Mark Malinowski at The Hockey News asks Phil Esposito questions ranging from favorite ice cream flavor to greatest sports moment. Here's an excerpt...Most Painful Moment: "Painful? When I got traded from Boston to New York. It was a total shock and very painful for me."
...Espo was part of the biggest and most controversial trade in Rangers history as it included all-time Ranger great Brad Park going to Boston.
...Espo was traded the year I was born so I don't remember him on the Rangers, but he was able to make the transition from hated rival to fan favorite after leading the Rangers to the Cup Finals 1979.
...would love to get fan perspective on that trade. So if you were around when Espo was traded to the Rangers what were your feelings on the trade, what turned around your feelings for Espo, did you ever fully embrace him. Please post in comments section.
3 comments:
Esposito absolutely hated coming to the Rangers. In his first season in NY, I was a high school hockey coach in Westchester where the Rangers had just moved their practice facility to Rye Playland. They had an afternoon press reception for all of the players and coaches and one of the parents in the HS league got all of the coaches invited. The affair began at 1:00 and I arrived in the lot at 1:05, As I headed in Espo blew past me without so much as a nod as he went to his car. I guess he really didn't want to be here! I did get to have a 20 minute conversation with Fred Shero, who was a great coach and a fascinating guy.
giving up park and ratelle - i think within 1 yr of letting eddie g go on waivers - was like the loss of my innocence as a kid and hockey fan. broke my heart. both likely would have names in the rafters if they stayed as rangers. i think ratelle never forgave - never back for anything best i can tell.
and then compounded by the worst deal rangers ever made. espo said get me ken hodge. so rangers gave up middleton (sp?) their best young player who had nice career with boston. those were indeed trying times.
and espo was 1 impulsive gm. making deals all the time - and firing a coach with like 7 games left - a coach i think he paid a 1st rd pick as compensation for
he'll never be a ranger - and was a horrible horrible trade.
Thanks for the insight guys.
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