Winners Never Quit

What a ride, thrills and chills ups and downs, and more stress than anyone would want to deal with. There have been heroes and villains good luck and bad luck and everything in between. The Rangers have just completed a bounce back game and once again showed the heart and grit of a true champion. No one knows what's going to happen going forward but this seems like a good time to step back and look at what this Rangers team has accomplished, and what they have meant to New York and the league. Number one let's start with the fact that the Rangers have been playing hockey like they are now for almost 2 years, a very long time for a team in any sport to play at the highest level night in and night out and perform with such success. Last year they came within a couple of posts of winning the Stanley Cup, and backed that up by winning the Presidents Trophy this year. The separation between top level professional teams is very small and to consistently win for this amount of time speaks to everything that an organization needs to be successful. Good coaching, commitment by the players, good execution, talent and good front office decisions to stay on top. The Rangers are a likable team, a bunch of "Blue Collar Guys" playing on Broadway. The NHL is full of players like that, it is part of the charm of this sport and one reason the players never lose respect for who they are or where they are. The Broadway Blues have had some great players and some great moments but over time consistency has eluded them as far as winning championships. This team is on a run that started in 2014 and there's still a story to be written, but this "Band of Brothers" is the real deal, a championship caliber team that would be competitive in any sport. Believe it or not the Rangers are only a little more than halfway to their goal. Champions never quit they just keep trying, just like the Rangers. Sports is full of one hit wonders. To me greatness is defined by consistency overtime. The ability, talent, and commitment to do it again. The Stanley Cup chase is truly a gauntlet requiring every ounce of dedication that athletes can give. Maybe the cup doesn't end up in New York, but there's no doubt in my mind that in the last two years New York Ranger fans have had the privilege of watching a true champion perform. LETS GO RANGERS...