1971–72 New York Rangers season

NHL hockey team season March 2026 August 2023 NHL 1971–72 1971 New York Rangers East 2nd 48–17–13 26–6–7 22–11–6 317 192 Emile Francis Emile Francis Vic Hadfield Jim NeilsonRod Gilbert Madison Square Garden Vic Hadfield (50) Jean Ratelle (63) Jean Ratelle (109) Vic Hadfield (142) Gilles Villemure, Ed Giacomin (24) Gilles Villemure (2.09) The 1971–72 New York Rangers season was the franchise's 46th season. Jean Ratelle, Vic Hadfield, and Rod Gilbert ranked third, fourth and fifth overall in league scoring.National Hockey League Official Guide and Record Book 2006, p.162, Dan Diamond & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 0-920445-98-5 The Rangers qualified for the postseason for the sixth consecutive season. The club made its first appearance in the Stanley Cup Final since 1950 but lost in six games to the Boston Bruins. 2 Regular season Final standings NYR Record vs. opponents NYR Schedule and results background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#0161AB 5px solid; border-bottom:#E6393F 5px solid; 1971–72 regular season1971-72 New York Rangers Schedule https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/NYR/1972_games.html Hockey-Reference.com March 31, 2025 y background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#0161AB 2px solid; border-bottom:#E6393F 2px solid; October: 6–1–4 (home: 3–1–2; road: 3–0–2) Game October Opponent Score Record |- | 1 || 9 || @ Montreal Canadiens || 4–4 || 0–0–1 |- | 2 || 10 || @ Boston Bruins || 4–1 || 1–0–1 |- | 3 || 13 || Boston Bruins || 6–1 || 1–1–1 |- | 4 || 16 || @ Toronto Maple Leafs || 5–3 || 2–1–1 |- | 5 || 17 || Montreal Canadiens || 8–4 || 3–1–1 |- | 6 || 20 || Chicago Black Hawks || 3–1 || 4–1–1 |- | 7 || 23 || @ St. Louis Blues || 4–3 || 5–1–1 |- | 8 || 24 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 1–1 || 5–1–2 |- | 9 || 27 || Detroit Red Wings || 7–4 || 6–1–2 |- | 10 || 30 || @ Pittsburgh Penguins || 1–1 || 6–1–3 |- | 11 || 31 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 3–3 || 6–1–4 |- y background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#0161AB 2px solid; border-bottom:#E6393F 2px solid; November: 9–2–0 (home: 5–0–0; road: 4–2–0) Game November Opponent Score Record |- | 12 || 3 || @ Los Angeles Kings || 7–1 || 7–1–4 |- | 13 || 5 || @ California Golden Seals || 8–1 || 8–1–4 |- | 14 || 6 || @ Vancouver Canucks || 3–1 || 9–1–4 |- | 15 || 10 || Los Angeles Kings || 7–1 || 10–1–4 |- | 16 || 13 || Buffalo Sabres || 5–2 || 11–1–4 |- | 17 || 14 || Vancouver Canucks || 6–1 || 12–1–4 |- | 18 || 20 || @ Minnesota North Stars || 4–1 || 12–2–4 |- | 19 || 21 || California Golden Seals || 12–1 || 13–2–4 |- | 20 || 24 || St. Louis Blues || 8–3 || 14–2–4 |- | 21 || 27 || @ Detroit Red Wings || 3–1 || 14–3–4 |- | 22 || 28 || @ Philadelphia Flyers || 4–2 || 15–3–4 |- y background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#0161AB 2px solid; border-bottom:#E6393F 2px solid; December: 10–2–2 (home: 7–0–1; road: 3–2–1) Game December Opponent Score Record |- | 23 || 1 || Buffalo Sabres || 7–2 || 16–3–4 |- | 24 || 4 || @ Pittsburgh Penguins || 4–2 || 16–4–4 |- | 25 || 5 || Vancouver