History of New York Rangers in Timeline
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York City, competing in the NHL's Metropolitan Division within the Eastern Conference. Their home games are played at Madison Square Garden, which they share with the New York Knicks. They are one of three NHL teams in the New York metropolitan area, alongside the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders.
1926: NHL Franchise Awarded to Tex Rickard
In 1926, George Lewis "Tex" Rickard, president of Madison Square Garden, was awarded an NHL franchise to compete with the New York Americans.
1926: Inaugural Season
In 1926, Rickard's franchise began play with the first team crest being a horse sketched in blue carrying a cowboy waving a hockey stick aloft. Conn Smythe was fired and replaced by Lester Patrick as manager-coach.
1926: Rangers Founded
In 1926, the New York Rangers were founded by Tex Rickard, becoming one of the Original Six teams in the NHL. Tex Rickard founded the team to compete with the New York Americans.
1928: Stanley Cup Victory
In 1928, the Rangers won the Stanley Cup, defeating the Montreal Maroons. Lester Patrick played goal at the age of 44 due to an injury to the starting goaltender.
December 13, 1929: First NHL Team to Travel by Plane
On December 13, 1929, the Rangers became the first team in the NHL to travel by plane when they flew to Toronto for a game against the Maple Leafs.
1929: Uniform Changes
In 1929 the uniform was changed from light blue to the darker classic Rangers Broadway Blue.
1929: Stanley Cup Finals Loss
In 1929, the Rangers lost to the Bruins in the Stanley Cup Finals.
1933: Stanley Cup Victory
In 1933, the Rangers defeated the Maple Leafs in the Stanley Cup Finals to win their second Stanley Cup.
1933: Rangers win the Stanley Cup
In 1933, the Rangers, led by Bill and Bun Cook and Frank Boucher, defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs to win their second Stanley Cup.
1939: Regular Season Finish
In 1939, the Rangers finished the regular season in second place behind Boston and met them in the first round of the playoffs.
1940: Stanley Cup Victory
In 1940, the Rangers won the Stanley Cup, defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs in the finals.
1940: Rangers win the Stanley Cup
In 1940, the Rangers won their third Stanley Cup, marking a significant achievement for the team.
1942: Bryan Hextall Leads NHL in Scoring
In 1942, Bryan Hextall became the first Ranger to lead the NHL in scoring.
1943: Ken McAuley's Difficult Season
In 1943, Ken McAuley led the league with 39 losses and 310 goals allowed, setting a record for the worst goals-against average in NHL history.
1946: Uniform Changes
During the 1946-47 season, the word "RANGERS" was arranged in an arch form above the sweater number.
1947: Playoff Appearance
In 1947, the Rangers earned the fourth and final playoff spot after missing the playoffs for five consecutive seasons.
1948: Playoff Loss
In 1948, the Rangers lost in the first round of the playoffs and missed the playoffs again in 1948-49.
1950: Stanley Cup Finals Loss
In 1950, the Rangers were forced to play all of their games, including "home" games, in Toronto, losing to the Detroit Red Wings in overtime in the seventh game of the Stanley Cup Finals.
1951: White Jerseys Unveiled
In 1951, the New York Rangers unveiled their white jerseys as part of an NHL mandate requiring dark home and light away jerseys. The design featured the word "RANGERS" diagonally in blue with a red drop shadow, along with blue, white, and red stripes. This marked the introduction of a classic look that would largely remain unchanged for decades.
1966: Bernie Geoffrion Signs
In 1966, the Rangers signed Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion out of retirement, rejuvenating the team.
1967: Original Six Era
In 1967, the NHL expanded, marking the end of the Original Six era, in which the Rangers were a part of.
1967: Expansion Team Emergence
In 1967, the playoff series loss to the Philadelphia Flyers marked the emergence of an expansion team's rise.
1968: Move into New Madison Square Garden
In 1968, the Rangers moved into the fourth version of Madison Square Garden.
