New York Rangers facts for kids

Quick facts for kids New York Rangers
Conference	Eastern
Division	Metropolitan
Founded	1926
History	New York Rangers 1926–present
Home arena	Madison Square Garden
City	New York, New York
Colors	Royal blue, red, white
Media	MSG Network MSG Sportsnet 880 ESPN New York
Owner(s)	Madison Square Garden Sports (James L. Dolan, chairman)
General manager	Chris Drury
Head coach	Mike Sullivan
Captain	Vacant
Minor league affiliates	Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL) Bloomington Bison (ECHL)
Stanley Cups	4 (1927–28, 1932–33, 1939–40, 1993–94)
Conference championships	2 (1993–94, 2013–14)
Presidents' Trophies	4 (1991–92, 1993–94, 2014–15, 2023–24)
Division championships	8 (1926–27, 1931–32, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1993–94, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2023–24)

The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team located in New York City. They play in the National Hockey League (NHL) as part of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games at Madison Square Garden. They share this arena with the New York Knicks, a basketball team. The Rangers are one of three NHL teams in the New York metropolitan area. The other two are the New Jersey Devils and the New York Islanders.

The Rangers were started in 1926 by Tex Rickard. They are one of the "Original Six" teams that played in the NHL before it expanded in 1967. The other Original Six teams are the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, and Toronto Maple Leafs. The team quickly found success with coach Lester Patrick and players like Frank Boucher and the Cook brothers, Bun and Bill. They won the Stanley Cup in only their second season. This made them the first NHL team in the United States to win the trophy. They are still the fastest new team in NHL history to win the Cup. The Rangers won two more Stanley Cups in 1933 and 1940.

After these early wins, the team had a tough time from the 1940s to the 1960s. They did not make the playoffs often. In the 1970s, they reached the Stanley Cup Final twice but lost both times. The Rangers then rebuilt their team in the 1980s and early 1990s. This paid off in 1994 when the team, led by Mark Messier, won their fourth Stanley Cup.

The team struggled again after 1994, missing the playoffs for seven years in a row from 1998 to 2005. Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist joined the team in 2006, and the Rangers became strong again. They made the playoffs almost every year until 2017. In 2014, they returned to the Stanley Cup Final but lost to the Los Angeles Kings. Between 2012 and 2024, they reached the Eastern Conference finals five times. Many former Rangers players have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Team History

The Early Years (1926–1967)

Tex Rickard, who was in charge of Madison Square Garden, started the Rangers team in 1926.

George Lewis "Tex" Rickard, who was the president of Madison Square Garden, was given permission to start an NHL team for the 1926–27 season. This new team would play against the New York Americans, who had started playing at the Garden the year before. The Americans were very popular, which made Rickard want a second team. The new team was first called the "New York Giants Professional Hockey Club" but was quickly changed to the "New York Rangers Hockey Club." People soon nicknamed them "Tex's Rangers."

The Rangers started playing in the 1926–27 season. Their first team logo was a blue horse with a cowboy holding a hockey stick. Later, it changed to the well-known "RANGERS" written diagonally. Conn Smythe, who later owned the Toronto Maple Leafs, was hired to build the team. However, he was fired before the first season began. Lester Patrick, a famous hockey person, took over as manager-coach. The team Smythe built was very good. The Rangers won their division in their first year but lost in the playoffs.

The team's early success made its players famous in New York City's Roaring Twenties nightlife. They played at the Garden near Times Square, which earned them the nickname "The Broadway Blueshirts." On December 13, 1929, the Rangers became the first NHL team to travel by plane for a game. They flew to Toronto to play the Maple Leafs.

In only their second season, the Rangers won the 1928 Stanley Cup. They beat the Montreal Maroons three games to two. A famous story from these finals is about coach Lester Patrick playing as a goalie at 44 years old. Back then, teams did not need a backup goalie. When the Rangers' goalie, Lorne Chabot, got a serious eye injury, Patrick had to play in goal for two periods in Game 2. He only let in one goal, and the Rangers won the game in overtime.

After losing to the Bruins in the 1929 Stanley Cup Final and struggling a bit in the early 1930s, the Rangers won their second Stanley Cup in the 1933 Stanley Cup Final. They beat the Maple Leafs, led by brothers Bill and Bun Cook and center Frank Boucher. Lester Patrick then stepped down as coach, and Frank Boucher took his place.

The Bread Line was the Rangers' first famous line of players. It included Bill Cook, Bun Cook, and Frank Boucher, who played together from 1926 to 1937.

