1997–98 New York Rangers season

The 1997–98 New York Rangers season was the franchise's 72nd season. The Rangers posted a 25–39–18 regular season record, finishing in fifth place in the Atlantic Division. New York missed the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since the 1992–93 season.

The Rangers fired head coach Colin Campbell mid-season and replaced him with former Edmonton Oilers Stanley Cup-winning coach John Muckler. This was also the first season since the 1990–91 season that the Rangers did not have Mark Messier; after a contentious negotiating period, the Rangers elected not to re-sign Messier and he instead joined the Vancouver Canucks.

Regular season The Rangers were the only team in the league not to score a short-handed goal.

Final standings

Schedule and results

| 1 || October 3, 1997 || New York Islanders || 2–2 OT || 0–0–1 ||

| 2 || October 5, 1997 || Los Angeles Kings || 2–2 OT || 0–0–2 ||

| 3 || October 8, 1997 || @ Edmonton Oilers || 3–3 OT || 0–0–3 ||

| 4 || October 9, 1997 || @ Calgary Flames || 1–1 OT || 0–0–4 ||

| 5 || October 11, 1997 || @ Vancouver Canucks || 6–3 || 1–0–4 ||

| 6 || October 14, 1997 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 1–0 || 1–1–4 ||

| 7 || October 15, 1997 || @ Ottawa Senators || 5–1 || 1–2–4 ||

| 8 || October 18, 1997 || @ St. Louis Blues || 5–3 || 1–3–4 ||

| 9 || October 20, 1997 || Carolina Hurricanes || 4–2 || 2–3–4 ||

| 10 || October 22, 1997 || Chicago Blackhawks || 1–0 || 2–4–4 ||

| 11 || October 24, 1997 || Tampa Bay Lightning || 4–3 || 3–4–4 ||

| 12 || October 26, 1997 || Mighty Ducks of Anaheim || 3–3 OT || 3–4–5 ||

| 13 || October 28, 1997 || Dallas Stars || 3–2 || 3–5–5 ||

| 14 || October 30, 1997 || @ New York Islanders || 5–3 || 3–6–5 ||

| 15 || November 3, 1997 || Edmonton Oilers || 2–2 OT || 3–6–6 ||

| 16 || November 5, 1997 || @ Colorado Avalanche || 4–2 || 4–6–6 ||

| 17 || November 7, 1997 || @ Dallas Stars || 2–2 OT || 4–6–7 ||

| 18 || November 12, 1997 || New Jersey Devils || 3–2 || 4–7–7 ||

| 19 || November 14, 1997 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 3–1 || 5–7–7 ||

