1967-68 New York Rangers team signed goalie stick

1967-68 New York Rangers team signed goalie stick
This stick represents one of my most prized items of hockey memorabilia. This stick is one of
three game used sticks I own from my favorite player Ed Giacomin and bears the signatures of
the players from the 1967-68 New York Rangers, specifically the team members that suited up
for the six game first round playoff series against the Chicago Black Hawks. Based on roster
searches in the 1960’s, many of these players were on the Ranger’s roster during multiple
seasons, but only one, Camille Henry, played in ’67-68. This team was the nucleus for the
Rangers rise to greatness in the late sixties and early seventies.
The stick is a Northland Pro model in the Giacomin pattern, as evidenced by the stamped
name GIACOMIN and his lie number 13 that is stamped on the shaft. His jersey number 1 was
hand written in black marker just below the knob. The tape job is classic Giacomin, with black
friction tape from the toe of the blade and winding up and past the heel, and another section at
the top of the paddle. Eddie has also used white tape to create a knob at the butt end. There is
also the customary Gerry Cosby stamp at the top of the shaft area. A publicity photo of
Giacomin obtained from the Hockey Hall of Fame shows him holding the same style of stick
with the exact markings, although the glare from the flash has washed out the black and blue
colors of the striping across the middle of the paddle.
This was an era when most autographs were signed in ink. While it appears some players tried
to sign on the wood itself, others were signed on the two pieces of white cloth tape that were
wrapped around the paddle. These signatures on the white tape are of much better quality.
It also appears that at least two of the signatures, Camille Henry and Ron Stewart, were
attempted on the wood and later re-signed on the white tape. In the case of Henry’s signature,
he likely discovered that the ink would not adhere to the part of the stick where the fiberglass
resin had been applied.
Here are some close up photos that show the signatures and the name of the player. It is my
belief that the stick may have been signed at the conclusion of the first round of the playoffs
when New York lost the series to Chicago.
Larry Jeffrey
Emile Francis
Don Marshall
Rod Seiling
Camille Henry
Rod Gilbert
Jim Neilson
Harry Howell
Orland Kurtenbach
Ron Stewart
Wayne Hillman
Reg Fleming
Camille Henry (attempt)
Jean Ratelle
Ed Giacomin
Vic Hadfield
Ron Stewart
Bob Nevin
Don Simmons
Arnie Brown
Phil Goyette
The chart below, obtained from the NY Ranger’s website, lists the players who played in the
playoffs for the Rangers. There are two signatures that do not appear on the stick, Dennis
Hextall and Bernie Geoffrion. Hextall played in only two games and Geoffrion only played in
one game. Reports that I read stated that Geoffrion took a vicious hit in Game 1 after feeding
Harry Howell with a pass which resulted in Howell’s only playoff goal. It was also Geoffrion’s
last game as a player; he reportedly was coughing up blood after the incident.
Goaltender Don Simmons does not appear on the list but that was because Ed Giacomin
played all six games.
A letter of authenticity from PSA/DNA confirms the information above.