With the Indians, Rayner led the league in shutouts and goals against average and was named to the Second All-Star Team.

World War II interrupted Rayner's career, however, and he spent the next three years in the Royal Canadian Navy, where he played two seasons for naval teams based out of Victoria, British Columbia.

Even though he played on poor teams throughout his career and never won a Stanley Cup, "Bonnie Prince Charlie" was one of the best goalies of his era.

The three years between 1948 and 1951 were his best, and he won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player in 1950, after leading the Rangers to overtime in the seventh game of the Stanley Cup finals.

In 1953, Rayner suffered a knee injury and lost his job as Rangers' starter to Gump Worsley.