of constructing a solid line. While many of the substitutes are light, they aren’t big hitters, pair that with a sheer inability to score the puck consistently up and down the roster and the Ranger forwards have an uphill battle on both sides of the rink.Feed the ‘Stache:Tikkanen-Gartner-MessierEsa Tikkanen: 9 weight, 5/5 skating, 4/2 shot, 4 sth & pass, 3/4 aware, Shoots: LWith his enticing 5 speed, Tikkanen typically always finds a use in the line-up despite being rather heavy, especially for a winger. Often times though, his speedy presence can come at a very frustrating cost. The biggest culprit of this is his poor shot rating. Even after making a beautiful deke or receiving an easy one-timer, Tikkanen is well renowned for his ability to miss the yawning cage...consistently. Oddly enough for a heavyweight, Tikkanen is best suited as a puck carrying set-up man. He has the speed and elusiveness to give the defense fits and he can easily keep pace with Gartner to feed him for some offensive chances. One of the disadvantages of being fast and heavy though is that it may be tough to line up a poke check at such a high speed. If Tikkanen is struggling with his goal-scoring and defense, he becomes a liability, especially if he’s getting pushed around in addition. Don’t be afraid to sub him out if this occurs, his strengths don’t make him immune to a benching.Mike Gartner: 7 weight, 5/5 skating, 5/3 shot, 5 sth & pass, 4/4 aware, Shoots: RNo doubt Gartner is an enjoyable player to use, but to steal a term from baseball, he is wildly effective. Along with Mike Modano, Gartner probably leads the league in stupefying moments where the user is left saying “I can’t believe he missed that!” or “Only Gartner baby, only Gartner!” A unique combo of speed and shot power, Gartner is about as effective from 5 feet from the goal as he is 50 feet. Gartner is an extremely gifted one-on-one player, although a bit heavy, his cannon like shot power adds another element to his game that most players don’t possess. Also gifted with a great play-making skill set, it will likely fall by the way side since the Rangers have no one worth putting at center. The attack will eventually lead towards getting Gartner the puck and letting him do his magic. While not a big hitter, Garter does have the speed to get involved on the fore check or back check to try and work the poke check. The more turnovers and counter attacks he creates, the more opportunities he has to use his speed to wreak havoc.Mark Messier: 10 weight, 5/4 skating, 3/3 shot, 5 sth & 5 pass, 4/4 aware, Shoots: LAside from Eric Lindros and Cam Neely, no other player in the league may have as much trouble matching performance with overall rating then Mark Messier. Sublimely skilled (if shooting is ignored), Messier would suggest to project as one of the elite playmakers in the league. Alas, using Messier as a playmaker is akin to playing chicken, tempting fate and nearing closer and closer to the edge of the cliff, deciding when to move the puck with Messier is always a dangerous game. Icing Messier though is the lesser of many evils, while Messier doesn’t bring anything unique to this line, other than his wretched defense, he is capable of making a quick give and go pass to Gartner to spring him into space. Just don’t ask Messier to score, getting him near the net is nearly impossible and he has no ability to score from range. No need to fall off that cliff.While an extremely mobile line that is gifted at moving the puck, it is held back immensely by its severe weight disadvantage and lack of finishing touch. For the most part, the offense is all about feeding Gartner at some point and letting him light the lamp because Tikkanen and Messier are so inept at doing it themselves. Defensively, using the mobility of the line is key, keeping the opponent to the outside and attempting to use the poke check should be the main goal. Feed the ‘Stache 2:Tikkanen-Gartner-AmonteTony Amonte: 6 weight, 4/4 skating, 3/3 shot, 3 sth & pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: RAmonte is arguably the best of a bunch of light weight players with plus skating and mediocre skills, but that isn’t meant to be much of a compliment. Despite never garnering starter consideration in the GDL, Amonte still finds