In the 1939–40 season, the Rangers finished second in the regular season. They then beat the Boston Bruins in the first round of the playoffs. This win gave them a direct spot in the finals. They faced the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1940 Stanley Cup Final. The Rangers won the series four games to two, earning their third Stanley Cup.

However, the Rangers' performance dropped sharply by the mid-1940s. They missed the playoffs for five seasons in a row. In the 1950 Stanley Cup Final, the Rangers had to play all their games in Toronto because a circus was using Madison Square Garden. They lost to the Detroit Red Wings in overtime in the seventh game. For most of the rest of the "Original Six" era, the Rangers struggled. They missed the playoffs in 12 of the next 16 years. The team started to improve in the late 1960s, especially after moving into the new Madison Square Garden in 1968.

After the Original Six Era (1967–1993)

Jean Ratelle played for the Rangers from 1960 to 1975.

The Rangers reached the finals twice in the 1970s. They lost to the Boston Bruins in 1972 and to the Montreal Canadiens in 1979. In the 1972 playoffs, even with star player Jean Ratelle injured, players like Brad Park, Jean Ratelle, Vic Hadfield, and Rod Gilbert (who formed the famous "GAG line" for "goal-a-game") helped them reach the finals.

In 1975, the Rangers faced their new rivals, the New York Islanders, in the playoffs. The Islanders had joined the league in 1972–73. The Islanders beat the Rangers in overtime in the deciding Game 3, starting a strong rivalry.

In 1975, the Rangers traded for star players Phil Esposito and Carol Vadnais from the Boston Bruins. In 1978, Swedish stars Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson joined the Rangers from another league. In the 1979 Stanley Cup playoffs, New York beat the Islanders and reached the 1979 Stanley Cup Final, but lost to the Canadiens. From 1981 to 1984, the Rangers were eliminated by the Islanders in the playoffs. The Islanders went on to win the Stanley Cup three times during those years.

Marcel Dionne, who joined the Rangers in 1986, is shown here in 1987.

The Rangers remained competitive through the 1980s and early 1990s, making the playoffs every year. In the 1986 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Rangers, with rookie goalie John Vanbiesbrouck, beat the Flyers and Capitals. However, they lost to the Montreal Canadiens in the conference finals. For the 1986–87 season, the team added superstar center Marcel Dionne.

Frustration grew when the 1991–92 Rangers won the Presidents' Trophy for having the best regular season record. They led their playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguins but then lost three games in a row. The next year, injuries and a poor finish to the season caused the Rangers to miss the playoffs.

Winning the Stanley Cup (1993–94)

The 1993–94 season was the Rangers' most successful in 54 years. Coach Mike Keenan led the Rangers to win their fourth Stanley Cup championship. By this season, the Rangers had brought in seven players who had won the Cup with the Edmonton Oilers. These players included Oilers captain Mark Messier, who became the new Rangers captain. Adam Graves set a team record with 52 goals. The Rangers won the Presidents' Trophy with the best record in the NHL, earning 112 points.

The Rangers swept the New York Islanders in the first round of the playoffs. They then beat the Washington Capitals in five games. In the conference finals against the New Jersey Devils, the Rangers lost the first game in double overtime. They won the next two, but the Devils won two more games. The series went back to the Meadowlands for Game 6. Messier famously promised a win to the press and then scored three goals in the final period to lead the Rangers to a 4–2 victory. This set up a Game 7 back at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers won Game 7, 2–1, when Stephane Matteau scored in double overtime. This sent the team to the finals for the first time since 1979.

The Rangers signed Wayne Gretzky as a free agent in 1996.

In the finals, the Rangers played against the Vancouver Canucks. The Rangers lost the first game at home in overtime but then won the next three games. However, the Canucks won the next two, forcing a Game 7. In the seventh game, the Rangers took a 2–0 lead. Messier scored later to make it 3–1, which was the goal that won the Cup. The Rangers won 3–2. Messier became the first player to captain two different teams to a Stanley Cup win. Brian Leetch became the first American-born player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP.

Expensive Players and Playoff Drought (1995–2005)

Even after winning the Stanley Cup, coach Mike Keenan left the team. During the lockout-shortened 1994–95 season, the Rangers won their first playoff series but lost in the second round. The Rangers then acquired Wayne Gretzky in 1996. Gretzky helped them reach the 1997 conference finals, where they lost to the Flyers. Mark Messier left in 1997, and the team missed the playoffs for seven seasons in a row. Gretzky retired at the end of the 1998–99 season.

