Why Rod Gilbert Was Mr. Ranger | New York Rangers

Ge to know more about Mr. Ranger himself, Rod Gilbert as his teammates, friends, and the man himself tells you about his life and love of hockey, New York CIty, and the New York Rangers.
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Why Rod Gilbert Was Mr. Ranger | New York Rangers

[@frankgrin2822]

I had the honor of meeting Mr. Gilbert not quite 20 years ago. I was a bartender on the east side. He came in with a small group of people. I recognized him immediately of course. He came up to the bar and order for his group. I took the order and said " not for nothing, and I promise I won't say a word, but aren't you Rod Gilbert"? He didn't miss a beat and said in his french accent " No no no I am Jack Nicholson". We both broke out in loud laughter. Everyone in the bar turned and looked at us. I told him how much he meant to my father and I. That I wore number 7 my whole childhood no matter the sport. He asked me for a pen and something to write on and wrote the nicest note to my father. When he and his friends were getting ready to leave he pulled me aside and we talked again for a moment. Then he shook my hand and said what a pleasure it was to meet me. His pleasure to meet me? His Hall of Fame Hockey career was equally matched by his Hall of Fame Philanthropy. The definition of a great guy. When he walked out I opened my hand, two fresh one hundred dollar bills were folded up in my palm. Rod you are so loved by so many. And will be missed immensely.

[@thegoods2240]

I met him a few times at Rangers practices in Rye, when I was a kid. 40+ years later I was in the lobby of MSG with my son. He approached us, and asked my son if it was his first Ranger game. After some friendly chit chat he left. A year or two later I took my son to his second Ranger game. While waiting in the lobby he saw us, and came over and said to my son, "I know this is not your first Ranger game because I met you a couple years ago in this exact spot! " Coolest thing was he remembered my son's name! Class act he was.

[@billybenden4431]

What a great story!!

[@billybenden4431]

Frank

[@davethompson3140]

@@thegoods2240 -He wasn’t a phoney and appreciated the fans who supported the team. A great hockey player and ambassador for the Rangers. Now about the many woman in his life……you’ll have to ask Brad Park about that!

[@theseeker6355]

Wow ! What a lucky guy you were...Great memories for sure....I just read Gilles Gratton's book and he only had good things to say about Rod.

[@mariobuttino6095]

Rod Gilbert was my favorite hockey player.He will always be a New York Ranger,thank you for the memories Rod,R.I.P.

[@bufnyfan1]

interestingly his career almost never happened--while playing Jr. hockey in Guelph, Ontario he slipped on some garbage on the ice and broke his back-he required spinal fusion and post-operatively developed a blood clot that almost killed him. Emile Francis was with him during this and pleaded with the doctors to save him. Thank God that Mr. Gilbert recovered and was able to go on to a stellar career with the Rangers (until that idiot Phil Esposito essentially forced him to retire when he came to the Rangers and took over in management)

[@charleskletter8974]

Rod Gilbert the classiest Ranger. The best!

[@michaeltootikian4402]

One of my favorite hockey players and a class act🙏✝️🏒

[@timmellin2815]

I was in h.s. in New Jersey in 1966 and didn't know squat about hockey, but my classmates Jay Delmaster and Tom McAneny were big fans of the Rangers, and I caught the hockey fever, and it was such a blessing to have that new interest...hockey and the Rangers. When we moved to Calif in 1967, the Kings franchise began and I would always attend when the Rangers were in town. Now Kings and Rangers are still my favorite teams, so when L.A. beat N.Y. a few yrs. ago in the Finals for the Cup....it was a huge sports thrill for an old fan like me.

[@jeffcmorrell4968]

Mr.Gilbert will be missed for how he talked to people and the advice he gave to people and i got to meet him in Kitchener Ontario

[@FTulumello]

My childhood idol will always be alive in my heart. RIP Rod ...mission accomplished.

[@SSL_SSL]

Thanks for the wonderful hockey memories, R.I.P. Mr. Ranger. You are gone, but not forgotten !!!!

[@jamesterakazis6624]

Loved Rod....Met him at Home Depot Expo in Carle Place with his wife 10 years ago...he was long retired and no one recognized him but me. I went up and asked him for an autograph on my receipt and he wanted to know if he could get a bite. The Home Depot Expos were an attempt at a more upscale store so they had a decent coffee shop in them. We had lunch while his wife shopped. The word got around and a few of the workers came over to meet him. When they did, he acknowledged who was but I told them please guys, I'm trying to have some private time with my Dad ! They were cool and left us alone. Rod laughed. To me, the most important questions were about The Summit Series in 72. He had some amazing stories about that series and I remembered that he had a critical fight in Game 7 of that series (very out of character for him) but it turned the tide in that game (together with Paul Henderson who was on fire in that series). Great guy...God Bless

[@steventhorson4487]

Number 7, i saw him play at the garden in October, 1969!! Absolutely awesome!!

[@waltermameli2026]

How do you define a sports superstar in two words? Thats easy.....Rod Gilbert.....my sports memories of you are so thick i have to brush them away from my face.....thank you for all the great visions.....

[@desert.mantis]

Wonderful tribute to a Ranger legend.

[@davethompson3140]

One of the greats of his period that sometimes gets put back behinds The Orr’s, Hull’, Howe’s, Esposito’s ect…I can honestly say that against Boston, he never took a night off and still played hard on lopsided games. Great skill with the puck, he could about do it all minus the speed.

[@jacksmith5692]

RIP Rocky!

[@lawrencefried5027]

I interviewed him in the MSG locker room by a great stroke of luck. He was a class act.

[@sandy3482]

Mr. Gilbert was, is and will always me my favorite hockey player . Back in the day 3 pro athletes took NYC by storm, Mickey Mantle, Frank Gifford and Rod Gilbert, he undoubtedly is Mr Ranger

[@mobarass]

Great documentary on one of the greatest in the game. Rod Gilbert, Guy Lafleur and Derek Sanderson...the 70's rock stars of Hockey. Not bad hair either. 🏒🥅🏆

[@FTulumello]

Rod was my childhood idol. A great man and an amazing hockey player. I ran into him many times in the hallways of the garden and he always stopped to shake hands. I never bothered him for an autograph because I thought he was immortal and would always be there. RIP Rod you were amazing on and off ice.

[@ericpoltawsky7161]

❤️❤️❤️

[@franktheo2055]

Increasable story ! Lucky #7 - RIP.

[@tedtimothy9074]

I am a guy but I thought that the best looking hockey player was the late Rod Gilbert

[@RyanLombergini]

Hi