1972: Stanley Cup Finals Appearance
In 1972, Walt Tkaczuk played a key role as the Rangers defeated the Canadiens and Black Hawks to reach the Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost to the Boston Bruins. Tkaczuk held Phil Esposito without a goal in the series.
1972: New York Islanders Enter the League
In 1972, the New York Islanders entered the league, paying a hefty territorial fee to the Rangers.
1972: Stanley Cup Finals Loss to Bruins
In 1972, the Rangers lost in six games to the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Finals.
1974: Playoff Loss to Flyers
In 1974, the Rangers lost a conference semifinals series to the Philadelphia Flyers in seven games, becoming the first Original Six club to lose a playoff series to a 1967 expansion team.
1975: Playoff Loss to Islanders
In 1975, the Islanders defeated the Rangers in overtime of the deciding game 3, establishing a rivalry that grew for years.
1975: Blockbuster Trade with Bruins
In 1975, the Rangers acquired Phil Esposito and Carol Vadnais from the Boston Bruins for Brad Park, Jean Ratelle, and Joe Zanussi.
1976: Shield Logo and Modernized Sweater Unveiled
In 1976, under general manager John Ferguson Sr., the Rangers unveiled a modernized sweater featuring rounded numbers, a darker shade of blue, and the shield logo. A blue and red stripe extended from the yoke to the sleeves, and blue pants were introduced.
1977: Unpopularity of Modernized Sweater
The modernized sweater introduced in 1976 proved unpopular with fans, leading to its replacement after the 1977-78 season.
1978: Swedish Stars Join Rangers
In 1978, Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson joined the Rangers from the World Hockey Association (WHA).
1978: Introduction of Modernized Classic Uniforms
In 1978, the Rangers introduced modernized classic uniforms with subtle changes, including a V-neck collar and bolder stripes. The blue jersey featured "NEW YORK" diagonally across the front from 1978 to 1987.
1979: Rangers reach the Stanley Cup Finals
In 1979, the New York Rangers advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1979 after Stephane Matteau scored a double-overtime goal in Game 7 against the New Jersey Devils.
1979: Stanley Cup Finals Appearance
In 1979, the Rangers defeated the Islanders and advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals, losing to the Canadiens.
1979: Stanley Cup Finals Loss to Canadiens
In 1979, the Rangers lost in five games to the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Finals.
1982: Playoff Elimination by Islanders
In 1982, the Rangers were eliminated in the playoffs by the rival Islanders, who went on to win the Stanley Cup.
1983: Franchise History
In 2008, the Rangers tied the 1983-84 Rangers for the best start in franchise history with a 5-0 record.
1984: Playoff Elimination by Islanders
In 1984, the Rangers were eliminated in the playoffs by the rival Islanders, who went on to win the Stanley Cup.
1986: Playoff Run
In 1986, the Rangers, led by rookie goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck, defeated the Flyers and Capitals in the playoffs before losing to the Montreal Canadiens.
1987: "NEW YORK" Diagonal Removed
Until 1987, the blue jersey (then the road jersey) featured "NEW YORK" diagonally across the front instead of the traditional "RANGERS" wordmark.
1988: Marcel Dionne Milestone
In 1988, while a Ranger, Marcel Dionne moved into third place in NHL career goals scored.
1989: Gulf+Western Renamed
In 1989, Gulf+Western, the Rangers' owner, was renamed to Paramount Communications.
1991: Presidents' Trophy Win
In 1991, the Rangers captured the Presidents' Trophy but faltered in the playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
1993: Rangers Acquire Oilers Players
In 1993, the Rangers acquired seven players from the Edmonton Oilers' Cup-winning teams, including Mark Messier.
1993: Mention of prior success
In 2005, behind stellar performances by rookie goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, the Rangers finished the season with their best record since 1993-94.
1994: Viacom Acquires Paramount
In 1994, Viacom acquired Paramount Communications, then sold the Rangers to ITT Corporation and Cablevision.