Canucks || 6–3 || 17–4–4 |- | 26 || 8 || @ Chicago Black Hawks || 2–2 || 17–4–5 |- | 27 || 9 || @ Philadelphia Flyers || 5–0 || 18–4–5 |- | 28 || 12 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 6–1 || 19–4–5 |- | 29 || 15 || Philadelphia Flyers || 6–2 || 20–4–5 |- | 30 || 16 || @ Boston Bruins || 8–1 || 20–5–5 |- | 31 || 18 || @ St. Louis Blues || 5–2 || 21–5–5 |- | 32 || 19 || Minnesota North Stars || 1–1 || 21–5–6 |- | 33 || 22 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 4–2 || 22–5–6 |- | 34 || 25 || @ Minnesota North Stars || 2–1 || 23–5–6 |- | 35 || 26 || Montreal Canadiens || 5–1 || 24–5–6 |- | 36 || 29 || Philadelphia Flyers || 5–1 || 25–5–6 |- y background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#0161AB 2px solid; border-bottom:#E6393F 2px solid; January: 6–4–2 (home: 3–1–1; road: 3–3–1) Game January Opponent Score Record |- | 37 || 2 || Boston Bruins || 4–1 || 25–6–6 |- | 38 || 5 || St. Louis Blues || 9–1 || 26–6–6 |- | 39 || 9 || Los Angeles Kings || 8–0 || 27–6–6 |- | 40 || 12 || @ Chicago Black Hawks || 5–5 || 27–6–7 |- | 41 || 13 || @ Buffalo Sabres || 5–2 || 28–6–7 |- | 42 || 15 || @ Toronto Maple Leafs || 4–3 || 28–7–7 |- | 43 || 19 || @ Los Angeles Kings || 5–1 || 29–7–7 |- | 44 || 21 || @ California Golden Seals || 5–0 || 30–7–7 |- | 45 || 22 || @ Vancouver Canucks || 5–2 || 30–8–7 |- | 46 || 26 || Buffalo Sabres || 5–1 || 31–8–7 |- | 47 || 29 || @ Minnesota North Stars || 4–2 || 31–9–7 |- | 48 || 30 || Minnesota North Stars || 1–1 || 31–9–8 |- y background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#0161AB 2px solid; border-bottom:#E6393F 2px solid; February: 10–2–2 (home: 5–1–1; road: 5–1–1) Game February Opponent Score Record |- | 49 || 2 || Boston Bruins || 2–0 || 31–10–8 |- | 50 || 3 || @ Buffalo Sabres || 4–2 || 32–10–8 |- | 51 || 5 || @ St. Louis Blues || 6–5 || 32–11–8 |- | 52 || 6 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 2–2 || 32–11–9 |- | 53 || 9 || Chicago Black Hawks || 4–1 || 33–11–9 |- | 54 || 12 || @ Pittsburgh Penguins || 8–3 || 34–11–9 |- | 55 || 13 || Los Angeles Kings || 4–2 || 35–11–9 |- | 56 || 15 || @ Vancouver Canucks || 5–1 || 36–11–9 |- | 57 || 17 || @ Los Angeles Kings || 6–4 || 37–11–9 |- | 58 || 18 || @ California Golden Seals || 2–2 || 37–11–10 |- | 59 || 20 || Detroit Red Wings || 4–3 || 38–11–10 |- | 60 || 22 || @ Montreal Canadiens || 7–3 || 39–11–10 |- | 61 || 23 || Philadelphia Flyers || 4–3 || 40–11–10 |- | 62 || 27 || St. Louis Blues || 2–0 || 41–11–10 |- y background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#0161AB 2px solid; border-bottom:#E6393F 2px solid; March: 7–4–3 (home: 3–2–2; road: 4–2–1) Game March Opponent Score Record |- | 63 || 1 || California Golden Seals || 4–1 || 42–11–10 |- | 64 || 2 || @ Buffalo Sabres || 4–3 || 43–11–10 |- | 65 || 5 || Vancouver Canucks || 6–1 || 44–11–10 |- | 66 || 8 || Chicago Black Hawks || 3–3 || 44–11–11 |- | 67 || 11 || @ Detroit Red Wings || 4–2 || 45–11–11 |- | 68 || 12 || California Golden Seals || 7–3 || 45–12–11 |- | 69 || 15 || @ Chicago Black Hawks || 3–1 || 45–13–11 |- | 70 || 16 || @ Detroit Red Wings || 2–1 || 46–13–11 |- | 71 || 18 || @ Philadelphia