New York Rangers facts for kids

The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based 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, which they share with the New York Knicks basketball team. The Rangers are one of three NHL teams in the New York area, along with the New Jersey Devils and 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 grew bigger in 1967. The other "Original Six" teams are the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, and Toronto Maple Leafs. The Rangers found success early on, winning the Stanley Cup in only their second season in 1928. This made them the first U.S. NHL team to win the trophy! They also won two more Stanley Cups in 1933 and 1940.

After these early wins, the team had some tough times from the 1940s to the 1960s, not making the playoffs very often. In the 1970s, they made it to the Stanley Cup Finals twice but didn't win. The team then rebuilt in the 1980s and early 1990s. This paid off in 1994 when the team, led by stars like Mark Messier, Brian Leetch, Adam Graves, and Mike Richter, won their fourth Stanley Cup.

After 1994, the team went through another period of struggles. They missed the playoffs for seven years in a row from 1998 to 2005. Things got better after the 2004–05 NHL lockout. With amazing goaltender Henrik Lundqvist joining the team, the Rangers did well, missing the playoffs only once between 2006 and 2017. They reached the Stanley Cup Finals again in 2014 but lost to the Los Angeles Kings. Many former Rangers players have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

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 Dolan, chairman)
General manager	Chris Drury
Head coach	Peter Laviolette
Captain	Jacob Trouba
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, 1994, 2014–15, 2023–24)
Division championships	8 (1926–27, 1931–32, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1993–94, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2023–24)

History of the Rangers

Early Years and First Stanley Cups (1926–1967)

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

George Lewis "Tex" Rickard, the president of Madison Square Garden, was given permission to start an NHL team in 1926. This new team would play against the New York Americans, who had already started playing at the Garden. Rickard's team was quickly nicknamed "Tex's Rangers."

The Rangers began 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 diagonal "RANGERS" logo we know today. Conn Smythe, who later owned the Toronto Maple Leafs, was hired to build the team. However, he was fired before the first season began and was replaced by Lester Patrick. The team Smythe put together turned out to be very good. The Rangers won their division in their first year but lost in the playoffs.

The team's early success made the players famous in New York City during the "Roaring Twenties." Playing near Times Square, the Rangers earned the nickname "The Broadway Blueshirts." On December 13, 1929, they became the first NHL team to travel by plane for a game.

In only their second season, the Rangers won the 1928 Stanley Cup, beating the Montreal Maroons. A famous story from these finals involves Lester Patrick, who was 44 years old, playing as the goalie. The Rangers' regular goalie, Lorne Chabot, got hurt. Patrick, who was the coach, stepped in and played for two periods, letting in only one goal. Frank Boucher scored the winning goal in overtime for New York.

After losing in the 1929 finals, the Rangers, led by brothers Bill and Bun Cook and center Frank Boucher, won their second Stanley Cup in 1933. They beat the Maple Leafs three games to one. Lester Patrick then became the general manager, and Frank Boucher took over as head coach.

The Bread Line was the Rangers' first famous line of players. Bill Cook, Bun Cook, and Frank Boucher 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 Cup Finals. The Rangers won the first two games at home. The series then moved to Toronto, where the Maple Leafs won the next two games, tying the series. But the Rangers won Games 5 and 6 in overtime, taking the series four games to two and earning their third Stanley Cup.

However, the Rangers struggled a lot in the mid-1940s. They missed the playoffs for five seasons in a row. In the 1950 Stanley Cup Finals, the Rangers had to play all their games, even their "home" games, in Toronto because a circus was at 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 often missed the playoffs. But the team started to get better in the late 1960s, especially after moving into the new Madison Square Garden in 1968.

Post-Original Six Era (1967–1993)

Jean Ratelle played for the Rangers from 1960 to 1975.

The Rangers made it to the finals twice in the 1970s but lost both times. In 1972, they lost to the strong Boston Bruins team, which included stars like Bobby Orr. In 1979, they lost to the Montreal Canadiens.

In the 1972 playoffs, key players like Brad Park, Jean Ratelle, Vic Hadfield, and Rod Gilbert (who formed the famous "GAG line" for "goal-a-game") helped the team. They beat the defending champion Canadiens and the Chicago Black Hawks but lost to the Bruins in the finals.