| 20 || November 16, 1997 || Colorado Avalanche || 4–1 || 6–7–7 ||

| 21 || November 18, 1997 || @ Florida Panthers || 3–1 || 7–7–7 ||

| 22 || November 19, 1997 || @ Tampa Bay Lightning || 6–3 || 7–8–7 ||

| 23 || November 21, 1997 || @ Carolina Hurricanes || 4–3 || 8–8–7 ||

| 24 || November 22, 1997 || @ Pittsburgh Penguins || 4–3 OT || 8–9–7 ||

| 25 || November 25, 1997 || Vancouver Canucks || 4–2 || 8–10–7 ||

| 26 || November 26, 1997 || @ New York Islanders || 4–1 || 8–11–7 ||

| 27 || November 28, 1997 || @ Buffalo Sabres || 3–3 OT || 8–11–8 ||

| 28 || November 30, 1997 || Florida Panthers || 1–1 OT || 8–11–9 ||

| 29 || December 2, 1997 || Washington Capitals || 3–2 OT || 8–12–9 ||

| 30 || December 5, 1997 || Philadelphia Flyers || 4–4 OT || 8–12–10 ||

| 31 || December 6, 1997 || @ Montreal Canadiens || 3–3 OT || 8–12–11 ||

| 32 || December 8, 1997 || Phoenix Coyotes || 3–1 || 9–12–11 ||

| 33 || December 10, 1997 || Calgary Flames || 4–1 || 9–13–11 ||

| 34 || December 12, 1997 || Florida Panthers || 4–3 || 9–14–11 ||

| 35 || December 16, 1997 || @ New Jersey Devils || 4–3 || 9–15–11 ||

| 36 || December 17, 1997 || @ Florida Panthers || 4–2 || 10–15–11 ||

| 37 || December 20, 1997 || @ Tampa Bay Lightning || 2–2 OT || 10–15–12 ||

| 38 || December 21, 1997 || Buffalo Sabres || 2–0 || 10–16–12 ||

| 39 || December 23, 1997 || Tampa Bay Lightning || 4–1 || 11–16–12 ||

| 40 || December 26, 1997 || @ Buffalo Sabres || 3–0 || 11–17–12 ||

| 41 || December 28, 1997 || Boston Bruins || 4–3 || 12–17–12 ||

| 42 || December 31, 1997 || @ Tampa Bay Lightning || 2–0 || 12–18–12 ||

| 43 || January 3, 1998 || @ Washington Capitals || 3–2 || 13–18–12 ||

| 44 || January 6, 1998 || Carolina Hurricanes || 4–2 || 14–18–12 ||

| 45 || January 8, 1998 || Washington Capitals || 5–3 || 14–19–12 ||

| 46 || January 12, 1998 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 3–2 || 15–19–12 ||

| 47 || January 14, 1998 || @ New Jersey Devils || 4–1 || 15–20–12 ||

| 48 || January 20, 1998 || St. Louis Blues || 3–1 || 16–20–12 ||

| 49 || January 22, 1998 || Philadelphia Flyers || 4–3 || 16–21–12 ||

| 50 || January 24, 1998 || New Jersey Devils || 3–3 OT || 16–21–13 ||

| 51 || January 26, 1998 || Washington Capitals || 2–2 OT || 16–21–14 ||

| 52 || January 29, 1998 || @ Ottawa Senators || 2–2 OT || 16–21–15 ||

| 53 || January 31, 1998 || @ Boston Bruins || 4–2 || 16–22–15 ||

| 54 || February 2, 1998 || @ San Jose Sharks || 3–2 || 17–22–15 ||

| 55 || February 4, 1998 || @ Mighty Ducks of Anaheim || 3–2 || 17–23–15 ||

| 56 || February 5, 1998 || @ Los Angeles Kings || 3–1 || 17–24–15 ||

| 57 || February 7, 1998 || @ Phoenix Coyotes || 1–1 OT || 17–24–16 ||

| 58 || February 26, 1998 || @ Toronto Maple Leafs || 5–2 || 18–24–16 ||

| 59 || February 28, 1998 || Philadelphia Flyers || 3–1 || 18–25–16 ||

| 60 || March 2, 1998 || Buffalo Sabres || 1–0 || 18–26–16 ||

| 61 || March 4, 1998 || @ Florida Panthers || 4–3 || 19–26–16 ||

| 62 || March 7, 1998 || @ New Jersey Devils || 6–3 || 19–27–16 ||

| 63 || March 9, 1998 || New Jersey Devils || 2–2 OT || 19–27–17 ||

| 64 || March 11, 1998 || San Jose Sharks || 5–3 || 20–27–17 ||

| 65 || March 12, 1998 || @ Montreal Canadiens || 4–1 || 20–28–17 ||

| 66 || March 14, 1998 || @ Boston Bruins || 5–1 || 20–29–17 ||

| 67 || March 16, 1998 || Ottawa Senators || 5–4 || 21–29–17 ||

| 68 || March 18, 1998 || Montreal Canadiens || 2–1 OT || 22–29–17 ||

| 69 || March 21, 1998 || Detroit Red Wings || 4–3 || 22–30–17 ||

| 70 || March 22, 1998 || @ Philadelphia Flyers || 5–4 OT || 22–31–17 ||

| 71 || March 25, 1998 || Ottawa Senators || 3–2 OT || 22–32–17 ||

| 72 || March 26, 1998 || @ Carolina Hurricanes || 4–1 || 22–33–17 ||

| 73 || March 28, 1998 || @ Pittsburgh Penguins || 2–2 OT || 22–33–18 ||

| 74 || March 30, 1998 || Tampa Bay Lightning || 3–1 || 22–34–18 ||

| 75 || April 1, 1998 || Boston Bruins || 4–2 || 22–35–18 ||

| 76 || April 4, 1998 || @ New York Islanders || 3–0 || 22–36–18 ||

| 77 || April 5, 1998 || @ Chicago Blackhawks || 2–1 OT || 23–36–18 ||

| 78 || April 7, 1998 || Montreal Canadiens || 3–2 || 23–37–18 ||

| 79 || April 11, 1998 || @ Detroit Red Wings || 5–2 || 23–38–18 ||

| 80 || April 14, 1998 || @ Washington Capitals || 3–1 || 23–39–18 ||

| 81 || April 15, 1998 || New York Islanders || 4–2 || 24–39–18 ||

| 82 || April 18, 1998 || @ Philadelphia Flyers || 2–1 || 25–39–18 ||

Legend:

