New York Rangers: 10 Most Overrated Players in Recent Team History

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The definition of overrated is “too overestimate the merits of; rate too highly.”

Throughout much of the 90s and 2000s that seemed to be the theme of the New York Rangers. Whether it was a player they drafted, traded for or signed through free agency many players that the Rangers though would be future stars, turned into nobodies.

With that said, this is dedicated to the players who quite never lived up to their contract, draft status or trade value.

Here are the 10 most overrated players in the last 15 years that played for the New York Rangers.

10. Anson Carter

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Anson Carter may have had a chance to shine in the Big Apple if given the chance. He only played in 54 games with the Blueshirts.

He was acquired in a trade from Edmonton. Less than a year later he would be traded to the Washington Capitals.

However, the Rangers would acquire one of the best players to ever put on a Rangers jersey in Jaromír Jágr.

9-8. Pavel Brendl and Jamie Lundmark

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The 1999 NHL Entry Draft for the New York Rangers was one that they would like to forget.

First, at fourth overall they drafted Pavel Brendl, whose game never translated into the NHL.  He scored only 22 points in 78 games and that didn’t even come with the New York Rangers. He acquired those points playing for the Philadelphia Flyers, Carolina Hurricanes and two games with the Phoenix Coyotes.

At ninth overall, the Rangers took Jamie Lundmark. Lundmark outdid Brendl by actually taking the ice for the Blueshirts, where he played a total of 114 games. However, in that span he only registered 30 points.

Both are currently playing hockey overseas.

7. Tom Poti

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When the Rangers acquired Tom Poti in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers they were looking for a young defenseman who could be the play the point on the power-play.

That is where Poti started, but not where he ended. He would eventually be knocked off the Rangers’ top power-play line by Fedor Tyutin.

During his time with the Rangers, Poti became unpopular with the fans, to the point that he was booed whenever he touched the puck and cheered when he left the ice for a player change.

6. Mike Dunham

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After Mike Richter suffered a concussion during the 2002-03 season, the Rangers scrambled to find a starting goalie.

First, the Rangers turned to 19-year-old Dan Blackburn who would start 17 straight games, before he began to burn out from the heavy workload.

From there, the Rangers would trade for Mike Dunham.

His first season was solid, starting in 43 straight games winning 19 of them and posting a .924 save percentage. The next year he started in 57 games and only won 16, posting a .896 save percentage.

In 2005, Henrik Lundqvist was the next goaltender of the New York Rangers after a Kevin Weekes injury and the rest is history.

5. Eric Lindros

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The former Philadelphia Flyers’ captain played for the Blueshirts for three years.

Acquired during the 2001-02 season, Lindros posted 73 points in 72 games. However, production would dramatically decrease.

Even though the 2002-03 season was his first injury free season, Lindros only had 53 points. In 2003–04, Lindros' eighth concussion limited him to just 39 games, though he did collect 32 points.

However, by seasons end the Rangers let Lindros become an unrestricted free agent.

If Lindros was able to cut down on the concussions he possibly could have been one of the greatest forwards ever to play in the NHL.

4. Pavel Bure

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The Rangers acquired Bure midway through the 2001-02 season in a trade with the Florida Panthers for a late season push to the playoffs. However, the Rangers missed the playoffs for a fifth straight year.

Bure would also play with the team through the 2002-03 season.  In those two years he only played in 51 games and posted 50 points.

Bure would retire in 2005.

3. Chris Drury

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On July 1, 2007, Drury signed a five-year, $35.25 million contract with the New York Rangers. In his first two years with the team, the 25th captain of the Rangers posted 58 and 56 points respectfully.

However, the next two seasons would be disastrous and injury plagued seasons.

The 2009-10 season saw Drury’s production go down. He would only post 32 points in 77 games. The next year was an unhealthy one for Drury who only played 24 games due to injury.

On June 29, 2011, Drury accepted a buy-out of the final year of his contract, to become an unrestricted free agent July 1, 2011. He would count approximately $3.716 million against the 2011–12 salary cap, and about $1.667 million against the 2012–13 salary cap.

Two months later he would retire from the NHL.

2. Scott Gomez

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On July 1, 2007, Gomez signed a $51.5 million, seven-year contract with the New York Rangers.

Though many Rangers fans thought that the Rangers spent too much on him (which they did), Gomez did have two successful seasons with the Rangers.

His first season he posted 70 points which was 10 points better than the season before with the New Jersey Devils. His second season he scored 58 points.

However, for the amount of money Gomez was making, it was not the production the fans or franchise wanted. For that, Gomez was traded to the Montreal Canadians in 2009 for Christopher Higgins, Doug Janik, Ryan McDonagh, and Pavel Valentenko.

Since the trade Gomez’s production has dropped each year.

1. Wade Redden

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Every Ranger fan will agree, one player that didn’t live up to his contract was Wade Redden.

On July 1, 2008 he signed a six-year, $39 million contract after trade rumors swirled around him the previous season in Ottawa.

In two years with the Rangers’ Redden struggled. In 156 games Redden managed to only tally 40 points.

Things got so bad for Redden that he was sent down to the AHL affiliate the Connecticut Whale where he has spent his last two seasons as their captain.

The Rangers’ still have two more years on that contract. If there is one good thing about the lockout it’s the fact that the Rangers don’t have to pay Redden who they placed on their main roster right before the lockout.