Flyers || 5–3 || 47–13–11 |- | 72 || 19 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 5–3 || 48–13–11 |- | 73 || 23 || @ Boston Bruins || 4–1 || 48–14–11 |- | 74 || 25 || @ Montreal Canadiens || 3–3 || 48–14–12 |- | 75 || 26 || Minnesota North Stars || 5–0 || 48–15–12 |- | 76 || 29 || Detroit Red Wings || 2–2 || 48–15–13 |- y background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#0161AB 2px solid; border-bottom:#E6393F 2px solid; April: 0–2–0 (home: 0–1–0; road: 0–1–0) Game April Opponent Score Record |- | 77 || 1 || @ Toronto Maple Leafs || 2–1 || 48–16–13 |- | 78 || 2 || Montreal Canadiens || 6–5 || 48–17–13 |- |- | Legend: #cfc Win (2 points) 1px solid black #fcc Loss (0 points) 1px solid black #ffc Tie (1 point) 1px solid black Playoffs 1972 Stanley Cup playoffs 1972 Stanley Cup Final background:#fff; border-top:#0161AB 5px solid; border-bottom:#E6393F 5px solid; 1972 Stanley Cup playoffs y background:#fff; border-top:#0161AB 2px solid; border-bottom:#E6393F 2px solid; Quarterfinals vs. (E3) Montreal Canadiens – Rangers win 4–2 Game Date Visitor Score Home OT Series |- | 1 || April 5 || Montreal Canadiens || 2–3 || New York Rangers || || New York Rangers lead series 1–0 |- | 2 || April 6 || Montreal Canadiens || 2–5 || New York Rangers || || New York Rangers lead series 2–0 |- | 3 || April 8 || New York Rangers || 1–2 || Montreal Canadiens || || New York Rangers lead series 2–1 |- | 4 || April 9 || New York Rangers || 6–4 || Montreal Canadiens || || New York Rangers lead series 3–1 |- | 5 || April 11 || Montreal Canadiens || 2–1 || New York Rangers || || New York Rangers lead series 3–2 |- | 6 || April 13 || New York Rangers || 3–2 || Montreal Canadiens || || New York Rangers win series 4–2 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#0161AB 2px solid; border-bottom:#E6393F 2px solid; Semifinals vs. (W1) Chicago Black Hawks – Rangers win 4–0 Game Date Visitor Score Home OT Series |- | 1 || April 16 || New York Rangers || 3–2 || Chicago Black Hawks || || New York Rangers lead series 1–0 |- | 2 || April 18 || New York Rangers || 5–3 || Chicago Black Hawks || || New York Rangers lead series 2–0 |- | 3 || April 20 || Chicago Black Hawks || 2–3 || New York Rangers || || New York Rangers lead series 3–0 |- | 4 || April 23 || Chicago Black Hawks || 2–6 || New York Rangers || || New York Rangers win series 4–0 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#0161AB 2px solid; border-bottom:#E6393F 2px solid; Stanley Cup Finals vs. (E1) Boston Bruins – Bruins win 4–2 Game Date Visitor Score Home OT Series |- | 1 || April 30 || New York Rangers || 5–6 || Boston Bruins || || Boston leads series 1–0 |- | 2 || May 2 || New York Rangers || 1–2 || Boston Bruins || || Boston leads series 2–0 |- | 3 || May 4 || Boston Bruins || 2–5 || New York Rangers || || Boston leads series 2–1 |- | 4 || May 7 || Boston Bruins || 3–2 || New York Rangers || || Boston leads series 3–1 |- | 5 || May 9 || New York Rangers || 3–2 || Boston Bruins || || Boston leads series 3–2 |- | 6 || May 11 || Boston Bruins || 3–0 || New York Rangers || || Boston wins series 4–2 |- |- | 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 