Graves became Rangers star after signing as free agent

Legendary hockey reporter Stan Fischler writes a weekly scrapbook for NHL.com. Fischler, known as "The Hockey Maven," shares his humor and insights with readers each Wednesday.
This week, coinciding with the start of NHL Free Agency, Fischler recalls an under-the-radar free agent signing by the New York Rangers in 1991 that helped put them on the road to winning the Stanley Cup three seasons later.

"Free Agent Frenzy" wasn't quite as big a deal on September 3, 1991 as it is today in the NHL. But what happened that day ended up a big deal.
On that day the New York Rangers signed forward Adam Graves, a Group 1 free agent, to a five-year, $2.44 million contract.
Nobody could envision it then but Graves would become one of the most beloved New York sports heroes and a leader of the Rangers 1994 Stanley Cup crusade.
The Graves signing went virtually unnoticed and for good reason. On that same day an arbitrator awarded All-Star defenseman Scott Stevens to the New Jersey Devils as compensation for the St. Louis Blues having signed Group 1 free agent forward Brendan Shanahan.
Stevens and Shanahan were stars, two of the bigger names in the NHL. Graves scored seven goals in 76 games for the Edmonton Oilers the previous season, though he did help them win the Stanley Cup in 1990.
Critics were all over Rangers general manager Neil Smith for pursuing Graves.
"Yeah, I got beat up pretty good by the 'Old Guard' general managers for doing it," Smith told me.
Smith revealed that he had been closely following Graves since Smith was chief scout for the Detroit Red Wings and Graves played across the river for Windsor of the Ontario Hockey League.
"I knew Adam's talent and his character, and I knew his dad," Smith said. "When Adam was available in the 1986 Draft, I figured he'd go in the first round. But we lucked out when he was available as the first pick of the second round (No. 22).
"He wound up playing for my Adirondack Red Wings Calder Cup (American Hockey League) team in 1989 and he was a big part of our winning. So, when I came to the Rangers, and I thought I could get him, I made my move."
Smith was not deterred by Graves unimpressive numbers in Edmonton during the 1990-91 season.
"I knew that (Oilers coach) John Muckler had put Adam on a checking line and his numbers were relatively modest," Smith explained. "He was a heavy-duty minus (21) because he'd been playing against all the top lines on the other teams."
Graves became available at a time when there was a Group 1 free agency loophole that stopped a player's current team from matching an offer sheet.
"We (Rangers) had the perfect player as a comparable to Graves in Troy Mallette," Smith explained. "I knew that if we went to equalization with an arbitrator that we had a player with similar numbers drafted at the same spot in the draft, albeit a different year (1988)."
Oilers G.M. Glen Sather wanted forwards Steven Rice and Louie DeBrusk as compensation for Graves. But the NHL arbitrator instead awarded them Mallette, a Madison Square Garden favorite for his enthusiasm and furious fighting ability (557 penalty minutes in 150 games his first two NHL seasons).
Following the deal, the New York Times mockingly stated: "Rangers give up Mallette for a seven-goal scorer."
"When I picked Adam, someone said to me, 'Do you really think Graves is better than Mallette?' And I said, 'I believe in Adam ... I feel we got a future NHL player and I'm confident about it.'"
Graves returned the favor by turning into a fan favorite and core player for the Rangers. He had 26 goals his first season in New York, 36 the following season and an NHL career-high 52 in 1993-94, when the Rangers won the Stanley Cup.
The power forward played for the Rangers through the 2000-01 season before finishing his NHL career with the San Jose Sharks the next two seasons.
Rangers historian George Grimm calls the Graves acquisition, "The best free agent signing the Rangers ever made.
"Adam had the best years of his 16-season NHL career in New York, riding shotgun for Mark Messier."
But it was more than his on-ice work that endeared Graves to the Garden crowd. Sean Mccaffrey, author of "The Rangers Rink of Honor and the Rafters of MSG," pointed out that Graves was the People's Choice.
"What made him one of the biggest Ranger favorites," Mccaffrey said, "is that whether his club won by five goals or lost by five Adam would sign autographs for everyone."
The love affair with Graves continued even after his playing days. He became a team ambassador and contributor to innumerable charities.
"Graves enriched the lives of everybody," concluded Mccaffrey. "For that reason alone they should have a statue of Adam at the main entrance to The Garden!"
Though the Rangers did not erect a statue in Graves' honor, his No .9 was retired in 2009 and will always hang from the rafters at Madison Square Garden.
Not too bad for an unheralded free agent signee.