Player statistics

Scoring Position abbreviations: C = Center; D = Defense; G = Goaltender; LW = Left wing; RW = Right wing = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Rangers only. = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Rangers only. Player Regular season 99 C 82 23 67 90 −11 28 16 C 67 23 39 62 −16 36 27 LW 73 23 30 53 −22 44 2 D 76 17 33 50 −36 32 24 RW 70 19 28 47 0 24 17 LW 80 14 27 41 −7 130 9 LW 72 23 12 35 −30 41 37 RW 56 11 18 29 7 26 33 D 75 5 15 20 −3 46 12 RW 70 8 10 18 −12 47 5 D 73 3 9 12 1 122 20 C 59 5 6 11 −4 39 32 C 48 5 5 10 −2 16 25 D 47 3 7 10 −1 38 18 C 67 1 9 10 −15 55 26 D 63 1 6 7 −3 55 15 LW 70 3 3 6 0 197 10 C 28 1 5 6 −4 4 28 C 38 2 3 5 4 114 23 D 63 0 5 5 −25 195 39 RW 15 2 2 4 −10 6 21 LW 38 1 3 4 4 28 6 D 36 0 4 4 2 24 29 D 39 0 3 3 −3 92 36 LW 11 2 0 2 −4 4 14 D 15 1 1 2 −4 6 8 RW 16 1 0 1 −2 38 4 D 6 0 1 1 1 2 35 G 72 0 1 1 2 30 D 1 0 0 0 0 5 34 G 12 0 0 0 19 12 RW 12 0 0 0 −5 7 14 RW 1 0 0 0 −2 2 31 G 6 0 0 0 10 36 LW 3 0 0 0 0 2 8 RW 1 0 0 0 0 0 38 D 1 0 0 0 0 0 32 C 2 0 0 0 −1 0

Goaltending = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Rangers only. Player Regular season 35 Mike Richter 72 21 31 15 1888 184 2.66 .903 0 4143 34 Dan Cloutier 12 4 5 1 248 23 2.50 .907 0 551 31 Jason Muzzatti 6 0 3 2 156 17 3.26 .891 0 313 Sources:

Awards and records

Awards TypeAward/honorRecipientRef League(annual) NHL Second All-Star Team Wayne Gretzky (Center) League(in-season) NHL All-Star Game selection Wayne Gretzky Brian Leetch Team Ceil Saidel Memorial Award Adam Graves Frank Boucher Trophy Wayne Gretzky Good Guy Award Alexei Kovalev Lars-Erik Sjoberg Award Marc Savard Players' Player Award Darren Langdon Rangers MVP Wayne Gretzky Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award Wayne Gretzky

Milestones MilestonePlayerDateRef First game Marc Savard October 3, 1997 Johan Lindbom November 12, 1997 P. J. Stock November 21, 1997 Dan Cloutier January 3, 1998 Ronnie Sundin January 14, 1998 Maxim Galanov April 4, 1998 1,000th point Pat LaFontaine January 22, 1998

Draft picks New York's picks at the 1997 NHL entry draft in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the Civic Arena.

Round # Player Position Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League) 1 19 Stefan Cherneski RW Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) 2 46 Wes Jarvis D Kitchener Rangers (OHL) 3 73 Burke Henry D Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) 4 93 Tomi Kallarsson D HPK Junior (Finland) 5 126 Jason McLean G Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL) 5 134 Johan Lindbom RW HV71 (SEL) 6 136 Mike York C Michigan State University (NCAA) 6 154 Shawn Degagne G Kitchener Rangers (OHL) 7 175 Johan Holmqvist G Brynäs IF (SEL) 7 182 Mike Mottau D Boston College (NCAA) 8 210 Andrew Proskurnicki LW Sarnia Sting (OHL) 9 236 Richard Miller D Providence College (NCAA)

See also 1997–98 NHL season

Notes

References