Defenceman Ron Greschner was a splendid puckhandler with a dangerous shot who could also play efficiently in his own zone. He played nearly 1,000 regular season games for the New York Rangers between 1974 and 1990.
Born in Goodsoil, Saskatchewan, Greschner was selected 32nd overall by the Rangers in 1974 after accumulating 182 points in three years of junior with the WCJHL’s New Westminster Bruins. In 1974 he was named to the league’s first all-star team based on his 103-point season. The young blueliner scored 45 points as an NHL rookie in 1974-75 and never looked back.
Through the end of the 1986-87 season Greschner was a key figure in the Blueshirts’ transition game and power play. He was one of the most popular rearguards to ever play on Manhattan and reached the 20-goal mark four times. In 1978-79 he was an alternate on the NHL all-star team when they faced their counterparts from the USSR. A few weeks later he scored 12 points in 18 games as the Rangers reached the finals for the first time since 1972.
In 1979-80 Greschner scored 21 goals and participated in the NHL all-star game. Though the Rangers rarely made noise in the playoffs, he was a consistent performer for the club. By the late 80s young players like Brian Leetch played the point on the power play and keyed the club’s transitional flow. Greschner spent his last three NHL seasons providing leadership and savvy in his own zone before retiring in 1990.
Read his profile at LegendsofHockey.net
March 19th, 2010