In 2000, general manager Neil Smith and coach John Muckler were fired. Glen Sather took over. By the end of the 2000–01 season, the Rangers had many star players like Messier (who returned), Theoren Fleury, and Eric Lindros. They also got Pavel Bure in 2001–02. Despite these stars, the team still missed the playoffs in 2002–03 and 2003–04. Towards the end of the 2003–04 season, Glen Sather decided to rebuild the team. He traded away star players like Brian Leetch and Alexei Kovalev for younger players and draft picks. After the NHL lockout, the Rangers, with new coach Tom Renney, focused on talented young players instead of expensive veterans.

The Henrik Lundqvist Era (2005–2020)

Returning to the Playoffs (2005–2011)

Rookie goalie Henrik Lundqvist played amazingly during the 2005–06 season, helping the Rangers have their best record since 1993–94.

Many expected the Rangers to struggle in the 2005–06 season. However, rookie goalie Henrik Lundqvist played incredibly well. The Rangers finished with a strong record, their best since 1993–94. Jaromir Jagr broke the Rangers' single-season points record with 110 points. He also scored 53 goals, breaking Adam Graves' record. On April 4, the Rangers clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 1996–97. In the playoffs, they lost to the Devils in four games.

Jaromir Jagr was named team captain at the start of the 2006–07 NHL season.

To improve scoring, the Rangers signed Brendan Shanahan for the 2006–07 season. Jagr was named the team captain. Lundqvist's excellent goaltending helped the Rangers make the playoffs for the second year in a row. They swept the Atlanta Thrashers in the first round but were eliminated by the Buffalo Sabres in the next round.

At the 2007 NHL entry draft, the Rangers picked Alexei Cherepanov. In 2007, the Rangers signed two important centers, Scott Gomez and Chris Drury. These moves helped the Rangers make the playoffs for the third season in a row. However, they lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round. After this, Jagr left the team.

John Tortorella became the team's head coach in 2009 and coached until 2013.

Chris Drury was named captain in 2008. The Rangers started the 2008–09 season in Europe, winning the Victoria Cup. They also won their first two regular season games in Prague. The Rangers had their best start in franchise history, winning 10 of their first 13 games. However, the season was sad due to the sudden death of Alexei Cherepanov. After a tough second half, coach Tom Renney was fired, and John Tortorella became the new coach. The Rangers made the 2009 playoffs but lost to the Washington Capitals.

In 2009, the Rangers traded Scott Gomez and signed superstar Marian Gaborik. In the 2009–10 season, the Rangers missed the playoffs for the first time in five years. The final two games of the season were against the Philadelphia Flyers, with both teams fighting for a playoff spot. The Rangers won the first game, but the Flyers won the second in a shootout, taking the playoff spot.

On September 12, 2011, Ryan Callahan was named the 26th captain in Rangers history.

For the 2010–11 season, the team made changes to improve scoring. The Rangers' playoff chances again came down to the last day of the season. They beat the New Jersey Devils and made the playoffs. They faced Washington in the first round and lost. This was the second time in three years that the Capitals eliminated the Rangers, creating a strong rivalry.

In 2011, Rangers player Derek Boogaard passed away. The Rangers also bought out captain Chris Drury's contract. They signed free agent Brad Richards. On September 12, Ryan Callahan was named the 26th captain in Rangers history.

Reaching the Finals and Winning the Presidents' Trophy (2011–2016)

In the 2011–12 season, the Rangers finished as the top team in the Eastern Conference. Marian Gaborik was their leading scorer. In the first round of the playoffs, they beat the Ottawa Senators in seven games. In the next round, they again faced the Capitals and won in seven games, reaching the conference finals for the first time since 1997. They then faced the New Jersey Devils, a big rival. The Rangers led the series 2–1 but lost three games in a row, ending their season.

In 2012, the Rangers traded players to get Rick Nash. In 2013, they traded Marian Gaborik for other players. After losing in the playoffs to Boston, coach John Tortorella was fired. Alain Vigneault became the new head coach.

The Rangers acquired Rick Nash in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2012.

