Blueshirts By the Numbers: Number 12: Bryan Hextall Sr.

A tough choice here at 12, especially when it came down to giving the nod to someone named Hextall. Don Maloney gets a major honorable mention here, but ultimately our selection for number twelve goes to Brian Hextall Sr.

Hextall came to the Rangers in 1936, having been signed as a free agent, and quickly established himself as a star on Broadway, leading the team in scoring four seasons, and amazingly he is the last Ranger to lead the league in scoring, which he did in the 1941-42 season, when he led the NHL with 56 points.

A left handed shot playing on the "off wing" Hextall was one of the first right-wingers to do what has become commonplace in today's NHL.

Before 1994, it could be argued that Hextall had scored the biggest goal in franchise history. On April 13^th, 1940, in Game Six of the Stanley Cup Finals, Hextall beat Maple Leafs goaltender Turk Broda to give the Blueshirts a 3-2 win to clinch the 1940 Stanley Cup, you may have heard about that one.

Hextall was named to the NHL All Star Team four times, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1969.

It should also be noted that Hextall was the patriarch of one of hockey's great families. His sons Bryan Jr. and Dennis both spent time with the Rangers, and unless you are under the age of 12, or have spent your entire life in a cave with no internet or newspapers, you have probably heard of Bryan's grandson Ron.

Honorable Mention at Number 12: Don Maloney