1978–79 New York Rangers
Division3rd Patrick
Conference3rd Campbell
1978–79 record40–29–11
Goals for316
Goals against292
Team information
General managerFred Shero
CoachFred Shero
CaptainDave Maloney
Alternate captainsNone
ArenaMadison Square Garden
Team leaders
GoalsPhil Esposito (42)
AssistsAnders Hedberg (46)
PointsAnders Hedberg (79)
Penalty minutesNick Fotiu (190)
WinsJohn Davidson (20)
Goals against averageJohn Davidson (3.52)

The 1978–79 New York Rangers season was the franchise's 53rd season. The highlight of the season was participating in the Stanley Cup Finals, as the Rangers played 12 consecutive playoff games without losing in regulation.

Offseason

The Rangers fired their general manager John Ferguson and head coach Jean-Guy Talbot, replacing them with former Philadelphia Flyers and two-time Stanley Cup-winning coach Fred Shero.

The Rangers signed forwards Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson away from the WHA's Winnipeg Jets.

The Rangers chose Don Maloney with their first pick, in the second-round, 26th over-all. Maloney was the younger brother of Dave Maloney, a defenceman with the Rangers. Don Maloney would get into 28 games for the Rangers that season.

New team colors

New Rangers colors

In 1978 the Ranger's introduced a new color scheme. While the logo and design remained the same, the Rangers changed to a much lighter shade of blue, dispensing with the dark blue that had been used since the team's inception in 1926.[1] The Rangers would use the new colors until 1999.

Regular season

Season standings

Patrick Division
GP W L T GF GA Pts
New York Islanders80511514358214116
Philadelphia Flyers8040251528124895
New York Rangers8040291131629291
Atlanta Flames804131832728090

Record vs. opponents

Patrick Division record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

1978-79 Game Log
October: 5-1-3 (Home: 4-0-2; Road: 1-1-1)
GameOctoberOpponentScoreRecord
112Philadelphia Flyers3 – 30–0–1
215Colorado Rockies4 – 11–0–1
318Detroit Red Wings3 – 31–0–2
419@ Detroit Red Wings2 – 21–0–3
521@ New York Islanders5 – 31–1–3
622Toronto Maple Leafs5 – 22–1–3
725Vancouver Canucks6 – 23–1–3
828@ Montreal Canadiens2 – 14–1–3
929Pittsburgh Penguins3 – 25–1–3
November: 8-3-1 (Home: 2-3-1; Road: 6-0-0)
GameNovemberOpponentScoreRecord
102@ Colorado Rockies3 – 06–1–3
114@ Los Angeles Kings7 – 37–1–3
125@ Vancouver Canucks5 – 28–1–3
138Minnesota North Stars5 – 38–2–3
1411@ Pittsburgh Penguins2 – 19–2–3
1512New York Islanders5 – 39–3–3
1615Chicago Black Hawks8 – 110–3–3
1718@ Minnesota North Stars7 – 211–3–3
1819Atlanta Flames3 – 111–4–3
1922Toronto Maple Leafs3 – 311–4–4
2026Washington Capitals9 – 412–4–4
2129@ Atlanta Flames5 – 313–4–4
December: 7-9-0 (Home: 4-4-0; Road: 3-5-0)
GameDecemberOpponentScoreRecord
222@ Toronto Maple Leafs5 – 213–5–4
233Boston Bruins3 – 213–6–4
246St. Louis Blues7 – 414–6–4
257@ Philadelphia Flyers5 – 215–6–4
269@ Detroit Red Wings5 – 415–7–4
2710Philadelphia Flyers4 – 015–8–4
2813Los Angeles Kings8 – 716–8–4
2916@ Boston Bruins4 – 116–9–4
3017Boston Bruins4 – 116–10–4
3120Buffalo Sabres6 – 317–10–4
3222Detroit Red Wings4 – 218–10–4
3323@ New York Islanders9 – 418–11–4
3426@ Atlanta Flames5 – 319–11–4
3528@ Philadelphia Flyers6 – 519–12–4
3630@ Chicago Black Hawks5 – 420–12–4
3731Atlanta Flames6 – 520–13–4
January: 9-4-1 (Home: 3-1-1; Road: 6-3-0)
GameJanuaryOpponentScoreRecord
383Montreal Canadiens6 – 221–13–4
395Vancouver Canucks6 – 422–13–4
409@ St. Louis Blues5 – 323–13–4
4110@ Colorado Rockies5 – 324–13–4
4214@ Atlanta Flames6 – 425–13–4
4315Minnesota North Stars8 – 125–14–4
4417New York Islanders5 – 326–14–4
4520@ St. Louis Blues3 – 226–15–4
4621Philadelphia Flyers5 – 526–15–5
4724@ Washington Capitals5 – 126–16–5
4825@ Buffalo Sabres5 – 427–16–5
4927@ New York Islanders7 – 228–16–5
5030@ Vancouver Canucks5 – 329–16–5
5131@ Colorado Rockies5 – 429–17–5
February: 5-3-2 (Home: 3-0-1; Road: 2-3-1)
GameFebruaryOpponentScoreRecord
523@ Los Angeles Kings4 – 229–18–5
5314Boston Bruins5 – 130–18–5
5415@ Buffalo Sabres4 – 330–19–5
5517@ Philadelphia Flyers4 – 231–19–5
5618Washington Capitals6 – 631–19–6
5721St. Louis Blues7 – 332–19–6
5824@ Toronto Maple Leafs4 – 233–19–6
5925New York Islanders3 – 234–19–6
6027@ St. Louis Blues4 – 134–20–6
6128@ Minnesota North Stars4 – 434–20–7
March: 5-6-3 (Home: 2-4-2; Road: 3-2-1)
GameMarchOpponentScoreRecord
623Buffalo Sabres2 – 234–20–8
634Toronto Maple Leafs4 – 234–21–8
647Colorado Rockies5 – 335–21–8
6510@ Montreal Canadiens6 – 336–21–8
6611Chicago Black Hawks5 – 237–21–8
6714Atlanta Flames6 – 437–22–8
6815@ Boston Bruins7 – 438–22–8
6917@ New York Islanders5 – 238–23–8
7018Pittsburgh Penguins5 – 138–24–8
7120@ Washington Capitals2 – 238–24–9
7221@ Chicago Black Hawks7 – 639–24–9
7325Montreal Canadiens1 – 039–25–9
7427Philadelphia Flyers4 – 439–25–10
7528@ Pittsburgh Penguins7 – 139–26–10
April: 1-3-1 (Home: 1-1-1; Road: 0-2-0)
GameAprilOpponentScoreRecord
761@ Philadelphia Flyers7 – 339–27–10
772Los Angeles Kings5 – 440–27–10
784Atlanta Flames3 – 340–27–11
796@ Atlanta Flames9 – 240–28–11
808New York Islanders5 – 240–29–11

