Blueshirts By the Numbers: Number 17: Dean Prentice

Dean Prentice was another one of Emile Francis' players from the Guelph Biltmores of the OHA. Prentice played in Guelph with future Ranger stars such as Andy Bathgate, Ron Stewart, and Harry Howell. The Memorial Cup the Biltmores would win in 1952 would be the only championship team Prentice would play on.

Although Dean struggled to find his game his first few years with the Rangers, he would find success after pairing with Bathgate and Larry Popein to create the Rangers most successful line, with Prentice being the two way player on the line, backchecking and killing penalties while Bathgate was the flashy scorer.

Prentice scored a career-high 32 goals in 1959-60, which oddly enough is one of the worst seasons in Ranger history, the team finished last with just 17 wins. Dean would also capture the Rangers team MVP award that season.

After being traded in 1963, Prentice would continue his amazing twenty-two year NHL career with stops in Boston, Detroit, Pittsburgh and Minnesota before retiring at the age of 41.

Honorable Mentions: Eddie Johnstone