Bill Cook - Legacy

Legacy

A prolific scorer, Cook scored 317 goals and 508 points in 591 games in his 15 year professional career. Known as "The Original Ranger", he led the team in goals six times. He was regarded as being the greatest right wing in the game's history when he retired, an opinion former teammate Frank Boucher retained many years later: "Bill was the finest all-round player in Ranger history. And he's my choice as the best right winger hockey ever knew – despite the fact that others disagree and give their votes to Rocket Richard or Gordie Howe. I say Cook topped them both." Cook was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1952, and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1975.

A popular former Ranger, Cook participated in the closing of the old Madison Square Garden and the opening of the new facility in 1968. In recognition of his scoring the first Rangers goal in the old Garden, he was asked to "score" the first goal in the new facility as part of the opening ceremony for the new. In 1986, he was presented with the Rangers' Alumni Association award, the first former Ranger to receive the award through a vote of alumni membership. The Hockey News ranked Cook as the 44th greatest player in NHL history, and highest Ranger on the list, in its 1998 book The Top 100 NHL Players of All Time