Perhaps the silliest arguments I’ve heard from Rangers fans is how overrated Martin Brodeur is, and how Mike Richter and Henrik Lundqvist are both better than he.

First of all, it takes a lot of gall to bash the man who will go down as arguably the best goalie in history, if not in the top two. He’ll retire with the most career wins and shutouts, the single-season win record, a few Vezinas, and let’s not forget at least three Stanley Cups. Rangers fans will point to the defense of Stevens, Niedermayer, Daneyko, and Rafalski, but will happily forget that Brodeur has continued to prove that he’s still the best in the game without them. The defense “debate” isn’t an argument, but an excuse.

Second, Richter is nowhere near as talented as Brodeur. There’s the 3-1 Cup ratio, not to mention that Richter’s GAA was nearly 3 per game. Brodeur has 22 shutouts in the playoffs alone, a mere handful fewer than Richter had in his entire career. Yet you’d be surprised how many times I’ve heard Rangers fans claim Richter is the better of the two goalies. The only thing they have in common is the Hudson River.

And it’s idiotic to compare Lundqvist to Brodeur at this stage in his career. When (if) Lundqvist keeps this up for 15 years, we may have a conversation. But until then, you can’t start comparing a fourth-year player to the best goalie in history.

I also like how Rangers fans forget that Devils have finished ahead of them in the standings every year since 1997. The Rangers may have won the head-to-head battles last year, but the Devils had the better overall season, and have been better for over a decade. This isn’t the New Jersey Nets, who popped up from nowhere and got hot for a few years. The Devils have been the better team for a very long time, but Rangers fans still contend their team is the class of the area.

Oh, and last year’s poor showing gave Rangers fans amnesia about the years of dominance the Devils had over the Rangers. One year, and suddenly the Rangers are back on top. Needless to say, the Devils have bounced back this year, showing last season’s poor play was a fluke.

One last jab: Rangers fans believe the Devils caused the lockout because of their trap. (Begin sarcasm) Because one team’s so-called boring style doomed a whole league. No, it couldn’t have been the Rangers, who stole everyone else’s players by overpaying them. No, the lockout only resulted in rule changes, not a salary cap. The Rangers were the victims here! (End sarcasm) Seriously, it’s time the Rangers and their fans figured out who the better local team is. But they won’t, so I’m really just wasting my breath. Enjoy Wade Redden.

-Jersey

In terms of Graves and Daneyko, teams retire numbers based on the value of the player to their franchise not on how many awards or 50 goal seasons they have. Both Graves and Daneyko were extremely valuable to their respective in different ways and fans not directly involved in the rivalry can probably better point out the value both players brought to the table. Graves for his part is extremely active in promoting the Rangers (and therefore hockey) in the community which can only help the game in the long run.

Independent of Graves, it is pretty humorous how the Rangers keep going back to the 1994 celebrations all the time. I guess thats better than thinking about missing the playoffs all those years or that stretch of 35 games where they couldnt beat the Devils. So the Ranger fans had their one year where they stomped the Devils. To be honest due to that loooooonnng stretch of time when the Rangers were just utterly pathetic I developed an intense hatred for the Flyers, the main reason being they actually made the playoffs and always challenged for the division (the more things change the more they stay the same I guess…). The last few years however, have put the Rangers back as rival number 1. I find it particularly amusing they are playing the same style under Renney that they mocked for so long, you’ve got to love that negative goal differential. I also hope they love having $cott Gomez – one of the most overrated players in the league, remind me again how the Devils were doomed because he left and took all his “offense” with him… The Rangers still think they can just throw money at big free agents instead of building a core through the draft/player development, keeping that core together, and then supplementing it with smart free agent signings (by the way thanks for not signing Shanahan). Lastly, Im enjoying reading all the Ranger blogs calling for Renney’s head, hope they dont crash too hard with Wade Redden and the like for the next 5 years otherwise maybe we’ll only have the Flyers to care about again.

it felt like a bad nightmare. Apparently it was – the Devils are back on top, Sather can’t help himself from destroying their cap, and they’re imploding. I can sleep at night knowing that all is right with the world.

