There won't be any drum rolls at Madison Square Garden today, nor banner-hanging tonight buy maybe there should be.
Am I the only one between here and the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel who realizes this is a major date in Rangers history.
Granted, I'm getting personal about this because 71 years ago today, I was working in the Rangers publicity department – we didn't know from "public relations" in those days – and a big, BIG story broke.
I knew how big it was by the speed with which my boss, press agent Herb Goren, rushed over to my desk and snapped, "Getcha coat on, kid, you got some runnin' ta do."
Then, Herbie explained that the Rangers had swung a deal with the Chicago Black Hawks. Heading to the Windy City was our noble defenseman Allan Stanley along with forward Nick Mickoski. Coming our way was defenseman Bill Gadsby and forward Pete Connacher.
My boss then handed me seven press releases, the addresses of the seven New York Dailies, carfare and a final word. "Make sure you give the releases to the sports editor. This is big stuff!."
It was in a lot of ways. Allan Stanley was a solid defenseman but Ranger fans hated him because he never threw his weight around. They wanted a tough guy and they got a stylist instead.
By contrast, Mickoski was loveable – besides being a personal friend of mine – had come through the farm system but never quite clicked. I was sad about us losing both them.
But Bill Gadsby had been Chicago's best defenseman and Peter Conacher was the son of Hall of Famer Charlie Conacher, one of the NHL's all-time scorers as a Toronto Maple Leaf.
Beyond excited, I hit the Times. Herald-Tribune, Journal-American, Post, World-Telegram, Daily News and Daily Mirror; not once missing a sports editor. When I returned to the Garden that afternoon, our hockey department was overflowing with newsmen interviewing our general manager Frank Boucher.
"We hated to lose Big Al and Nick," Boucher explained, "But I felt we needed a shakeup. The new guys will give us a boost in the back and up front."
It's Getting Late Early For The Beloved BlueshirtsFor a team with a 10-11-2 record, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a> should be miles and miles and miles from Panics-ville-On-The-Hudson.
He was right. Gadsby was outstanding the next night when we beat the hated Bruins, Unfortunately, with about a minute left and a win in the bag, Gads went down to block a shot and took the puck in the jaw. We lost him for a month.
Conacher tried hard but the only resemblance to his father was the name Conacher.
No problem, neither Stanley nor Big Nick did much for Chicago. Mickoski eventually found a niche in the minors while Stanley was dealt to Boston and finally to Toronto
After recovering from his broken jaw, Gadsby became the Rangers best defenseman. He helped the Rangers make the playoffs in 1956, 1957, and 1958. Eventually he was traded to Detroit where he played the best hockey of his life.
The irony of this story belongs to Allan Stanley who was getting old when Toronto GM Punch Imlach picked him up in the Used Defenseman's Lot. Under Imlach, Stanley was pivotal in guiding the Maple Leafs to four Stanley Cups in seven years.
Over two fruitful NHL decades Gadsby remained a star but never played for a Cup-winner – once even beaten by Al Stanley's Leafs.
But on that Thanksgiving Eve day in the hockey department at the Old Garden 71 years ago, The Maven got a firsthand baptism of trading fire.
One little postscript: Well after the big trade, Stanley played a fine game against the Rangers and exited the Old Garden via the West 49th Street players' door. He then turned left and walked east toward Eighth Avenue.
Recognized on the sidewalk by a Rangers fan, Big Al stopped as the teenager went up to him and very plaintively asked: "Allan; why didn't you play that way for us?'
Stanley digested the question and softly replied: "But, I did. But I did!"
And that's the reason Allan Stanley is in the Hockey Hall of Fame. For other reasons, Bill Gadsby is a Hall of Famer as well!