1979–80 New York Rangers season

NHL hockey team season March 2026 August 2023 NHL 1979–80 1979 New York Rangers Campbell 4th Patrick 3rd 38–32–10 22–10–8 16–22–2 308 284 Fred Shero Fred Shero Dave Maloney None Madison Square Garden Phil Esposito (34) Don Maloney (48) Phil Esposito (78) Dave Maloney (186) John Davidson (20) John Davidson (3.17) The 1979–80 New York Rangers season was the franchise's 54th season. Fresh off a Stanley Cup Final loss in the first year of Fred Shero as coach, the Rangers qualified for the playoffs once again, but bowed out in the second round to Shero's old team, the Philadelphia Flyers. The team's on- and off-ice activities during this campaign was the subject of Larry Sloman's 1982 book Thin Ice: A Season in Hell with the New York Rangers."Thin Ice: A Season in Hell with the New York Rangers" (review), Kirkus Reviews, April 1, 1982. Retrieved April 9, 2021 2 Regular season Season standings NYR NYR Record vs. opponents NYR Schedule and results background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#0161AB 5px solid; border-bottom:#E6393F 5px solid; 1979–80 regular season1979-80 New York Rangers Schedule https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/NYR/1980_games.html Hockey-Reference.com March 31, 2025 y background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#0161AB 2px solid; border-bottom:#E6393F 2px solid; October: 4–4–1 (home: 3–1–1; road: 1–3–0) Game October Opponent Score Record |- | 1 || 10 || @ Toronto Maple Leafs || 6 – 3 || 1–0–0 |- | 2 || 14 || Washington Capitals || 5 – 3 || 1–1–0 |- | 3 || 18 || Vancouver Canucks || 6 – 3 || 2–1–0 |- | 4 || 20 || @ Montreal Canadiens || 5 – 4 || 2–2–0 |- | 5 || 21 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 6 – 3 || 3–2–0 |- | 6 || 24 || Edmonton Oilers || 10 – 2 || 4–2–0 |- | 7 || 25 || @ Philadelphia Flyers || 5 – 2 || 4–3–0 |- | 8 || 27 || @ Minnesota North Stars || 7 – 2 || 4–4–0 |- | 9 || 28 || Hartford Whalers || 2 – 2 || 4–4–1 |- y background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#0161AB 2px solid; border-bottom:#E6393F 2px solid; November: 5–9–1 (home: 4–3–1; road: 1–6–0) Game November Opponent Score Record |- | 10 || 1 || @ Los Angeles Kings || 4 – 2 || 4–5–1 |- | 11 || 3 || @ Colorado Rockies || 7 – 2 || 4–6–1 |- | 12 || 4 || @ Vancouver Canucks || 4 – 2 || 5–6–1 |- | 13 || 7 || Los Angeles Kings || 8 – 4 || 6–6–1 |- | 14 || 10 || Quebec Nordiques || 5 – 4 || 7–6–1 |- | 15 || 11 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 4 – 1 || 7–7–1 |- | 16 || 13 || @ New York Islanders || 10 – 5 || 7–8–1 |- | 17 || 14 || Detroit Red Wings || 3 – 2 || 8–8–1 |- | 18 || 16 || @ Atlanta Flames || 4 – 2 || 8–9–1 |- | 19 || 18 || St. Louis Blues || 5 – 3 || 9–9–1 |- | 20 || 21 || Winnipeg Jets || 6 – 4 || 9–10–1 |- | 21 || 24 || @ Pittsburgh Penguins || 5 – 3 || 9–11–1 |- | 22 || 25 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 4 – 3 || 9–12–1 |- | 23 || 28 || Minnesota North Stars || 4 – 4 || 9–12–2 |- | 24 || 29 || @ Buffalo Sabres || 2 – 1 || 9–13–2 |- y background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#0161AB 2px solid; border-bottom:#E6393F 2px solid; December: 8–2–3 (home: 3–1–3; road: 5–1–0) Game December Opponent Score Record |- | 25 || 1 || @ St. Louis Blues || 2 – 0 || 10–13–2 |- | 26 || 3 || Montreal Canadiens || 3 – 3 || 10–13–3 |- | 27 || 5 || Chicago Black Hawks || 3 – 3 || 10–13–4 |- | 28 || 7 || @ Hartford Whalers || 7 – 4 || 11–13–4 |- | 29 || 9 || New York Islanders || 5 – 4 || 12–13–4 |- | 30 || 11 || @ Detroit Red Wings || 2 – 1 || 13–13–4 |- | 31 || 12 || @ Chicago Black Hawks || 5 – 2 || 14–13–4 |- | 32 || 15 || @ Washington Capitals || 5 – 4 || 14–14–4 |- | 33 || 16 || Philadelphia Flyers || 1 – 1 || 14–14–5 |- | 34 || 19 || Vancouver Canucks || 5 – 3 || 15–14–5 |- | 35 || 22 || @ Pittsburgh Penguins || 4 – 3 || 16–14–5 |- | 36 || 23 || Boston Bruins || 4 – 3 || 16–15–5 |- | 37 || 30 || Washington Capitals || 5 – 2 || 17–15–5 |- y background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#0161AB 2px solid; border-bottom:#E6393F 2px solid; January: 6–5–4 (home: 2–2–2; road: 4–3–2) Game January Opponent Score Record |- | 38 || 2 || @ Quebec Nordiques || 3 – 3 || 17–15–6 |- | 39 || 4 || Philadelphia Flyers || 5 – 3 || 17–16–6 |- | 40 || 6 || Atlanta Flames || 5 – 5 || 17–16–7 |- | 41 || 7 || Hartford Whalers || 5 – 2 || 18–16–7 |- | 42 || 9 || @ Detroit Red Wings || 4 – 0 || 18–17–7 |- | 43 || 11 || @ Edmonton Oilers || 6 – 2 || 19–17–7 |- | 44 || 12 || @ Winnipeg Jets || 3 – 0 || 20–17–7 |- | 45 || 14 || Colorado Rockies || 6 – 6 || 20–17–8 |- | 46 || 16 || Winnipeg Jets || 4 – 1 || 21–17–8 |- | 47 || 19 || @ Boston Bruins || 6 – 3 || 21–18–8 |- | 48 || 20 || Chicago Black Hawks || 2 – 1 || 21–19–8 |- | 49 || 22 || @ Los Angeles Kings || 5 – 4 || 22–19–8 |- | 50 || 23 || @ Vancouver Canucks || 6 – 4 || 23–19–8 |- | 51 || 27 || @ Colorado Rockies || 3 – 3 || 23–19–9 |- | 52 || 31 || @ Buffalo Sabres || 6 – 2 || 23–20–9 |- y background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#0161AB 2px solid; border-bottom:#E6393F 2px solid; February: 6–5–0 (home: 4–1–0; road: 2–4–0) Game February Opponent Score Record |- | 53 || 2 || @ Washington Capitals || 6 – 3 || 24–20–9 |- | 54 || 3 || @ Quebec Nordiques || 5 – 4 || 24–21–9 |- | 55 || 10 || Quebec Nordiques || 3 – 1 || 25–21–9 |- | 56 || 13 || @ Chicago Black Hawks || 3 – 1 || 25–22–9 |- | 57 || 17 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 6 – 4 || 25–23–9 |- | 58 || 18 || @ Hartford Whalers || 6 – 4 || 25–24–9 |- | 59 || 20 || Edmonton Oilers || 4 – 1 || 26–24–9 |- | 60 || 23 || @ Minnesota North Stars || 6 – 3 || 26–25–9 |- | 61 || 24 || New York Islanders || 8 – 2 || 27–25–9 |- | 62 || 27 || Los Angeles Kings || 5 – 4 || 28–25–9 |- | 63 || 28 || @ Boston Bruins || 5 – 2 || 29–25–9 |- y background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#0161AB 2px solid; border-bottom:#E6393F 2px solid; March: 8–5–1 (home: 6–1–1; road: 2–4–0) Game March Opponent Score Record |- | 64 || 2 || Boston Bruins || 2 – 1 || 30–25–9 |- | 65 || 5 || Buffalo Sabres || 4 – 2 || 31–25–9 |- | 66 || 8 || @ Montreal Canadiens || 5 – 2 || 31–26–9 |- | 67 || 9 || Minnesota North Stars || 4 – 2 || 32–26–9 |- | 68 || 12 || Colorado Rockies || 6 – 0 || 33–26–9 |- | 69 || 15 || @ Toronto Maple Leafs || 8 – 4 || 34–26–9 |- | 70 || 16 || St. Louis Blues || 5 – 2 || 35–26–9 |- | 71 || 19 || @ Edmonton Oilers || 4 – 2 || 35–27–9 |- | 72 || 21 || @ Winnipeg Jets || 4 – 2 || 35–28–9 |- | 73 || 23 || Montreal Canadiens || 6 – 1 || 35–29–9 |- | 74 || 25 || Buffalo Sabres || 3 – 3 || 35–29–10 |- | 75 || 28 || @ Atlanta Flames || 4 – 2 || 35–30–10 |- | 76 || 29 || @ St. Louis Blues || 4 – 3 || 36–30–10 |- | 77 || 31 || Detroit Red Wings || 7 – 5 || 37–30–10 |- y background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#0161AB 2px solid; border-bottom:#E6393F 2px solid; April: 1–2–0 (home: 0–1–0; road: 1–1–0) Game April Opponent Score Record |- | 78 || 2 || Atlanta Flames || 7 – 3 || 37–31–10 |- | 79 || 5 || @ New York Islanders || 2 – 1 || 37–32–10 |- | 80 || 6 || @ Philadelphia Flyers || 8 – 3 || 38–32–10 |- |- | Legend: #cfc Win (2 points) 1px solid black #fcc Loss (0 points) 1px solid black #ffc Tie (1 point) 1px solid black Playoffs 1980 Stanley Cup playoffs background:#fff; border-top:#0161AB 5px solid; border-bottom:#E6393F 5px solid; 1980 Stanley Cup playoffs y background:#fff; border-top:#0161AB 2px solid; border-bottom:#E6393F 2px solid; Preliminary round vs. (9) Atlanta Flames – Rangers win 3–1 Game Date Visitor Score Home OT Series |- | 1 || April 8 || Atlanta Flames || 1 – 2 || New York Rangers || OT || New York Rangers lead series 1-0 |- | 2 || April 9 || Atlanta Flames || 1 – 5 || New York Rangers || || New York Rangers lead series 2-0 |- | 3 || April 11 || New York Rangers || 2 – 4 || Atlanta Flames || || New York Rangers lead series 2-1 |- | 4 || April 12 || New York Rangers || 5 – 2 || Atlanta Flames || || New York Rangers win series 3-1 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#0161AB 2px solid; border-bottom:#E6393F 2px solid; Quarterfinals vs. (1) Philadelphia Flyers – Flyers win 4–1 Game Date Visitor Score Home OT Series |- | 1 || April 16 || New York Rangers || 1 – 2 || Philadelphia Flyers || || Philadelphia leads series 1-0 |- | 2 || April 17 || New York Rangers || 1 – 4 || Philadelphia Flyers || || Philadelphia leads series 2-0 |- | 3 || April 19 || Philadelphia Flyers || 3 – 0 || New York Rangers || || Philadelphia leads series 3-0 |- | 4 || April 20 || Philadelphia Flyers || 2 – 4 || New York Rangers || || Philadelphia leads series 3-1 |- | 5 || April 22 || New York Rangers || 1 – 3 || Philadelphia Flyers || || Philadelphia wins series 4-1 |- |- | Legend: #cfc Win 1px solid black #fcc Loss 1px solid black Player statistics Skaters Regular season Player GP Games played G Goals A Assists Pts Points +/- Plus/minus PIM Penalty minutes Phil Esposito 80 34 44 78 -13 73 Don Maloney 79 25 48 73 -15 97 Anders Hedberg 80 32 39 71 13 21 Steve Vickers Steve Vickers (ice hockey) 75 29 33 62 20 38 Barry Beck† 61 14 45 59 16 