In 1975, the Rangers made a big trade, getting Phil Esposito from the Bruins. In 1978, Swedish stars Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson joined the Rangers. In the 1979 playoffs, New York beat their rivals, the New York Islanders, and reached the finals, but lost to the Canadiens. In the early 1980s, the Islanders eliminated the Rangers from the playoffs for three years in a row, and the Islanders went on to win the Stanley Cup each of those years.

Marcel Dionne joined the Rangers in 1986.

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

Despite winning the Presidents' Trophy (for the best regular season record) in 1991–92, the Rangers struggled in the playoffs, losing to the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins. The next year, injuries caused the Rangers to finish at the bottom of their division.

Ending the Curse: The 1994 Stanley Cup Win

The 1993–94 New York Rangers season was their most successful in 54 years. Coach Mike Keenan led the Rangers to win their fourth Stanley Cup. For this season, the Rangers had seven players who had won Cups with the Edmonton Oilers, including their captain Mark Messier. Adam Graves set a team record with 52 goals that season. The Rangers finished with the best record in the NHL, earning 112 points, a new franchise record.

The Rangers swept the New York Islanders in the first round of the playoffs and then beat the Washington Capitals. In the conference finals against the New Jersey Devils, the Rangers were down 3–2 in the series. Before Game 6, Messier famously promised the press that the Rangers would win. He then scored three goals in the final period to lead the Rangers to a 4–2 win, forcing a Game 7. The Rangers won Game 7 in double overtime with a goal from Stephane Matteau, sending them to the finals for the first time since 1979.

The Rangers signed Wayne Gretzky in 1996.

In the finals, they played against the Vancouver Canucks. The Rangers won three games in a row after losing Game 1. But the Canucks fought back, winning the next two games and forcing another Game 7. In the deciding game, the Rangers took an early lead and won 3–2. Mark Messier became the first player to be captain of two different teams that won the Stanley Cup. Brian Leetch was named the playoff MVP, becoming the first American-born player to win that award.

New Players and Tough Times (1995–2005)

After winning the Cup, coach Mike Keenan left. The Rangers then made some big trades, including getting Wayne Gretzky in 1996. Gretzky helped them reach the 1997 Eastern Conference finals, where they lost to the Flyers. After Messier left in 1997, the team missed the playoffs for seven seasons in a row. Gretzky retired in 1999.

In 2000, Glen Sather became the new general manager. The Rangers brought in many star players like Messier (who returned), Theoren Fleury, Eric Lindros, and Pavel Bure. Later, players like Jaromir Jagr also joined. However, even with all these stars, the team still missed the playoffs in 2002 and 2003. By the end of the 2003–04 season, the team decided to rebuild, trading away some older stars for younger players and draft picks.

The Henrik Lundqvist Era (2005–2020)

Return to the Playoffs (2005–2011)

Amazing play by rookie goalie Henrik Lundqvist helped the Rangers have their best season since 1993–94 in 2005–06.

Many expected the Rangers to struggle in the 2005–06 season. But with great play from Swedish rookie goalie Henrik Lundqvist, the Rangers had their best season since 1993–94. Jaromir Jagr broke the Rangers' single-season points record with 110 points and also set a new goal-scoring record with 53 goals. On April 4, 2006, the Rangers made the playoffs for the first time since 1996. They lost in the first round to the Devils.

At the start of the 2006–07 season, Jaromir Jagr was named team captain.

To help with scoring, the Rangers signed Brendan Shanahan in 2006. Jagr was named team captain. Lundqvist's excellent goaltending helped the Rangers make the playoffs again in 2007. They swept the Atlanta Thrashers in the first round but lost to the Buffalo Sabres in the next round.

In 2007, the Rangers signed two big-name centers, Scott Gomez and Chris Drury. They made the playoffs for the third year in a row but lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round. After this, Jagr left the team. Chris Drury became the new captain in 2008.

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

The Rangers started the 2008–09 season very well, setting a new franchise record for the best start. However, the second half of the season was disappointing. Coach Tom Renney was fired and replaced by John Tortorella. The Rangers made the 2009 playoffs but lost in the first round.

In 2009, the Rangers traded Scott Gomez and signed star player Marian Gaborik. In the 2009–10 season, the Rangers missed the playoffs for the first time in five years. Their playoff hopes came down to the very last game of the season against the Philadelphia Flyers, which they lost in a shootout.

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

For the 2010–11 season, the Rangers brought in new players to help with scoring. They also introduced a new "Heritage Jersey." The Rangers made the playoffs again but lost to the Washington Capitals in five games. This started a rivalry between the two teams.

