Greatest NYR Reclamation Project?

[Phil]

We've been talking about Strome probably being the king here in the appreciation thread but I think this can stand on its own.
 

Basic criteria/qualities for candidates:

 

1. Players with upside/potential who needed new scenery/opportunity and really bounced back in a big way. Think first-round picks on the verge of going bust here.
2. Players who performed at a high level elsewhere and for whatever reason collapsed, then refound their footing following a trade or signing with New York. Think high-end players who fell to fourth lines or healthy scratches before coming to the Rangers here.
    

Strome is still the winner for me but I think strong cases can be made for Benoit Pouliot and Anton Stralman, too.

 

Who's the best project to you?

[Pete]

Stralman definitely up there. 

 

Would also have to think that Brian Boyle really solidified his role in the league and the next step of his career playing here. 

[SaveByRichter35]

Why is this in TV Music Movies?

[josh]

21 minutes ago, Pete said:

Stralman definitely up there. 

 

Would also have to think that Brian Boyle really solidified his role in the league and the next step of his career playing here. 

How is Stralman mentioned? He had a 30+ point before NY, had 30+ point season after, didn’t break 20 in NY, and it’s not like he had a reputation of being a shorty defender.  He put up better numbers this season than he did in NY and his d wasn’t much worse than 10 years ago 
 

[siddious]

8 minutes ago, josh said:

How is Stralman mentioned? He had a 30+ point before NY, had 30+ point season after, didn’t break 20 in NY, and it’s not like he had a reputation of being a shorty defender.  He put up better numbers this season than he did in NY and his d wasn’t much worse than 10 years ago 
 

Wasn’t a reclamation project just a good player no one knew about.

 

this thread started with strome and will end with him. Can’t even begin to think of anyone who comes close. 

[Pete]

10 minutes ago, josh said:

How is Stralman mentioned? He had a 30+ point before NY, had 30+ point season after, didn’t break 20 in NY, and it’s not like he had a reputation of being a shorty defender.  He put up better numbers this season than he did in NY and his d wasn’t much worse than 10 years ago 
 

Damn yo, calm down. I didn't deep dive into his shit. Mostly based on the fact that he got cut by a crappy Devils team before he joined us. 

 

Settle down amigo. 

[Pete]

35 minutes ago, SaveByRichter35 said:

Why is this in TV Music Movies?

I gave @Phil an edible. 

[josh]

3 minutes ago, Pete said:

Damn yo, calm down. I didn't deep dive into his shit. Mostly based on the fact that he got cut by a crappy Devils team before he joined us. 

 

Settle down amigo. 

The edibles you sent me haven’t arrived 

[RichieNextel305]

I like the names mentioned. All deserving mention. I’d throw Raanta into the mix too. He had fallen completely off the grid prior to being traded here in 2015. Granted, he was only here 2 years. But he came right after Talbot had that insane second half when Henrik was injured. Allaire did a great job reviving his career, and he proved to be a great bargain bin pickup by the Rangers.

[Albatrosss]

How about Lindros?

[BrooksBurner]

2 hours ago, Pete said:

Stralman definitely up there. 

 

Would also have to think that Brian Boyle really solidified his role in the league and the next step of his career playing here. 

 

 

Live shot of @Keirik

[Tonybologna]

Do Zucc and Girardi count?

[Sod16]

John Ogrodnick and Walt Puddubny.

 

Johnny O was a former 50 goal scorer who had fallen on hard times before he had a couple of big years with the Rangers.

 

Puddubny had a 28 goal 59 point season with the Leafs before going back to the minors, where the Rangers found him.  He too had a couple of big years with us.

[Ozzy]

...could maybe toss Brian Mullen in there with them too.

 

I was thinking Kelly Kisio, but not sure if the longevity is there.

[Keirik]

You know, you can make a case for ADA, albeit short lived.

Avery too. NY really is the place he made his name in and burned brightest. 

[leetchy2]

Michael Grabner. Prior two seasons had 8 goals with the NYI and 9 with TOR. Came to NYR and potted 27 & 25 next two seasons.

[siddious]

8 hours ago, Tonybologna said:

Do Zucc and Girardi count?

No zucc was highly sought after post Olympics where he stood out. Unless you’re counting his second stint with the rangers. Girardi wasn’t really a reclamation project so much as a undrafted player who continued to develop. 
 

but I might be splitting hairs here 

[Pete]

@Phil we need the criteria. 

 

If Strome is the barometer, then the criteria is high drafts picks or touted players who didn't do shit anywhere else until they got here. 

 

Ogrodnick and Grabner don't fit that criteria. 

 

What say you? 

[RichieNextel305]

31 minutes ago, Pete said:

@Phil we need the criteria. 

 

If Strome is the barometer, then the criteria is high drafts picks or touted players who didn't do shit anywhere else until they got here. 

 

Ogrodnick and Grabner don't fit that criteria. 

 

What say you? 

Wasn’t Grabner a first round pick? Unless you’re alluding to him having success on the Island? I’m pretty sure that’s what you meant.

Edited July 28, 2022 by RichieNextel305

[Phil]

8 hours ago, Keirik said:

You know, you can make a case for ADA, albeit short lived.

Avery too. NY really is the place he made his name in and burned brightest. 

 

To me, neither qualify. Because they were both pretty unceremoniously dumped. 

[Phil]

33 minutes ago, Pete said:

@Phil we need the criteria. 

 

If Strome is the barometer, then the criteria is high drafts picks or touted players who didn't do shit anywhere else until they got here. 

 

Ogrodnick and Grabner don't fit that criteria. 

 

What say you? 

 

It's kind of hard to narrow the scope on too much without needlessly eliminating contenders. How's this:

 

"Basically, any player who needed new scenery/opportunity and really bounced back in a big way. First-round picks on the verge of going bust who find their footing after coming here would be prime examples."

[Phil]

9 hours ago, Tonybologna said:

Do Zucc and Girardi count?

 

I don't see how or why they would. Reclamation projects, to me, insinuates that the player once had tremendous potential that either broke bad (Raanta) or didn't come to fruition (Strome). Zucc and G aren't reclamations. They're undrafted gems, which we could certainly do another thread on.

[Phil]

I updated the criteria in the OP. Think it's better now.

[Phil]

Two names @The Dude raised: Avery and DeAngelo. To me these are borderline cases. It's easy to see the somewhat immediate results and understand why they'd be mentioned, but in DeAngelo's case, he was still unceremoniously dumped, which, to me, makes it a lot harder to include him in the list in the first place. His SKILL  improved, but his behavior didn't. In fact, you could argue he got sent packing for similar reasons he was traded here in the first place. He's probably still a work in progress, to be honest.

 

Avery is a lot closer. You might even argue that they reclaimed him twice. The LA trade saw his star rise, then picking him back up again after he flamed out in Dallas.

[Keirik]

20 minutes ago, Phil said:

Two names @The Dude raised: Avery and DeAngelo. To me these are borderline cases. It's easy to see the somewhat immediate results and understand why they'd be mentioned, but in DeAngelo's case, he was still unceremoniously dumped, which, to me, makes it a lot harder to include him in the list in the first place. His SKILL  improved, but his behavior didn't. In fact, you could argue he got sent packing for similar reasons he was traded here in the first place. He's probably still a work in progress, to be honest.

 

Avery is a lot closer. You might even argue that they reclaimed him twice. The LA trade saw his star rise, then picking him back up again after he flamed out in Dallas.

Wasn’t it I who raised these two names?