98 Ron Greschner 76 21 37 58 -11 103 Ulf Nilsson Ulf Nilsson (ice hockey) 50 14 44 58 15 20 Ron Duguay 73 28 22 50 -6 37 Don Murdoch‡ 56 23 19 42 -11 16 Walt Tkaczuk 76 12 25 37 19 36 Dave Maloney 77 12 25 37 10 186 Ed Johnstone 78 14 21 35 3 60 Mario Marois 79 8 23 31 0 142 Dean Talafous 55 10 20 30 1 26 Carol Vadnais 66 3 20 23 -1 118 Warren Miller Warren Miller (ice hockey) 55 7 6 13 -6 17 Claude Larose Claude Larose (ice hockey b. 1955) 25 4 7 11 -5 2 Doug Sulliman 31 4 7 11 0 2 Tim Bothwell 45 4 6 10 -3 20 Mike McEwen Mike McEwen (ice hockey)‡ 9 1 7 8 3 8 Jocelyn Guevremont 20 2 5 7 -12 6 Pat Conacher 17 0 5 5 -10 4 Lucien DeBlois‡ 6 3 1 4 -1 7 Pat Hickey Pat Hickey (ice hockey)‡ 7 2 2 4 -1 10 Cam Connor† 12 0 3 3 3 37 Ray Markham 14 1 1 2 -3 21 Frank Beaton 23 1 1 2 -5 43 Ed Hospodar 20 0 1 1 -2 76 Andre Dore 2 0 0 0 -1 0 Dave Silk 2 0 0 0 1 0 Jim Mayer Jim Mayer (ice hockey) 4 0 0 0 1 0 Bill Lochead 7 0 0 0 -5 4 Playoffs Player GP Games played G Goals A Assists Pts Points PIM Penalty minutes Ron Duguay 9 5 2 7 11 Ulf Nilsson Ulf Nilsson (ice hockey) 9 0 6 6 2 Ron Greschner 9 0 6 6 10 Phil Esposito 9 3 3 6 8 Barry Beck 9 1 4 5 6 Anders Hedberg 9 3 2 5 7 Steve Vickers Steve Vickers (ice hockey) 9 2 2 4 4 Don Maloney 9 0 4 4 10 Carol Vadnais 9 1 2 3 6 Dean Talafous 5 1 2 3 9 Dave Maloney 8 2 1 3 8 Mario Marois 9 0 2 2 8 Ed Hospodar 7 1 0 1 42 Ray Markham 7 1 0 1 24 Pat Conacher 3 0 1 1 2 Warren Miller Warren Miller (ice hockey) 6 1 0 1 0 Ed Johnstone 9 0 1 1 25 Walt Tkaczuk 7 0 1 1 2 Cam Connor 2 0 0 0 2 Tim Bothwell 9 0 0 0 8 Goaltenders Goaltenders Regular season Player GP Games played TOI Time on ice W Win L Loss T Tie GA Goals against GAA Goals against average SO Shutouts John Davidson John Davidson (ice hockey) 41 2306 20 15 4 122 3.17 2 Steve Baker Steve Baker (ice hockey) 27 1391 9 8 6 79 3.41 1 Wayne Thomas Wayne Thomas (ice hockey) 12 668 4 7 0 44 3.95 0 Doug Soetaert 8 435 5 2 0 33 4.55 0 Playoffs Player GP Games played TOI Time on ice W Win L Loss GA Goals against GAA Goals against average SO Shutouts John Davidson John Davidson (ice hockey) 9 541 4 5 21 2.33 0 †Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Rangers. Stats reflect time with Rangers only. ‡Traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with Rangers only. hockeydb.com 2010-08-08 1979-80 New York Rangers https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0000481980.html Draft picks New York's picks at the 1979 NHL entry draft in Montreal, Canada. Round # Player Position Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League) 1 13 Doug Sulliman LW Canada Kitchener Rangers (OHA) 2 34 Ed Hospodar D United States Ottawa 67's (OHA) 4 76 Pat Conacher C Canada Saskatoon Blades (WCHL) 5 97 Dan Makuch RW Canada Clarkson University (NCAA) 6 118 Stan Adams C Canada Niagara Falls Flyers (OHA) References External links Rangers on Hockey Database 1979-80 Category:1979–80 NHL season by team Category:1979 in sports in New York City Category:1980 in sports in New York City 1979-80 New York Rangers season