In 2011, Rangers player Derek Boogaard sadly passed away. The team then signed free agent Brad Richards. Ryan Callahan was named the 26th captain in Rangers history.

Return to the Finals (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 playoffs, they beat the Ottawa Senators and then the Washington Capitals in tough seven-game series. This sent them to the Eastern Conference Final for the first time since 1997. There, they faced their rivals, the New Jersey Devils. The Rangers lost the series in six games, ending their season.

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

The Rangers got 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 Finals. They traded captain Ryan Callahan for Tampa Bay captain Martin St. Louis. The Rangers set a new record with 25 road game wins that season. In the 2014 playoffs, they beat Philadelphia and then came back from being down 3–1 in the series to beat Pittsburgh. They then defeated the Montreal Canadiens to become Eastern Conference champions, reaching the Cup Finals for the first time in 20 years. They faced the 2012 champions, the Los Angeles Kings. The Rangers lost the first two games in overtime. They won Game 4 to avoid being swept, but the Kings won Game 5 in double overtime to win the Stanley Cup.

In 2014, the Rangers bought out Brad Richards' contract to free up salary space. Ryan McDonagh was named the Rangers' 27th captain. In 2014–15, the Rangers won the Presidents' Trophy again for having the best record in the NHL, setting new franchise records for wins (53) and points (113). In the 2015 playoffs, they beat the Pittsburgh Penguins. They then came back from a 3–1 series deficit again to beat the Capitals, making history as the first NHL team to do this in back-to-back seasons. This sent them to the Eastern Conference Final for the third time in four years. However, they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games, ending their season.

In 2015, Glen Sather stepped down as general manager, and Jeff Gorton took his place. Martin St. Louis announced his retirement. The Rangers started the 2015–16 season very well with a nine-game winning streak. But they lost momentum later in the season. They still finished with over 100 points. Despite high hopes, the Rangers were eliminated in the first round of the 2016 playoffs by the Pittsburgh Penguins, who went on to win the Stanley Cup.

Rebuilding the Team (2016–2020)

In 2016, the Rangers traded for Mika Zibanejad and signed Michael Grabner and college star Jimmy Vesey. The Rangers finished the 2016–17 season with 102 points. In the first round of the 2017 playoffs, they beat the Montreal Canadiens. In the second round, they faced the Ottawa Senators. The Rangers lost the series in six games and were eliminated.

In 2017, the Rangers bought out Dan Girardi's contract and traded Derek Stepan and Antti Raanta. They also signed top defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. With key players injured, the Rangers struggled. In February 2018, the team announced they would be rebuilding and might trade some familiar players. Rick Nash was traded to the Bruins. The next day, captain Ryan McDonagh and J. T. Miller were traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The team missed the playoffs for the first time since 2010, and head coach Vigneault was fired.

In May 2018, David Quinn was hired as the new head coach. The team continued its rebuilding efforts in the 2018–19 season. They traded Ryan Spooner for Ryan Strome. As the trade deadline approached, the Rangers traded more veteran players, including fan-favorite Mats Zuccarello and Kevin Hayes.

The Rangers got the second overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and chose forward Kaapo Kakko. In May 2019, former Rangers goalie 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 getting top prospect Adam Fox and veteran defenseman Jacob Trouba. The team also signed star free agent Artemi Panarin to a big contract. To manage salary cap space, the Rangers traded Jimmy Vesey and bought out Shattenkirk's contract.

Artemi Panarin signed with the Rangers in July 2019.

The 2019–20 season was a step forward for the rebuilding Rangers. Panarin played very well, and rookie goalie Igor Shesterkin showed he could be a great replacement for the aging Henrik Lundqvist. Chris Kreider signed a long contract, and Mika Zibanejad became a top forward, even scoring 5 goals in one game. The season was stopped early due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In May 2020, the league announced a special playoff tournament. The Rangers faced the Carolina Hurricanes but were swept in three games. After being eliminated, the Rangers won the NHL draft lottery and got the first pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, which they used to select Alexis Lafreniere. Later, the team traded veteran defenseman Marc Staal.

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

The Chris Drury Years (2020–Present)

Team Changes (2020–2021)

In January 2021, defenseman Tony DeAngelo was removed from the team after reports of an argument with a teammate. His ongoing behavior issues led the Rangers to try to trade him, but no team wanted him.

