Rangers associate coach still chasing his elusive dream

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Ryan Hall
August 15, 2024 (7:13)

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Rangers associate coach Phil Housley played for 21 seasons in the NHL and spent many years on different teams has yet to win a Stanley Cup.

Unfortunately, the Rangers did not win the cup but was within striking distance of the Stanley Cup finals.

"It's a big disappointment for sure," Housley told Bernstein, who's also an award-winning business speaker, "Because that's why you play this game. It's the ultimate accomplishment in hockey. But it just wasn't in the cards for me."

The 60-year-old former defenseman was drafted in 1982 by the Buffalo Sabres in the first-round 6th overall. He played for eight different organisations including the Sabres, Jets, Flames, Devils, Capitals, Blackhawks and the Toronto Maple Leafs. A model of consistency, he played 1495 games, scoring 338 goals for 894 assists for 1232 points.

"I had a very good career," Phil went on, "And my numbers speak for themselves and I'm proud to have been part of a lot of great teams and have a lot of memories."

Many felt last year that the Rangers were close to winning the Stanley Cup as the team had the winning pedigree built into the lineup. Housley was hired in 2023 by general manager Chris Drury as Housley had two decades worth of coaching experience who could bring his craft to the Rangers to take them to the next step.

Housley remains positive at the Rangers can get to the Stanley Cup but is aware of how difficult it is to win the elusive trophy which has been said as the hardest trophy to win sports.

"Not winning the Stanley Cup has not been the end of the world for me. I know a lot of Hall of Fame players who never won a Cup. It's the toughest trophy to win in sports and it takes the efforts of an entire team, not just one individual.

"Timing, luck, the team you play on, a bounce here or there - those all factor in at the end of the day. But not having won The Stanley Cup will never define me as a player or a person."

The Rangers will be back to work in less than a month as training camp is set to begin to which Housley will get another crack at making his dream come true.

Source: The Hockey News

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