3 most undeserving NY Rangers players who shouldn't have been named on franchise's Quarter-Century team feat. Mats Zuccarello

The NY Rangers Quarter-Century Team was unveiled on Sunday, with some deserving players making up the first and second teams. The lists feature players from two separate eras in Rangers history.

However, among some no-brainer selections, three players stand out as undeserving ones. So, let’s take a look at the three most undeserving NY Rangers players from the Quarter-Century Team.

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Three most undeserving NY Rangers players from Quarter-Century Team

#3 Dan Girardi

Dan Girardi was a mainstay on the NY Rangers’ blue line from 2006 to 2017. Overall, he played 788 games for the Rangers, racking up 46 goals and 184 assists for 230 points. While his role wasn’t a high-end scoring defenseman, he still chipped in offensively as much as possible.

However, a long-time Ranger lost in the shuffle is franchise icon Brian Leetch, who debuted for the team in the 1987-88 season and played until 2004 when he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Since 2000, Leetch registered 63 goals and 163 assists for 226 goals in 322 games.

Considering Leetch’s track record and being a member of the 1994 Stanley Cup team, he deserved to get a mention on the Quarter-Century team if he played toward the end of his career.

#2 Jaromir Jagr

Like Leetch, Jaromir Jagr was a 90s legend who played toward the end of his career with the NY Rangers. Jagr played 277 games with the Blue Shirts, accruing 124 goals and 319 points. His impressive numbers make him a worthy choice for the Quarter-Century Team.

However, Ryan Callahan played in 450 games for the Rangers from 2006 to 2014. While he ended his career with the Tampa Bay Lightning, his legacy remains in New York. His brand of talent and toughness has been difficult to equal over the last two decades.

Callahan registered 132 goals and 122 assists for 254 points. While his point totals were lower than Jagr’s, Callahan played far longer for the Rangers, becoming a part of the team’s identity during the late 2000s and early 2010s.

#1 Mats Zuccarello

Zuccarello played 509 games for the NY Rangers, scoring 113 goals and racking up 352 points. But if there’s one player Rangers fans will surely remember, it’s Rick Nash, who got his start with the Columbus Blue Jackets before moving to the Rangers following contract issues in Columbus.

Nash went on to register 145 goals and 252 points in 375 games for the Blue Shirts. He was the best pure goalscorer the Rangers had until Chris Kreider hit the scene. While Zuccarello is certainly a deserving candidate, Nash is equally worthy of a place on the Rangers’ Quarter-Century Team.