A trade in the 2013–14 season helped the Rangers reach the 2014 Stanley Cup Final. On March 5, 2014, the Rangers traded their captain Ryan Callahan for Tampa Bay captain Martin St. Louis. This trade happened because Callahan and the Rangers could not agree on a new contract. The 2013–14 Rangers were already a strong team, setting a record for road game wins. New York beat Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in seven-game series in the playoffs. They then beat the Montreal Canadiens to become Eastern Conference champions, reaching the Cup Final for the first time in 20 years. They faced the Los Angeles Kings. The Rangers lost the first two games in overtime and were shut out in Game 3. They won Game 4 to avoid elimination. In Game 5, the Kings won in double overtime, winning the Stanley Cup.

In 2014, the Rangers bought out Brad Richards' contract to free up salary space. On October 6, Ryan McDonagh was named the Rangers' 27th captain. In 2014–15, the Rangers won the Presidents' Trophy for the third time, having the best record in the NHL. They also set franchise records for wins and points. In the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Rangers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins. They then came back from a 3–1 series deficit to beat the Capitals in seven games. This made them the first NHL team to come back from a 3–1 deficit in two seasons in a row. They reached the conference finals for the third time in four years. However, they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 7 at home. This was the first time the Rangers had ever lost a Game 7 at home.

In 2015, the Rangers made several trades and changes. Glen Sather resigned as general manager, and Jeff Gorton took his place. Martin St. Louis announced his retirement. The team re-signed several key players.

The Rangers started the 2015–16 season very well, with a nine-game winning streak. However, they lost momentum later in the season. They finished with over 100 points for the second year in a row. Despite high hopes, the Rangers were eliminated in the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs by the Pittsburgh Penguins, who went on to win the Stanley Cup.

Rebuilding the Team (2016–2020)

In 2016, the Rangers traded Derick Brassard for Mika Zibanejad. They also signed Michael Grabner and college star Jimmy Vesey. The Rangers finished the 2016–17 season in fourth place in their division. In the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs, they beat the Montreal Canadiens. In the second round, they lost to the Ottawa Senators.

In 2017, the Rangers bought out Dan Girardi's contract. They also traded Derek Stepan and Antti Raanta to the Arizona Coyotes for a draft pick and Tony DeAngelo. The Rangers signed top defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. However, injuries hurt the team, and they struggled. In February 2018, the team announced they would be rebuilding. They traded away veteran players like Rick Nash and captain Ryan McDonagh. The team missed the playoffs for the first time since 2010. Coach Vigneault was fired.

In May 2018, David Quinn was hired as the new head coach. The team continued its rebuild in the 2018–19 season. They traded more veteran players like Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello.

The Rangers received the second overall pick in the 2019 NHL entry draft and used it to select Kaapo Kakko. In May 2019, former Rangers goalie and broadcaster John Davidson returned to New York as the team's new president. Davidson and general manager Gorton worked to improve the team's defense by acquiring Adam Fox and Jacob Trouba. The team also signed free agent Artemi Panarin. To manage their salary cap, the Rangers traded Jimmy Vesey and bought out Shattenkirk's contract.

The 2019–20 season showed progress for the rebuilding Rangers. Panarin played very well, and rookie goalie Igor Shesterkin showed he could be a great replacement for Henrik Lundqvist. Chris Kreider signed a long-term contract, and Mika Zibanejad became a top forward. The season was stopped in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The NHL held a 24-team playoff tournament. The Rangers were swept by the Carolina Hurricanes. After being eliminated, the Rangers won the draft lottery and got the first pick in the 2020 NHL entry draft. They used it to select Alexis Lafreniere. Later, veteran defenseman Marc Staal was traded.

In September 2020, the Rangers bought out the final year of Henrik Lundqvist's contract, ending his 15 years with the team.

The Chris Drury Years (2020–Present)

Continued Team Challenges (2020–2021)

In January 2021, defenseman Tony DeAngelo was placed on waivers after reports of an argument with a teammate. His ongoing behavior issues led the Rangers to try to trade him, but no team picked him up.

In a game against the Washington Capitals in May 2021, Capitals player Tom Wilson hit Pavel Buchnevich and slammed Artemi Panarin to the ice, ending Panarin's season. Wilson was fined, but the Rangers felt the punishment was not enough. The NHL then fined the Rangers for their public comments. Two days later, Rangers owner James Dolan fired president John Davidson and general manager Jeff Gorton. Dolan said the firings were not about the Wilson incident but about "culture" issues within the team. Chris Drury was then named the Rangers' new president and general manager. On May 12, Drury fired coach David Quinn and hired Gerard Gallant. Despite a difficult season, Adam Fox had a great year, leading NHL defensemen in assists and winning the James Norris Memorial Trophy.