a use on the Rangers because he brings a more defensive presence then Messier which allows Tikkanen to be the main playmaker. Amonte lacks both finishing and creative skills, but he is quick and light which will hopefully limit the amount of turnovers he commits. Trading in a little playmaking skill for some defensive prowess may be a wise decision because Messier isn’t exactly adept at getting to the prime offensive areas in which to create offense for Gartner. The end game is the same though, get the puck to Gartner and let him do something amazing.Are we sensing a theme yet?:Turcotte-Gartner-AmonteDarren Turcotte: 6 weight, 4/4 skating, 3/3 shot, 4 sth, 3 pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: LIf one Amonte wasn’t enough, here’s a second winger just like him to accompany Gartner. I feel compelled to copy and paste what I wrote for Amonte and insert Turcotte’s name where needed. I’m trying to be a credible author here though, so this is what I have to say about Turcotte. While Turcotte isn’t Amonte, he isn’t not Amonte, do you follow?What we’ve done here is turned a fast, skilled, heavy line into a less fast, less skilled, less heavy line. It’s probably a useful line when playing light weight teams such as Detroit, Vancouver or Boston, but aside from Gartner, there just isn’t enough skill being iced to truly compete with the opponent unless the Rangers play out of their mind. Again, on offense the idea is the same, get the puck to Gartner. Again, and again, and again, and again...Other Options: Turcotte and Amonte are ok players who can at least skate a fair bit and not got mangled. What lies below is a ragged collection of guys who will get mangled but are more skilled, or won’t get mangled, yet are somehow less spectacular.Adam Graves: 6 weight, 4/4 skating, 2/3 shot, 3 sth & pass, 4/3 aware, Shoots: LTypically good for a 4th or 5th forward spot on a GDL roster, Graves fittingly enough is the 5th or so best forward for the Rangers. Read what I wrote for Turcotte and Amonte, then insert a puny shot which is compensated by no other skill. For the truly masochistic, run Turcotte, Amonte, and Graves out on the same line. That ought to be fun.Ed Olczyk: 9 weight, 4/3 skating, 4/3 shot, 4 sth & pass, 3/3 aware, Shoots: LIf Ed had a bit more speed he’d be somewhat useful with his plus skill set. What the reality is though is a guy who doesn’t really set up all that well in the offensive zone and will have issues getting his shot off because why would you try to feed Olczyk when the puck is already on the stick of Gartner?Alexei Kovalev: 7 weight, 4/3 skating, 3/4 shot, 3 sth & pass, 3/3 aware, Shoots: LThis version of the AK plays a bit more like a single action revolver in the hands of a noob. A bit slow, cumbersome to use, and lacking shot power or a threat from range, AK is a desperation option at center if the user strongly desires to put Gartner out on the wing. Sergei Nemchinov: 6 weight, 4/3 skating, 3/4 shot, 3 sth & pass, 3/5 aware, Shoots: LSlow moving, defensive minded forwards don’t have much place in ’94, especially if they aren’t a super light-weight. Useful in the 5th or 6th forward slot for the GDL, but only if he doesn’t get playing time.Forwards: 6/10 (3/10 if Gartner is hurt or in the box)Defense: Much like the forwards, Leetch is a very solid #1 option, he is supported by a skilled heavyweight and then a few solid yet unspectacular options. Patrick-LeetchBrian Leetch: 6 weight, 6/3 skating, 4/1 shot, 5 sth & pass, 4/4 aware, Shoots: LComfortably among the top 10 defenders in the league, Leetch provides a lot of positive attributes to the team, but he lacks the one dominant skill that the premier players typically possess. While having only average speed, Leetch is surprisingly fast due in large part to his perfect agility and light weight which allows him to accelerate quickly and turn on a dime. This asset is useful not only on offense, but defense as well in that he is very easy to use and has the checking power to bring down some mid-heavy weights. Offensively, its pretty tempting to try and get Leetch involved because he is a far better puck carrier than Tikkanen or Messier, but his lack of shot accuracy hampers his finishing ability and his passing can sometimes be a hindrance, especially