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Graves was a team leader who was overlooked because of the influence of Mark Messier. This as a great decision. It helps that Andy Bathgate also wore this number. Bathgate is a legendary player. What the hell took the Rangers so long to retire this number? Graves should have wore a different number and had that retired also. Howell is another Ranger legend who deserves this honour. Does anyone know if they've retired Vic Hatfield's number? If they haven't, they should get on it.

Always helps your organization when you honor players and build that tradition..

3 Rangers? Damn....oops, I was thinking of me Army buddies. Still, good for the lifers to be hung up in the rafters too.

Graves? I mean, he was a very gutsy player who scored 50 in a Rangers jersey once (I think), but what are his career stats? I don't think he should in the rafters. I think this is Uncle Glen tossing a bone to a former Oiler/Ranger he loved. Graves was a very good NHL player, but I would ask anyone in here, was he great?

Graves? I mean, he was a very gutsy player who scored 50 in a Rangers jersey once (I think), but what are his career stats? I don't think he should in the rafters. I think this is Uncle Glen tossing a bone to a former Oiler/Ranger he loved. Graves was a very good NHL player, but I would ask anyone in here, was he great?

joec
Joe,
While certainly not one of the names that comes up when discussing the best players, Graves was and reamins, a special guy here in NYC. As PopKing noted, his influence as a team leader was often overshadowed by Messier. He was one of those intangible, character guys for sure, but he is alo a tireless charity guy here. I sense this is as much for his community service as his body checking.
As to Hadfield, he had the misfortune to also wear #11

joec, it's not about career stats and what's written on paper. I understand those who aren't a New York Ranger's fan ask why he should have his number retired if he isn't a hall of famer. It's more than that. When players get drafted to the Rangers, signed or traded. They will look up to the rafters and see Messier #11, Leetcj #2, and Graves #9. Those 3 had the dedication, determination, and leadership to bring New York the 1994 Stanely Cup. To get your number retired you don't have to have a hall of fame career. Anyone who plays for the Rangers will see those 3 Names and know that it takes dedication to winning the Stanely Cup. Before 1994 the Rangers were on a 54 year Stanely Cup drought. They are part of the Original Six and they went a very long time without winning. If any Ranger fan watched or Brian Leetch's number retired, the crowd went crazy when Leetch announced Grave's number will be the next to retired. Without Messier, Leetch, and Graves this team would not have won the Stanely Cup. No player will ever have the dedication Grave's had on the ice and in the communities.

Sorry for the typos (Leetch, Stanley Cup) I was in a rush.. GO RANGERS!!

Graves??? Geez, they'll retire anyone's jersey nowadays. Why not retire Glen Hanlon's jersey too?

As to Hadfield, he had the misfortune to also wear #11
Spiny Norman

But he wore it when men were men,,...

Howell, Howe and Hull used to get me all confused when I was 4 or 5. I remember listening to my grandfather talk hockey with his friends and I thought all 3 were the same guy.

Adam Graves I know well. I saw him play a lot and win the Stanley Cup with the Edmonton Oilers. He deserves this honor. The other two I don't know much about.

Graves came to Edmonton from Detroit. Glen Sather masterminded a broad daylight robbery as he got Graves, Joe Murphy, Petr Klima and Sharpples in exchange for (are you ready?) useless Jimmy Carson, aging Kevin McClelland and a late round draft choice. Slats robbed the Red Wings blind! One of the many memorable trades that Slats was able to pull out of his hat.

Grave, Joe Murphy and Martin Gelinas, well, ah, gelled right from the start and formed the dynamic "kid line" that gave headaches to the opposition and gave fits to the Bruins during the Stanley Cup finals!

Playing on the same team with Mark Messier, Adam Graves became a great leader. He learned from the best.

Adam Graves I know well. I saw him play a lot and win the Stanley Cup with the Edmonton Oilers. He deserves this honor. The other two I don't know much about.

Graves came to Edmonton from Detroit. Glen Sather masterminded a broad daylight robbery as he got Graves, Joe Murphy, Petr Klima and Sharpples in exchange for (are you ready?) useless Jimmy Carson, aging Kevin McClelland and a late round draft choice. Slats robbed the Red Wings blind! One of the many memorable trades that Slats was able to pull out of his hat.

Grave, Joe Murphy and Martin Gelinas, well, ah, gelled right from the start and formed the dynamic "kid line" that gave headaches to the opposition and gave fits to the Bruins during the Stanley Cup finals!

Playing on the same team with Mark Messier, Adam Graves became a great leader. He learned from the best.
DCruiser

100% correct. Graves idolized Messier after that.

That trade with Detroit plus the Gelinas portion of the original Gretzky trade finally made the whole Gretzky trade complete. And essentially brought them the cup again.

That trade with Detroit plus the Gelinas portion of the original Gretzky trade finally made the whole Gretzky trade complete. And essentially brought them the cup again.
Hank Kingsley | 08/22/08, 10:29 AM

True. That Cup helped blunt pain of the Gretzky trade a little. Although Edmonton never got over it and never will. It just might remain as the darkest day in their history!

Graves did (and i believe still does) a ton of stuff off the ice in and around new York. Retiringa jersey isnt just about numbers.Guy was a class act.

Gentlemen, your arguements are sound and logfically stated, That said, however, I'm still not convinced Graves deserved to have his number retired. Many teams over the years have had players with a great deal of dedication, leadership and character. In my humble opinion, a retired number must have stattistics to back it up.

Gentlemen, your arguements are sound and logfically stated, That said, however, I'm still not convinced Graves deserved to have his number retired. Many teams over the years have had players with a great deal of dedication, leadership and character. In my humble opinion, a retired number must have stattistics to back it up.

LetsGoPens | 08/22/08, 11:03 AM

I disagree....teams can do what they like....if the guy's a fan favorite and a leader then why not...save the stats for entry into the Hall of Fame.....

Graves isnt HOF material but a great "Ranger" he was!

I'm sure they probably already did it - but did the Rangers retire Eddie Giacomin's jersey ???

Gentlemen, your arguements are sound and logfically stated, That said, however, I'm still not convinced Graves deserved to have his number retired. Many teams over the years have had players with a great deal of dedication, leadership and character. In my humble opinion, a retired number must have stattistics to back it up.

LetsGoPens |
I beg to differ, my well versed friend. If we were debating HOF credentials, I'd be right with you. But to retire a number, I think, speaks as much to the man as it does the player. Here in NYC, Graves is well known, perhaps as much for community work as for left wing work
And yes, Giacomin's #1 was retired