10) Ranger fans have NO CLASS!! They act ridiculus for a win or two. Always starting in other arenas where ever it is. The Rock,The Coliseium, the bar or street

9)Origanal 6 argument. Ok this is dumb. Why do they feel the need to bring this up? Yes you are one..good for you. Your one cup over Chicago and one behind the Bruins. What does this mean? Your the worse of the SiX! While all that time your only able to achieve one more cup than its sad. Your a representive of NY act like it!

8)The trap killed hockey. This is one of my fav things on the planet(sarcasm). Like many of you pointed out. We all know this to be bull. If we killed hockey then why is it the nhl never did anything. Why because there is nothing wrong palying a solid defensive game. Teams like the flyers and Isales tryed to mimic our style but couldnt quite get it.(isles are a strech). More likly was sather and freinds acting as a black hole and sucking in every piece of talent in the league into contracts none could get out of. making other teams do the best with what they could get.. I mean Comon! Mark Messier and Wayne Grettzky on the same team and you still cant produce. Pathetic!

7)Stealing our players in off season. Every time this happens they pop out the champagne and start mocking. Then comes the season and what do you know? They fall to pieces and ask eachother “How did this happen?”. Best examples Bobby Holik and $cotty Gomez.

6)if it wasnt for Marty you would suck. Ok granted marty is a major part of our sucess. So what? You mean Henrick is not the sole reason that your not in shambles and not having a worse team in the NHL contest with the Isles?

5)Sean Avery. Simply put he is a wanna be Claude Lemiuex. I strech wanna be because he will NEVER be!

4) Beating The Devils in the Post- Season. Ok you have a 3-1 record on the devils, However i bet it really stings them knowing that one time we did was a Sweep. After all if the devils suck compared to you in the playoffs then dosent that make you a bigger loser being swept by them.

3) Wayne Gretzky. Now Dont get me wrong i really dont have much against Gretzky. despite the coment made about our origanization in the 80’s. You know the Mickey mouse Crack. Yet i had to laugh when they brought this guy in 97. His only purpose was to bring him in as a publicity stunt. so that he can remind there fans that they won in 94(with the rest of his oiler team mates) and keep riding that fan wave.

2)Glen Sather. Sather has proven to be almsot a s bad as a GM as Mark Milbury and Garth snow for the Isles combined. He makes Gaurantees he cant keep and continues to wave money around like its no tomorrow. Ok give him his respect with the oilers. Thats it!(again the oilers are tied to this Organization. its almsot like a symbiotic relationship. One animal needs to attach to a larger one to survive. You know like a parasite.) Out of the 3 Teams his is still the bigger joke. Sure you can mock the isalnders but even They represent LOng island. They are not “the Orig 6”. That ranger fans talk so prestigiously about and feel the need to remind us daily. They broaught in 4 cups just after being established. Then what about our devils who have had an excellent run in the last 15 years with 3 cups four confrence championships 5 confrence apearances and multiple divsion titles. Yet you have dont nothing for NYR. Besides getting behind the bench and failing. Unlike a GM we all know and love(LOU). Glen, your Rangers are sapose to be representing NY.Being apart of the ny sports family is a great honor. With that in mind your team should be very competive and a impresive group. Not a Lumbering group of egos.

1)1994. I hate this year with a passion. Not just for the fact that a ranger fan bashed me and cursed me out as a youngster for wearing my Devs jacket(He was 50 I was 12. This takes us back to reason number 10). Or the fact that my school teatcher attempted to make me watch the parade in class. More so I hate the fact they re-assembled the Oilers for that one year. Under the ranger name and know one seems to want to talk about that. I mean could you be anymore ridculus. Sure they won…big deal. I mean its every where . MSG needs to play the reel 24/7. What are you guys the AL Bundys of Hockey? I’m tired of hearing about it ALL THE TIME!. It was one year move on. Or better yet play some hockey you havent really done that in a while