in close because he passes the puck so hard, the receiver has a tendency to have the puck bounce off their stick. Overall though, don’t be too afraid to integrate Leetch in the offense, just remember he is the one covering Messier, which leaves the right side of the ice extremely vulnerable if Leetch gets wiped out.James Patrick: 9 weight, 4/4 skating, 4/1 shot, 4 sth & pass, 3/4 aware, Shoots: RA solid #2 option, Patrick has all the skills that we can ask for a player in his position...except for his weight. On a team with some major checking presence, having Patrick on the ice wouldn’t be as big of a deal as he could be compensated by his teammates thus allowing his skating and puck skills to shine. On the Rangers though, Patrick is just another strong skating heavy weight who seems to constantly be playing a game of hot potato until the puck gets on Gartner’s stick. If Patrick can manage to play some solid defense and use his speed to run down some breakaways, he becomes a very useful option.A highly skilled duo, Patrick and Leetch will not look uncomfortable with the puck. They just do not get the help they need in terms of a physical presence from the forwards that would make them a highly regarded pairing. Zubov-LeetchSergei Zubov: 7 weight, 3/3 skating, 3/2 shot, 3 sth & pass, 3/4 aware, Shoots: RNothing about Zubov stands out and makes him extremely useful. He is merely mentioned because he is the lightest option aside from Leetch and his skill set isn’t crippling. If Zubov can sit back in his own zone and play a steady game by covering up the slot and not committing turnovers with the puck, he’s doing his job.This could be a useful pairing against a heavy team such as Pittsburgh or one with a slug in the middle such as New Jersey, NYI, or St. Louis for example because Zubov then becomes a body checking presence. If Zubov is sitting back in the zone, then it gives Leetch a bit more leeway on offense and not too much skill is lost with the benching of Patrick.Other Option: Only one other guy is worth icing, the Rangers are hampered with fat and unskilled d-men on the bottom half of their depth chart.Kevin Lowe: 8 weight, 4/3 skating, 3/1 shot, 4 sth, 3 pass, 2/4 aware, Shoots: LA very heady player, Lowe has found himself some occasional starting duty in the GDL because he stays in his own zone, can move the puck around a bit, and is a decent skater. If Lowe stays within himself, he’s fairly effective, just don’t try to wheel and deal with him.Defense: 6.5/10Goalie Zone: Aside from Boston, no other team provides a pair of worthwhile goalies that should garner equal consideration as a starter. Much like Boston though, neither option is elite, they are merely league average at best.Mike Richter: 7 weight, 3/4 skating, 4/4 aware, 3 puck control, 4/4/4/4 save, Catches: LWhile Richter may have the superior save ratings, he has some issues getting to the puck, even in manual goalie. Richter is a bit on the heavy side for a goalie and his lack of agility makes his first move sluggish which can be the difference between a save and a goal. Richter is very rarely in the top portion statistically of most leagues, don’t feel compelled to make a reach for him in the draft.John Vanbiesbrouck: 5 weight, 3/4 skating, 5/5 aware, 3 puck control, 3/4/3/4 save, Catches: LVanbiesbrouck is by no means a great goalie either, but he’s a bit easier to move around the crease which makes him the more effective goalie of the two despite slightly downgraded save ratings. Sure, his overall is pumped up by high awareness, he, unlike Richter though, is not unfamiliar with the upper end of the goalie statistics on occasion. Most users typically tend to lean towards using Beezer, don’t be afraid to play a hunch though as both are fairly similar. The Rangers could be a lot tougher with a solid goalie in net, but that just isn’t the case.Goalie: 5.5/10Bottom Line: When taking a close look at the Rangers, it becomes noticeable that they are similar to the Penguins due to their heavy lineup and lack of scoring touch. What sets the Rangers apart though is their speed, a top 10 player in Gartner and a solid, light defenseman in Leetch. If Gartner can shake loose and be a force the Rangers play pretty well, but the opposite typically provides a very ugly result.

