Can You Outsmart This Mind-Bending Rangers-Islanders Quiz?

Ever stumbled upon a moment in sports history where a single offhand remark totally flipped a player’s fate? Well, here’s a gem straight from the 1970s hockey saga involving a former New York Rangers defenseman who traded the blue-and-white for the Islanders’ colors. Picture this: just before a crucial Islanders-Rangers clash, this player tossed out a statement so careless, so brash, it stirred the hornet’s nest and, believe it or not, led to his swift departure from the team. It’s a story about pride, misjudgment, and the razor-thin line athletes walk when speaking their minds. Ready to dive into what was said, why it caused such an uproar, and how it all ended? Let’s unravel this slice of hockey lore together. LEARN MORE

Name the former Rangers defenseman who later became an Islander and made a foolish statement before an Isles-Rangers game that got him traded? (Don’t sneak a look at the answer.)

HIS QUOTE: “The Rangers will probably beat us. But there’s no great shame attached to losing to those guys.” Then, a pause: “The league is laughing at us, the fans are laughing at us. But they created us and they’re laughing at themselves.”

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ANSWER: The statement was made in early February 1973 by Arnie Brown. Within days he was traded to Atlanta for Ernie Hicke and “future considerations.”

P.S. Brown – obtained in the big Toronto deal – lost his effectiveness in his last year with the Rangers.