PIM Penalty minutes Jean Ratelle 63 46 63 109 4 Vic Hadfield 78 50 56 106 142 Rod Gilbert 73 43 54 97 64 Brad Park 75 24 49 73 130 Walt Tkaczuk 76 24 42 66 65 Bill Fairbairn 78 22 37 59 53 Bobby Rousseau 78 21 36 57 12 Rod Seiling 78 5 36 41 62 Bruce MacGregor 75 19 21 40 22 Jim Neilson 78 7 30 37 56 Ted Irvine 78 15 21 36 66 Pete Stemkowski 59 11 17 28 53 Gene Carr Gene Carr (ice hockey)† 60 8 8 16 25 Dale Rolfe 68 2 14 16 67 Glen Sather 76 5 9 14 77 Ab DeMarco Ab DeMarco Jr. 48 4 7 11 4 Gary Doak† 50 1 10 11 54 Dave Balon‡ 16 4 5 9 2 Pierre Jarry‡ 34 3 3 6 20 Phil Goyette† 8 1 4 5 0 Jack Egers‡ 17 2 1 3 14 Ron Stewart† 13 0 2 2 2 Norm Gratton 3 0 1 1 0 Mike McMahon Mike McMahon Jr. 1 0 0 0 0 Jim Dorey† 1 0 0 0 0 Tom Williams Tom Williams (ice hockey b. 1951) 3 0 0 0 2 Jim Lorentz†‡ 7 0 0 0 0 Playoffs Player GP Games played G Goals A Assists Pts Points PIM Penalty minutes Bobby Rousseau 16 6 11 17 7 Vic Hadfield 16 7 9 16 22 Rod Gilbert 16 7 8 15 11 Pete Stemkowski 16 4 8 12 18 Bill Fairbairn 16 5 7 12 11 Brad Park 16 4 7 11 21 Walt Tkaczuk 16 4 6 10 35 Ted Irvine 16 4 5 9 19 Bruce MacGregor 16 2 6 8 4 Dale Rolfe 16 4 3 7 16 Rod Seiling 16 1 4 5 10 Phil Goyette 13 1 3 4 2 Gene Carr Gene Carr (ice hockey) 16 1 3 4 21 Ron Stewart 8 2 1 3 0 Jim Neilson 10 0 3 3 8 Ab DeMarco Ab DeMarco Jr. 4 0 1 1 0 Glen Sather 16 0 1 1 22 Jean Ratelle 6 0 1 1 0 Jim Dorey 1 0 0 0 0 Steve Andrascik 1 0 0 0 0 Gary Doak 12 0 0 0 46 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 Ed Giacomin 44 2551 24 10 9 115 2.70 1 Gilles Villemure 37 2129 24 7 4 74 2.09 3 Playoffs Player GP Games played TOI Time on ice W Win L Loss GA Goals against GAA Goals against average SO Shutouts Ed Giacomin 10 600 6 4 27 2.70 0 Gilles Villemure 6 360 4 2 14 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 1971–72 New York Rangers http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0000481972.html Draft picks New York's picks at the 1971 NHL amateur draft in Montreal, Canada. Round # Player Position Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League) 1 10 Steve Vickers LW Canada Toronto Marlboros (OHA) 1 13 Steve Durbano D Canada Toronto Marlboros (OHA) 2 27 Tom Williams LW Canada Hamilton Red Wings (OHA) 3 41 Terry West C Canada London Knights (OHA) 4 55 Jerry Butler RW Canada Hamilton Red Wings (OHA) 5 69 Fraser Robertson D Canada Lethbridge Sugar Kings (AJHL) 6 83 Wayne Wood G Canada Montreal Junior Canadiens (OHA) 7 96 Doug Keeler C Canada Ottawa 67's (OHA) 7 97 Jean-Denis Royal D Canada Saint-Jerome Alouettes (QMJHL) 8 109 Gene Sobchuk LW Canada Regina Pats (WCHL) 9 110 Jim Ivison D Canada Brandon Wheat Kings (WCHL) 10 111 Andre Peloffy C France Rosemont National (QMJHL) 11 112 Elston Evoy C Canada Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (NOHA) 12 114 Gerry Lecomte D Canada Sherbrooke Beavers (QMJHL) 13 115 Wayne Forsey LW Canada Swift Current Broncos (WCHL) 14 116 Bill Forrest D Canada Hamilton Red Wings (OHA) References External links Rangers on Hockey Database 1971-72 Category:1971–72 NHL season by team Category:1971 in sports in New York City Category:1972 in sports in New York City 1971-72 New York Rangers season