I was really surprised by this review, but maybe that's because I didn't know about the weight bug until I got into this site seriously 5 or 6 weeks ago.

I realise i'm probably going to get totally shot down for this by all the "vets", but hey, who cares? It's my opinion!

I've always seen the Rangers as a top team in 94. Not like a Chicago or Detroit, but a team thats competitive & capable of beating anyone on their day. I'm convinced in the hands of really top player they're really not a bad side at all.

I think the key to New York is a quick passing and possession game. If they're not getting hit, and have the puck more than their opponents it reduces the "weight bug" influence doesn't it? Messier is not going to outpace anyone, but he can be a great playmaker if he receives it in space and moves it on quickly to Tikkanen or Gartner to use their speed. Graves is agile & pacey making him a great little set up guy who can duck and weave into space before laying it off for a one-timer, and Amonte & Turcotte continue that theme too. Leetch & Patrick are solid enough against almost any team, but importantly have high end puck skills to help keep possession.

If you like running it with Detroit, or bullying people with Boston or Montreal you're probably going to struggle with the Rangers, but for people that like to play "The beautiful game" to use a soccer analogy New York have great depth and skills. A possession game is key, but there are so many guys on the team who are good with the puck it should be possible to play it against almost anyone. Don't hang onto it for long, unless Tikkanen or Gartner have it, move it quickly so you don't get hit & they're a really good side.

I'm a huge fan of these articles since I got into this site, so don't think i'm criticising AJ. You're great, but I do think different playing styles can be taken into consideration - If a team's on the heavier side, acknowledge that you're not going to be running the puck as much, and you won't want to give it up easily by taking risks or making silly decisions. If you play a quick passing game, keep possession and frustrate your opponent this team can definitely be made to work by a top player............of which i'm not one! lol

.....................OK, watch me get shot down for this now!!!! lol

Newbie here, heck haven't played NHL 94 since well probably fall 1994 when NHL 95 came out, have NHL94 ordered from EBay, and 2 new controllers coming Monday after the wife bought me a Sega console for Xmas, (forgot about the whole broken in controller d pad, might take a few hours of playing to get that thing warn in to my liking).

Anyway, I'm a die hard Rangers fan, just turned 14 when the game came out, owned the original, and 93, (and every game made after that up until this year, once it moved to PS3, and Xbox I completely lost interest, but still bought it anyway up until this year). I played every game against the CPU as the Rangers probably 1000's of games, and when me, and my friends played we would close our eyes hold down the d pad to scroll through the teams and when your opponent said stop you added the team to the list you could choose from, we did this 3 times so you could get 3 teams to choose from.

After a few months I wasn't allowed to use Chicago, or Detroit, and never used them anyway hated Roenick, and hated the Red wings (also would bypass Pitt, Philly, NJD, and NYI if I had any other reasonable choices). Would pick the Rangers every time I got them in my 3 which was often since I got extra choices if Detroit, Chicago, any of the teams my opponent got, and we reshuffled when ever it landed on Florida, Anaheim, TB, and Ottawa I think.

Well back to the topic, as a young kid growing up a Rangers fan Johnny V was my 1st favorite player, and Thomas Sandstrom a close 2nd, that was until the 18 year old hot shot Alex Kovalev came along, also liked Amonte, and Turcotte. My top line was always Graves, Messier, and Kovalev, with Leetch, and Zubov, I knew nothing about the weight glitch until 2 days ago, and Messier always put the pass where I wanted it, and my style was to get it to Graves down low for one timers, Kovalev at the right face off circle for a dip, and cross goal, or a slap shot/one timer, found Messier to be deadly from the top left circle to between the blue line slap shot, and Leetch from anywhere between the face off circles when the D parted down the middle.

Line 2 was was Turcotte, Amonte, Gartner, with Patrick, and Lowe, Gartner of course was the star of the line, but I always tried to get Turcotte, and Amonte involved because I really liked them as young kids coming up.