1994: Mike Keenan departs
In 1994, despite coaching the Rangers to a first-place regular season finish and a Stanley Cup victory, head coach Mike Keenan left after a dispute with general manager Neil Smith.
1994: Stanley Cup Championship
In 1994, the Rangers, coached by Mike Keenan, won the Stanley Cup championship, their fourth in franchise history. Adam Graves set a team record with 52 goals, and the Rangers clinched the Presidents' Trophy.
1994: Rangers Win Stanley Cup
In 1994, the Rangers, led by Mark Messier, Brian Leetch, Adam Graves, and Mike Richter, won their fourth Stanley Cup.
1995: Rangers trade Zubov and Nedved for Samuelsson and Robitaille
In the summer of 1995, General Manager Neil Smith orchestrated a deal that sent Sergei Zubov and Petr Nedved to Pittsburgh in exchange for Ulf Samuelsson and Luc Robitaille.
1996: Rangers acquire Gretzky and lose to Penguins in playoffs
In 1996, the New York Rangers acquired Wayne Gretzky. They defeated the Canadiens in the playoffs but lost to the Penguins in the second round.
1996: Rangers acquire Wayne Gretzky
In 1996, the Rangers acquired Wayne Gretzky, adding a significant star to their roster.
1996: Introduction of Navy Alternate Jersey
In 1996, the Rangers introduced a navy alternate jersey featuring the head of the Statue of Liberty with the team abbreviation (NYR) below in a futuristic script. This design would remain until 2007.
1996: Mention of prior playoff drought ending
On April 4, 2006, the Rangers defeated the Philadelphia Flyers to clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 1996-97.
1997: Messier leaves; Rangers lose in conference finals
In 1997, Mark Messier left the Rangers. The team, led by Wayne Gretzky, lost in the conference finals to the Philadelphia Flyers.
1997: Reversion of Blue Jersey Design
In 1997, the Rangers reverted the blue jersey's design, restoring the old striping pattern and becoming the first team to re-introduce lace-up collars.
1997: Reference to conference finals appearance
In the 2011-12 season, the Rangers reached the conference finals for the first time since 1997.
1998: Gretzky nears the end of his career as the Rangers fail to make the playoffs
In 1998, The Rangers missed the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons as Wayne Gretzky approached the end of his career.
1998: Postseason Drought Begins
In 1998, the Rangers began a franchise-record seven-year postseason drought.
1998: White Version of Alternate Jersey Used
In the 1998-99 season, a white version of the Rangers' navy alternate jersey was used.
1999: White Jersey Reverts to Old Striping
In 1999, the Rangers reverted the white jersey to the old striping pattern and lace-up collars.
March 2000: Smith and Muckler fired, Sather hired
In March 2000, the Rangers fired General Manager Neil Smith and head coach John Muckler. James Dolan hired Glen Sather as Smith's replacement that summer.
2000: Wayne Gretzky's Number Retired
At the 2000 NHL All-Star Game, Wayne Gretzky's No. 99 was retired by the NHL for all its member teams.
October 7, 2001: Modified Blue Jerseys Worn After 9/11
On October 7, 2001, the Rangers wore a modified version of their blue jerseys in a home game against the Buffalo Sabres, combining traditional striping with the "NEW YORK" wordmark in the wake of the September 11 attacks.
2001: Messier, Fleury, and Lindros join Rangers
In 2001, Mark Messier returned to New York, and Theoren Fleury and Eric Lindros joined the Rangers, adding significant star power.
2002: Rangers acquire Bure; Blackburn makes All-Rookie Team
In 2002, the Rangers acquired Pavel Bure. Goalie Dan Blackburn made the NHL All-Rookie Team, despite the team's poor performance.
2003: Blackburn's career ends, more stars are added, but Rangers still miss playoffs
In 2003, Dan Blackburn burned out after 17 games due to mononucleosis. Later years saw the addition of Alexei Kovalev and Jaromir Jagr, but the team still missed the playoffs.
