Editing New York Rangers (section)

===Expensive acquisitions and postseason drought (1995–2005)===
Despite having coached the Rangers to a regular season first-place finish and the Stanley Cup victory, head coach Mike Keenan left after a dispute with general manager [[Neil Smith (ice hockey)|Neil Smith]]. During the [[1994–95 NHL lockout|lockout]]-shortened [[1994–95 NHL season|1994–95 season]], the Rangers won their first-round series with the [[Quebec Nordiques]], but lost in the second round of the playoffs to the Philadelphia Flyers in four games with succeeding head coach [[Colin Campbell (ice hockey executive)|Colin Campbell]]. General manager Neil Smith orchestrated a deal that sent Sergei Zubov and center [[Petr Nedvěd|Petr Nedved]] to Pittsburgh in exchange for defenseman [[Ulf Samuelsson]] and left-winger [[Luc Robitaille]] in the summer of 1995. The Rangers defeated the Canadiens in six games in the [[1996 Stanley Cup playoffs|1996 playoffs]], but lost their second-round series to the Penguins in five games.

The Rangers then acquired [[Wayne Gretzky]] in 1996. Gretzky's greatest accomplishment with the Rangers was leading them to the [[1997 Stanley Cup playoffs|1997 conference finals]], where they lost 4–1 to the Flyers, who were then led by [[Eric Lindros]]. Mark Messier, a former Oiler teammate of Gretzky's, left in the summer of 1997 and the team failed in a bid to replace him with [[Colorado Avalanche]] superstar [[Joe Sakic]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.hockeyrodent.com/RODENTVE.HTM | title=The Curse | author=The Hockey Rodent | date=February 9, 2004 | access-date=August 8, 2007 | archive-date=August 10, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070810040035/http://www.hockeyrodent.com/RODENTVE.HTM | url-status=live}}</ref> The Rangers missed the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons, finishing no higher than fourth in their division. Gretzky retired at the end of the [[1998–99 NHL season|1998–99 season]].

In March 2000, Smith was fired along with head coach [[John Muckler]], and that summer, [[James L. Dolan|James Dolan]] hired [[Glen Sather]] to replace him.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rangers-hire-sather/ | title=Rangers Hire Sather | agency=Associated Press | date=May 31, 2000 | access-date=August 8, 2007 | publisher=CBS News}}</ref> By the end of the [[2000–01 NHL season|2000–01 season]], the Rangers had landed a significant amount of star power. Messier had returned to New York, [[Theoren Fleury]] joined the Rangers after spending most of his career with the [[Calgary Flames]]<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.canoe.ca/HockeyColoradoArchive/jul8_fle.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120802112952/http://www.canoe.ca/HockeyColoradoArchive/jul8_fle.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=August 2, 2012 | title=Theo Fleury signs with Rangers | agency=Associated Press | date=July 8, 1999 | access-date=August 8, 2007}}</ref> and Eric Lindros was traded to the Rangers by the Flyers.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/hockey/nhl/news/2001/08/24/lindros_rangers_ap/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091031070443/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/hockey/nhl/news/2001/08/24/lindros_rangers_ap/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 31, 2009 | title=Lindros joins Rangers nine years after first trade | agency=Associated Press | date=August 24, 2001 | access-date=August 8, 2007 | publisher=CNN}}</ref> The Rangers also acquired [[Pavel Bure]] late in [[2001–02 NHL season|2001–02]] from the [[Florida Panthers]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/stories/2002-03-18-bure.htm | title=Panthers trade Pavel Bure to Rangers | last=Allen | first=Kevin |work=USA Today | date=March 19, 2002 | access-date=August 8, 2007}}</ref> It was also the rookie season of goalie [[Dan Blackburn]], who made the [[NHL All-Rookie Team]] even as the Rangers fell back to last place in the Conference,<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.newyorkrangers.com/pressbox/pressreleases.asp?id=615 | title=Dan Blackburn Selected to 2001–02 NHL All-Rookie Team | publisher=New York Rangers | date=June 20, 2002 | access-date=January 5, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060509035518/http://www.nyrangers.com/pressbox/pressreleases.asp?id=615 | archive-date=May 9, 2006}}</ref> and finished out of the playoffs. Later years saw other stars such as Alexei Kovalev, [[Jaromír Jágr|Jaromir Jagr]], [[Martin Ručinský|Martin Rucinsky]] and [[Bobby Holík|Bobby Holik]] added, but in [[2002–03 NHL season|2002–03]] and [[2003–04 NHL season|2003–04]], the team again missed the playoffs. Blackburn started strongly in 2002–03, but burned out after 17 games. He missed 2003–04 due to [[Infectious mononucleosis|mononucleosis]] and a damaged nerve in his left [[shoulder]]. Blackburn could not rehabilitate the damaged nerve, and was forced to retire at the age of 22.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.newyorkrangers.com/pressbox/pressreleases.asp?id=1730 | title=Dan Blackburn to Retire | publisher=New York Rangers | date=May 25, 2005 | access-date=January 5, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060509044805/http://www.nyrangers.com/pressbox/pressreleases.asp?id=1730 | archive-date=May 9, 2006}}</ref> Towards the end of the [[2003–04 NHL season|2003–04 season]], general manager Glen Sather finally gave in to a rebuilding process by trading away Brian Leetch, Alexei Kovalev, and eight others for numerous prospects and draft picks. With the retirements of Pavel Bure and Mark Messier, as well as Eric Lindros signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the post-lockout Rangers, under new head coach [[Tom Renney]], moved away from high-priced veterans towards a group of talented young players, such as [[Petr Průcha|Petr Prucha]], [[Dominic Moore]] and [[Blair Betts]].