Line 3 was Esa, Sergie, and moved Kocur/Eddie O, and Jan Erixon in rotations one the checking line, Nemchinov always seemed to produce sneakily well with these guys, and I would use Beukeboom, and double shift Leetch on the 3rd pair if I remember correctly.

None of these lines where strategically put together, they were put together based on what players I liked the most, my goal was always to pump in 5+ goals with Kovalev against the CPU, and try, and get the whole 1st line to get a Hat Trick, and then work my way into the 2nd line for some goals, and like I said earlier, Nemchinov would always find a way to get a few points by accident. I don't know if it was because I played with these lines so much I figured a way to make them work, but they did work well for me both against the CPU, and playing my friends, the Messier offensive zone face off one timer to Graves, Kovalev, and Leetch was a scoring machine for me.

2 days ago I found this forum, have read through it for 5 hours, or more each day, and all this info came rushing back to me after reading posts like these, can't wait for Monday when the game arrives so I can see if I can shake of the layers of rust, and see if I still got it!

1 quick question, being this is Sega Genesis were talking about here what is the optimal TV size you guys like to play on? I'm thinking no larger than 32" and 40" is the smallest TV in my house. Thinking of hooking the console directly to a CPU 22" monitor, but don't know how to set that up, monitor only has a DVI port, and Stereo speaker jack nothing else, if anyone has any answers, or suggestions to these questions it would be much appreciated!

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1 quick question, being this is Sega Genesis were talking about here what is the optimal TV size you guys like to play on? I'm thinking no larger than 32" and 40" is the smallest TV in my house. Thinking of hooking the console directly to a CPU 22" monitor, but don't know how to set that up, monitor only has a DVI port, and Stereo speaker jack nothing else, if anyone has any answers, or suggestions to these questions it would be much appreciated!

My guess is most of the guys on the forums are playing '94 on their laptops and/or computer monitors as we're using the emulator instead of the actual console. The last time I used my console, I played on my 50" TV that has an AV input. It was fine as long as I sat FAR away, haha. Maybe start a new thread in the Locker Room?

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My guess is most of the guys on the forums are playing '94 on their laptops and/or computer monitors as we're using the emulator instead of the actual console. The last time I used my console, I played on my 50" TV that has an AV input. It was fine as long as I sat FAR away, haha. Maybe start a new thread in the Locker Room?

Will be working nights Monday, and Tuesday. Really want to figure a way to hook the console directly to the Monitor, but I don't see how with only a DVI port, and a stereo speaker audio port, and can't download an emulator because of security on the work CPU, and no CPU controller. Hoping to find a resolution to this by tomorrow, really excited to play! Also don't own a laptop, only an IPad.

I will start a thread in the locker room thanks.

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CB Notes

Forwards

Esa Tikkanen: Opposing players around the league have been put on notice, Tikkanen is back with a vengeance and will be looking to announce his presence with some booming CB checks. 9 weight paired with 5/5 speed makes for a CB checking dream as his ability to pressure vulnerable defenders will help create more turnovers. While Esa will still have issues scoring his own chances he is plenty capable of setting up his line mates. The increase in defensive and offensive utility propel Tikkanen into must start status.

Mike Gartner: The 'stache remains the centerpiece of the Ranger attack and his sublime skating should help him avoid any hefty opponents looking to body him off the puck. Gartner doesn't gain too much defense but he could make a living picking off unskilled weight buggers if an opponent loads up on them. Feel free to use Gartner as judiciously as he had before CB discoveries.

Mark Messier: A game against the Rangers has become somewhat of a nightmare as Messier is another highly mobile CB checking monster. Neither side of the ice will be safe and it could be possible to really hem opponents in with a vicious fore check. Messier still has issues aplenty when trying to lug the puck up the ice as the art of elusiveness will be key to him staying on his skates. His main use lies within his ability to be a grinding play maker and not a flashy goal scorer.