2004: John Tortorella
In 2004, John Tortorella won the Stanley Cup. On October 13, 2008, John Tortorella was named head coach.
2005: Team struggles with scoring
During the 2005-2006 campaign, the Rangers had trouble scoring goals, leading them to look for help for the upcoming season.
2005: Henrik Lundqvist's stellar performances lead the team
In 2005, behind stellar performances by rookie goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, the Rangers finished the season with their best record since 1993-94.
2005: Postseason Drought Ends
In 2005, the Rangers ended their franchise-record seven-year postseason drought.
March 29, 2006: Jagr breaks single-season points record
On March 29, 2006, Jaromir Jagr broke the Rangers' single-season points record with an assist against the New York Islanders, totaling 110 points.
October 5, 2006: Jagr named team captain
On October 5, 2006, Jaromir Jagr was named the first team captain since Mark Messier's retirement.
2006: Henrik Lundqvist Era Begins
In 2006, after the arrival of goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, the Rangers began a period of success, making the playoffs consistently.
February 5, 2007: Avery Traded to the Rangers
On February 5, 2007, the Rangers acquired Sean Avery in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings.
2007: Alexei Cherepanov drafted by the Rangers
In 2007, Alexei Cherepanov was drafted by the Rangers.
2007: Design Carried Over to Reebok Edge Template
In 2007, the New York Rangers' jersey design was carried over to the Reebok Edge template.
2007: Rangers draft Alexei Cherepanov and sign Gomez and Drury
In 2007, the Rangers drafted Alexei Cherepanov and signed Scott Gomez and Chris Drury. However, they lost in the second round of the playoffs.
2007: Discontinuation of Navy Alternate Jersey
In 2007, the Rangers' navy alternate jersey featuring the Statue of Liberty was discontinued.
October 3, 2008: Drury Named Captain
On October 3, 2008, Chris Drury was named captain of the Rangers following Jagr's departure.
June 30, 2009: Rangers trade Gomez and sign Gaborik
On June 30, 2009, the Rangers traded Scott Gomez, Tom Pyatt, and Michael Busto to the Montreal Canadiens. They then signed Marian Gaborik on the first day of free agency.
2009: John Davidson Awarded Foster Hewitt Memorial Award
In 2009, John Davidson, a Rangers broadcaster, was awarded the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame.
2009: Rangers lose to Washington Capitals in playoffs
In 2009, the Rangers made the playoffs but lost their opening-round series to the Washington Capitals.
2010: Debut of Heritage Blue Jersey
During the 2010-11 season, the Rangers debuted a heritage blue jersey as their new alternate uniform, featuring a darker shade of blue and cream trim.
2010: MSG Properties Spin-off
In 2010, Cablevision spun off the MSG properties, including the Rangers, as their own company.
2010: Rangers unveil Heritage Jersey
In 2010, the Rangers unveiled their new Heritage Jersey at Rockefeller Center.
May 13, 2011: Derek Boogaard found dead
On May 13, 2011, Rangers forward Derek Boogaard was found dead in his apartment.
2011: Rangers finish as top seed in Eastern Conference
In 2011, the Rangers finished as the top seed in the Eastern Conference, recording 51 wins and 109 points.
July 23, 2012: Rangers trade for Rick Nash
On July 23, 2012, the Rangers traded for Rick Nash, acquiring him from the Columbus Blue Jackets.
2012: Winter Classic Cream Jersey
In 2012, for the Winter Classic, the Rangers wore a cream jersey that combined classic and current styles. A different version of the shield logo was used, and the stripes were lessened.
June 21, 2013: Alain Vigneault hired as head coach
On June 21, 2013, Alain Vigneault was formally introduced as the Rangers' head coach.
June 20, 2014: Brad Richards' Contract Buyout
On June 20, 2014, the Rangers bought out the remaining six years of Brad Richards' contract to free up salary cap space.
