The New York Rangers acquired Blair Betts in the 2005-06 NHL Hockey season and he has been with them, centering on the defensive 4th line. He is one of the New York Rangers most consistent face-off men winning a more than losing them.

The New York Post wrote that Blair Betts and his teammate, Sjostrom, could be the best penalty kill tandem in Rangers history and they had a franchise high of 87.6 percent. He has also been declared one of the most underrated players in the league.

Having played for the Calgary Flames since 1998, before joining the New York Rangers, this Canadian born ice hockey player weighs 210 pounds at 6 feet 3 inches. His pro career started in 2001 and he has been a consistent defensive center.

The New York Rangers, however, have not done so well. They are going through their highest losing streak, so it may be hard to determine where some of the praise for Blair Betts is translating into winning games for the team.

Betts has spent some time on the sidelines due to injuries, which have included a broken left orbital in May 2008, followed by an upper body injury late in the year. In the time he’s been in the rink, however, he has managed to score three goals and five points in the 28 games he has played in the season. Betts has also suffered from knee, foot and face injuries as a Ranger.

As everyone knows, NHL play is rough and injuries are relatively common, particularly in defensive players. Only 28, Betts has seen plenty of the ice since he began playing with the Calgary Flames back in 1998.

Betts started playing hockey even before this, of course. He got his start with the Western Hockey League’s Prince George Cougars, with whom he played from 1996 until being taken by the Calgary Flames in the 1998 NHL draft. Hockey can really take its toll on an athlete, with many wondering if Betts’ health is beginning to suffer as a result of his time in the sport.

In the 2005-06 NHL hockey season, he scored eight goals and two assists with the New York Rangers. Since that time, he has been used primarily on special teams and has done well in penalty killing and winning face-offs.

In his NHL career, Betts has racked up 27 goals and 18 assists, mostly while playing for the New York Rangers. The Rangers are going through tough times at the moment – and his being sidelined for injuries is probably not helping matters any. However, many believe that the Rangers have a great defensive line; but it is their offense which is not up to snuff.

A lot of fans and sportswriters alike think that the Rangers are at the bottom of the heap right now because they have lost confidence in their abilities and have failed to come together as a team. Maybe Betts’ defensive playing skills can help get the Rangers back in the game – but most think that the team’s management really bears the blame for the team’s poor performance. Blair Betts is a talented athlete who many fans believe would be better off seeking greener pastures elsewhere.