Rangers coach Emile Francis was just coming off the practice rink atop old Madison Square Garden on 8th Ave. when he was summoned by team governor William Jennings.
It was early in the 1965-66 season and Francis knew his boss was a “hawk” among the NHL’s Original Six board of governors when it came to the hot topic of the day: Expansion. Jennings was to chair a committee on the issue.
“As I took off my skates, Bill said, ‘Emile, hockey is too good of a game to be limited to six teams. Expansion is coming, it’s just a matter of time’.