2014: Stadium Series White Jerseys
For the 2014 Stadium Series, the Rangers used white jerseys with the city name in navy, silver and red. They also featured diagonal stripes, sleeve numbers, and enlarged numbers on the back.
2014: Future Draft Pick
In 2012, the Rangers traded Marian Gaborik and Steven Delisle to Columbus for Derick Brassard, Derek Dorsett, John Moore, and a 2014 sixth-round draft pick.
2014: Stanley Cup Finals Loss to Kings
In 2014, the Rangers reached the Stanley Cup Finals but lost to the Los Angeles Kings in five games.
June 27, 2015: Trades involving Hagelin, Talbot and Haggerty
On June 27, 2015, the Rangers traded Carl Hagelin to the Anaheim Ducks, Cam Talbot and a draft pick to the Edmonton Oilers, and Ryan Haggerty to the Chicago Blackhawks for Antti Raanta.
July 18, 2016: Trade for Mika Zibanejad
On July 18, 2016, the Rangers traded Derick Brassard and a 2018 seventh-round draft pick for Mika Zibanejad and a 2018 second-round draft pick.
2016: Sam Rosen Awarded Foster Hewitt Memorial Award
In 2016, Sam Rosen, a Rangers broadcaster, was awarded the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame.
June 14, 2017: Dan Girardi's Contract Buyout
On June 14, 2017, the Rangers announced a buyout of Dan Girardi's contract.
2017: Retirement of Heritage Jersey
For the 2017–18 season, the Rangers' heritage jersey was retired because of the league-wide switch to the Adidas uniform format.
2017: End of Playoff Streak
In 2017, the Rangers' strong playoff streak, which began in 2006, came to an end.
February 8, 2018: Announcement of Team Rebuild
On February 8, 2018, the Rangers' front office issued a letter to fans announcing a commitment to rebuilding the team.
2018: Winter Classic Navy Jersey
The 2018 Winter Classic saw the Rangers wear a navy jersey with a combination of elements from prior uniform designs, including striping inspired by current uniforms and the "RANGERS" wordmark from the late 1920s.
May 17, 2019: John Davidson Returns as President
On May 17, 2019, John Davidson resigned from the Columbus Blue Jackets and returned to the Rangers as the organization's new president.
2020: "Reverse Retro" Alternate Uniform Released
During the 2020–21 season, the Rangers released a "Reverse Retro" alternate uniform in collaboration with Adidas, featuring the "Lady Liberty" design.
January 31, 2021: Tony DeAngelo Placed on Waivers
On January 31, 2021, Tony DeAngelo was placed on waivers due to maturity issues and a decline in performance, following an altercation with a teammate.
May 3, 2021: Tom Wilson Incident and Aftermath
On May 3, 2021, Capitals forward Tom Wilson injured Rangers players. The Rangers criticized the league's response, leading to a fine for the team and the subsequent firings of the president and general manager.
May 5, 2021: Chris Drury Named General Manager
On May 5, 2021, Chris Drury was named the general manager of the New York Rangers.
2022: Second "Reverse Retro" Alternate Uniform Released
During the 2022–23 season, the Rangers released a second "Reverse Retro" alternate uniform, again featuring the "Lady Liberty" design, but the lighter Broadway Blue served as the base color while the lower sleeves were recolored red with white and navy stripes.
June 13, 2023: Peter Laviolette Hired as Head Coach
On June 13, 2023, Peter Laviolette was hired as the head coach of the New York Rangers.
2023: New Third Jersey Introduced
Introduced in the 2023–24 season, the Rangers began wearing a new third jersey, bringing back the shield logo as the main crest for the first time since the 1976–1978 redesign.
2024: Stadium Series White Jerseys
For the 2024 Stadium Series, the Rangers wore white jerseys with an enlarged "NYR" diagonal lettering in red with blue drop shadows.
October 13: Death of Alexei Cherepanov
On October 13, 2008, Alexei Cherepanov died suddenly during a KHL game in Russia.