Playoff Return and Fourth Presidents' Trophy (2021–Present)

The Rangers finished the 2021–22 season with a strong record, making the playoffs for the first time since 2020. For the third time in their history, the Rangers came back from a 3–1 series deficit, this time against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round. They then beat the Carolina Hurricanes in seven games. They faced the defending champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning, and lost the series in six games. Igor Shesterkin won the Vezina Trophy as the league's best goalie after the season. By the end of the following season, the Rangers had added star players Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane. However, they lost to their rivals, the New Jersey Devils, in the first round of the playoffs. Gallant was then fired as head coach and replaced with Peter Laviolette.

In the 2023–24 season, the Rangers won their fourth Presidents' Trophy for having the best regular season record. In the 2024 playoffs, they swept the Washington Capitals in the first round. After beating the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round, they lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in the conference finals. Despite this strong playoff run, the following season was very disappointing. The Rangers became the fourth team in NHL history to miss the playoffs after winning the Presidents' Trophy the year before. Veteran players received criticism, and captain Jacob Trouba, Kaapo Kakko, and Filip Chytil were traded. Laviolette was fired at the end of the season.

On May 2, 2025, Mike Sullivan was named head coach. Later that summer, Chris Kreider was traded to the Anaheim Ducks after playing 13 years with the Rangers.

Team Uniforms

The Rangers' classic blue jersey has been used since the team started, with some changes over time. The current blue uniform has the word "RANGERS" written diagonally in red and white letters. It also has red and white stripes on the sleeves and bottom. The original uniform was a lighter blue, but it changed to the darker "Broadway Blue" in 1929. Red pants have been worn with the uniform since the 1929–30 season.

The white jerseys were first used in the 1951–52 season. They have the word "RANGERS" written diagonally in blue with a red shadow. Blue, white, and red stripes are on the bottom and sleeves. These white jerseys have stayed mostly the same since then.

From 1996 to 2007, the Rangers had a navy blue alternate jersey. It featured the head of the Statue of Liberty with the team's abbreviation (NYR) below it. This jersey was very popular with fans.

In the 2012 Winter Classic, the Rangers wore a cream-colored jersey that mixed old and new styles. For the 2014 Stadium Series, the Rangers used white jerseys with the city name in navy, silver, and red. These jerseys had diagonal stripes and larger numbers on the back.

The 2018 Winter Classic saw the Rangers wear a navy blue jersey that combined parts of older designs. The stripes were like their current uniforms, and the white "RANGERS" wordmark was a nod to their jerseys from the late 1920s.

During the 2020–21 season, the Rangers released a "Reverse Retro" alternate uniform. This uniform brought back the "Lady Liberty" design from 1996 to 2007 but with some changes to the stripes. This design was used again for their 2022–23 "Reverse Retro" uniform, but with a lighter blue color.

Starting in the 2023–24 season, the Rangers began wearing a new third jersey. This jersey brought back the shield logo as the main design for the first time since the 1970s. It is navy blue with thin white, red, and Broadway blue stripes.

For the 2024 Stadium Series, the Rangers wore white jerseys with large "NYR" letters written diagonally in red with blue shadows.

Recent Season Records

This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Rangers. For the full season-by-season history, see List of New York Rangers seasons.

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime/shootout losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Players and Team Staff

Team Captains

Brian Leetch was the 23rd captain in Rangers history, serving from 1997 to 2000.

General Managers

The current general manager is Chris Drury, who was named to the position on May 5, 2021.

Head Coaches

The current head coach is Mike Sullivan, who was hired on May 2, 2025.

Team Awards and Honors

Awards and Trophies

Here are some of the awards and trophies won by the Rangers team and its players:

First-Round Draft Picks

Hall of Fame Players

The New York Rangers have many players and builders (people who helped grow the sport) in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Retired Numbers

Retired numbers hang from the ceiling of Madison Square Garden.

The Rangers have retired nine numbers for eleven players. This means no other player on the team can wear that number. The NHL also retired Wayne Gretzky's No. 99 for all teams.

Notes:

• ¹ This number was retired for two different players.

Team Records

Top Scorers in Team History

These are the top ten players with the most points in the Rangers' history. The numbers are updated after each NHL regular season.

•  *  – current Rangers player

Walt Tkaczuk played for the Rangers from 1968 to 1981 and scored the sixth most points in the team's history (678 points).

Single-Season Records

See also

In Spanish: New York Rangers para niños