Before the puck dropped on the first home game of the 2021-22 season at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers said goodbye to one of their all-time greats as the team honored legendary Ranger Rod Gilbert, who died August 22 at the age of 80.
Gilbert, "Mr. Ranger,’’ is the franchise’s all-time leading scorer with 406 goals and 1,021 points, having played his entire 18-year career with the Blueshirts. Thursday was the 42nd anniversary of the night when Gilbert’s No. 7 was the first jersey to be retired by the Rangers.
The celebration for Gilbert was quite understated.