Tony Amonte, Darren Turcotte, Adam Graves, Alex Kovalev, Sergei Nemchinov: These guys are probably more qualified to fight in the clone wars than be starters on an effective line in '94. All of them take a small hit in effectiveness as none of these 6-7 weight forwards have enough skating or skills to impose their will on a game. None of them will sabotage the team on their own when they are called into duty so they do have some value.

Ed Olczyk: Eddie may be the best option off the bench as his skill set is superior to the other bench warmers. On the flip side he wont get much CB checking going with piddly 4/3 skating at his disposal.

Phil Bourque: 8 weight, 2/4 skating, 2/2 shot, 3 sth, 2 pass, 2/3 aware, Shoots: L

Thankfully the Rangers are already loaded with CB checking options but Bourque is the best of the rest of the roster that can be called upon in the darkest of times. Bourque is a pretty clumsy skater but his straight line speed can be useful in open ice while on the PK.

Defense

Brian Leetch: It's entirely possible that Leetch has fallen out of the top 10 D man discussion but Leetch is still an important piece to a highly capable duo in Madison Square Garden. Leetch is still a slick skater who is plenty able of eluding some hard pressing fore checkers and then distributing an accurate pass up ice. Defensively Leetch's 6 agility and near weight bug status will continue to aid him in his defensive endeavors.

James Patrick: No longer is Patrick a skilled defensive liability as his skating ability paired with his 9 weight allow him to be a CB presence on top of a skilled puck mover. While he may have issues dealing with Cam Neely, Tomas Sandstrom, Pierre Turgeon, etc., he still has plenty of skating ability to stay close and hound them with a poke check. As a duo, Patrick and Leetch perfectly compliment each other as at least one of them will be able to always play an opponent physically. Throw in the fact that they are both plus skaters, are highly skilled, and are playing on their natural side and this quickly becomes a high quality pairing.

Sergei Zubov: While always being sort of a bland option, Zubov continues to be one as his 7 weight doesn't do a whole lot to affect his overall game plan. Keep him in mind as he is perfectly suitable to be in the rotation as a substitute.

Kevin Lowe: While there isn't a spot for Lowe to start with the Rangers he should be kept in mind as a bottom tier #2 defenseman in GDL leagues due to his ability to CB check any player with 6 weight or less and his 4 agility should help him chase down a few more forwards than expected. Lowe should be considered as the replacement to Patrick if he becomes hurt as Lowe's 8 weight helps maintain some checking balance with Leetch as the partner.

Peter Andersson: 9 weight, 2/3 speed, 2/1 shot, 3 sth & pass, 3/2 aware, Shoots: L

Some CB depth, Andersson isn't a terrible option but he's also not a totally viable one. His lack of agility will not aid him in chasing down quicker forwards and his offensive awareness may cause him to go a little nuts with his positioning from time to time.

Joe Cirella: 10 weight, 3/3 skating, 3/2 shot, 2 sth & pass, 2/2 aware, Shoots: R

Slightly more mobile than Andersson but less skilled where it counts in the passing and stick handling categories, Cirella is another CB option to keep in mind if the Rangers start a parade towards the penalty box.

Jeff Beukeboom: 11 weight, 2/2 skating, 2/0 shot, 2 sth & pass, 2/4 aware, Shoots: R

For those who can't get enough of the CB check then Beukeboom is the place to look as he is the biggest goon the blue shirts can ice. Really hard to suggest him with such a pathetic skill set but perhaps he can channel his inner Chris Dahlquist with the 4 d. awareness at his disposal.

Bottom Line

Some of the Rangers ailments have been cured as the defense is now incredibly imposing albeit a little too heavily slanted towards CB checking as Leetch and Gartner are they only relatively light weight options on hand. The fact that every starting option is a plus skater will keep the opponent cautious in their attack.

Offensively the Ranger still have the same issues they had before. A lack of shooting skill and a tough time carrying the puck up ice leave the Rangers highly dependent on quick goals created from turnovers and whatever Gartner can create on his own. Gritty, low scoring games, with opportunistic scoring is likely the most effective way to play with the Rangers and it should help them compete on a more consistent basis league wide.

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