In May 2021, after an incident in a game against the Washington Capitals, the Rangers organization spoke out against the league's decision regarding a Capitals player. The NHL then fined the Rangers. Two days later, Rangers owner James Dolan fired president John Davidson and general manager Jeff Gorton. Dolan said the firings were about "culture" issues within the team. Chris Drury was then named the Rangers' new president and general manager. On May 12, Drury fired head coach David Quinn and hired Gerard Gallant as his replacement. Despite a difficult season, a bright spot was the play of Adam Fox, who won the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the league's best defenseman.

Playoff Success and Another Presidents' Trophy (2021–Present)

In the 2021–22 season, the Rangers finished with a strong record and made the playoffs for the first time since 2020. For the third time in their history, the Rangers came back from being down 3–1 in a series to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round. In the next round, they defeated the Carolina Hurricanes in seven games, even after being down 2–0 and 3–2 in the series. This sent them to their first Eastern Conference Final since 2015. There, they faced the defending champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning, and lost in six games. After the season, Igor Shesterkin won the Vezina Trophy as the league's best goalie.

By the end of the 2022–23 season, the Rangers had added Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane through trades. The team made the playoffs but lost to their rivals, the New Jersey Devils, in seven games, even after being up 2–0 in the series. As a result, coach Gallant was fired. Peter Laviolette was hired as the new head coach.

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 and then defeated the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round. However, they lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in the conference finals.

Uniforms

The classic Rangers jersey has been used since the team started, with some changes over the years. The current blue uniform has the word "RANGERS" written diagonally in red with a white shadow. It also has red and white stripes on the sleeves and bottom. Red pants have been worn with the uniform since 1929.

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

From 1996 to 2007, the Rangers' alternate jersey showed the head of the Statue of Liberty with the team's initials below it.

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

In the 2010–11 season, the Rangers introduced a "heritage blue" alternate jersey. It was a darker blue with a cream trim and a simpler font for the "NEW YORK" wordmark, similar to their original jerseys.

For special outdoor games like the NHL Winter Classic and NHL Stadium Series, the Rangers have worn unique jerseys that combine classic and modern styles. These often feature vintage logos or enlarged numbers for better visibility.

In the 2020–21 season, the Rangers brought back a "Reverse Retro" version of their "Lady Liberty" jersey, but with some updated stripe designs. This design was used again in 2022–23 with a lighter blue color.

In the 2023–24 season, the Rangers unveiled a new third jersey that brought back their shield logo as the main design for the first time in many years.

Team Captains

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

The Rangers have had many captains throughout their history. The captain is a player chosen to lead the team.

Team and League Honors

The New York Rangers have won many awards and trophies throughout their history.

Major Team Trophies

• Stanley Cup: 4 times (1928, 1933, 1940, 1994)
• Presidents' Trophy (best regular season record): 4 times (1992, 1994, 2015, 2024)
• Prince of Wales Trophy (Eastern Conference champions): 4 times (1932, 1942, 1994, 2014)
• Victoria Cup (international club trophy): 1 time (2008)

Individual Player Awards

Some Rangers players have won major individual awards:

• Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP): Buddy O'Connor (1948), Chuck Rayner (1950), Andy Bathgate (1959), Mark Messier (1992)
• James Norris Memorial Trophy (best defenseman): Doug Harvey (1962), Harry Howell (1967), Brian Leetch (1992, 1997), Adam Fox (2021)
• Vezina Trophy (best goalie): Dave Kerr (1940), Eddie Giacomin & Gilles Villemure (1971), John Vanbiesbrouck (1986), Henrik Lundqvist (2012), Igor Shesterkin (2022)
• Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP): Brian Leetch (1994)
• Calder Memorial Trophy (best rookie): Many Rangers have won this, including Brian Leetch (1989).
• Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (most gentlemanly player): Frank Boucher won this award 7 times! Wayne Gretzky also won it as a Ranger (1999).

Retired Numbers

Retired numbers hang from the rafters of Madison Square Garden.

The Rangers have honored some of their greatest players by retiring their jersey numbers. This means no other player on the team can wear that number again. The NHL also retired Wayne Gretzky's No. 99 for all teams.

Franchise Scoring Leaders

These players have scored the most points for the Rangers in their history.

Walt Tkaczuk played for the Rangers from 1968 to 1981 and is sixth in franchise points.

Images for kids

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  The Rangers' current uniform.