NEW YORK — New York Rangers cult star Ron Duguay has died of cancer at the age of 69 on Wednesday, remembered as one of the most popular players in franchise history. The perfectly coiffed forward became a beloved figure for the Rangers and thrived on the scene in New York during his career.
Duguay was even more popular and dynamic as a member of the Sudbury Wolves in the mid-1970s, when he led a team that did everything but win an Ontario League championship. It was there he first displayed his blazing speed, on-ice elegance and soft touch before being drafted by the Rangers in the first round of the 1977 draft.
He was truly an iconic player whose style and flair made him a standout in New York. And even though he is not in the Hockey Hall of Fame, his legacy endures in Northern Ontario, where his No. 10 hangs in the rafters of the Sudbury Arena.
Duguay remains fondly regarded on both sides of that journey, from his emergence with Sudbury to his cult status with the Rangers, where his popularity has long outlasted his playing days.