The Rangers emerged from their two-week trek through Europe in early October not only with a host of amazing memories and a foundation built for the journey that would be the 2011-12 season, but with a new, and fun, symbol of their close bond---the Broadway Hat.
While much mystery still surrounds the Broadway Hat as far as its exact origins, it has become a big part of the Rangers terrific success so far this season---awarded to one deserving player following each victory throughout the year. That would be 36 times in the first 54 games this season for those counting at home.
And shortly after Henrik Lundqvist introduced the Broadway Hat to the masses for the first time following the Rangers 4-0 win in Vancouver on October 18th, a new phenomenon came to be, a Twitter account dedicated to the Blueshirts own popular chapeau--@TheBroadwayHat.
BlueshirtsUnited.com has scored an exclusive On The Spot feature with @TheBroadwayHat. No, not a video On The Spot as you have come to expect and enjoy from the players themselves, but instead a written version since @TheBroadwayHat believes its duty is to be seen as often as possible, but not heard. Let the players do the on-air talking!
So, @TheBroadway Hat, you are On The Spot with our word association game:
- Henrik Lundqvist: "The best, The King, unreal."
- Could Lundqvist Retire the Broadway Hat with his amazing play: "To be permanently painted on Lundqvist's goalie mask, I think, would be the perfect way to retire the Broadway Hat one day!"
- Will the Broadway Hat physically survive the rigors of the 2011-12 season: "Yes, it will surivive, but barely and not very well because this team will not stop winning!"
- The new tradition that the Broadway Hat has brought to the Rangers: "Team bonding...this has brought the team closer together"
- Birth of the Broadway Hat in Europe: "Almost a revelation that the team did not have a rallying point like this until a newcomer, Brad Richards, someone who hadn't been here very long, introduced it to the boys. Very surprising. But a pleasant surprise."
- The Broadway Hat on HBO: "A surreal moment as my Twitter began blowing up after that! But more importantly Rangers fans got to see how the Broadway Hat is handed out, and you could see what it means to the team."
- Should the Broadway Hat be handed from one player to another or is it OK that Henrik Lundqvist threw it like a frisbee across the room to Mike Rupp after the Winter Classic: "They can do whatever they want to the Broadway Hat as long as they keep winning!"
- So how did the Broadway Hat look sitting atop Mike Rupp's head: "A little undersized, I would say, but still great after that two-goal performance and Jagr-salute! He pulled it off despite having to jam it on top of his big melon!"
- Is the hat getting smaller or are players' heads getting bigger as the season has moved along: "The heads must be getting bigger because the Broadway Hat doesn't change! If anything the hat would get bigger with the guys cramming it on those big melons!"
- Should Marty Biron feature the Broadway Hat on the next Biron's Journal: "Yes because people would like to know more about it, and Marty certainly has enough words in his vocabulary to describe the back story of the Broadway Hat!"
- What is the Broadway Hat's favorite city, other than New York: "Montreal...the Broadway Hat has not been worn there yet and I want that...maybe in the playoffs"
- Is it the Broadway Hat's dream to be worn 16 times during the post-season: "Yes! And the ultimate dream is for the hat to be sitting atop the ultimate prize: the Stanley Cup! And then to have each player photographed wearing the Broadway Hat while holding the Stanley Cup is another dream."
- Could the Broadway Hat, after a full long season that started in Europe, survive repeated champagne baths in June: "If that's how the Broadway Hat has to go out, the Broadway Hat will have no problem with that! It would do so gladly!"