Season summary

  • February 25: During a win against the Islanders, Ulf Nilsson was injured on a hip check by Denis Potvin. In the years to come, this would serve as the origin to the infamous "Potvin Sucks" chant at Madison Square Garden.

Playoffs

Stanley Cup Finals

The Rangers faced the defending champion Montreal Canadiens, who were making their fourth straight Stanley Cup Finals appearance. It was the Rangers' first appearance in the finals since the 1972 Stanley Cup Finals. The Canadiens would win the best-of-seven series four games to one, to win their fourth consecutive Stanley Cup.

Key:   Win   Loss

1979 Stanley Cup playoffs

Player statistics

Skaters
Goaltenders
Regular Season
Player GP TOI W L T GA GAA SO
John Davidson392232201251313.520
Wayne Thomas311668151031013.631
Doug Soetaert17900573573.800
Playoffs
Player GP TOI W L GA GAA SO
John Davidson181106117422.281

†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.

[3]

Note:
Pos = Position; GPI = Games played in; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes; +/- = Plus/minus; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals
Min, TOI = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T,T/OT = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; SA = Shots against; SV = Shots saved; SV% = Save percentage;

Awards and records

Transactions

Draft picks

New York's picks at the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft in Montreal, Canada.

Round # Player Position Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)
2 26 Don Maloney LW  Canada Kitchener Rangers (OHA)
3 43 Ray Markham C  Canada Flin Flon Bombers (WCHL)
3 44 Dean Turner D  United States University of Michigan (NCAA)
4 59 Dave Silk RW  United States Boston University (NCAA)
4 60 Andre Dore D  Canada Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
5 76 Mike MacDougall RW  United States Port Huron Flags (IHL)
6 93 Tom Laidlaw D  Canada Northern Michigan University (NCAA)
7 110 Dan Clark D  Canada Milwaukee Admirals (IHL)
8 127 Greg Kostenko D  Canada Ohio State University (NCAA)
9 144 Brian McDavid D  Canada Kitchener Rangers (OHA)
10 161 Mark Rodrigues G  United States Yale University (NCAA)
11 176 Steve Weeks G  Canada Northern Michigan University (NCAA)
12 192 Pierre Daigneault LW  Canada Montreal Juniors (QMJHL)
13 206 Chris McLaughlin D  United States Dartmouth College (NCAA)
14 217 Todd Johnson C  United States Boston University (NCAA)
15 223 Dan McCarthy C  Canada Sudbury Wolves (OHA)

References

  1. ↑ "NEW YORK RANGERS LOGO". 1000 Logos. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  2. ↑ "All-Time NHL Results". NHL.com. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  3. ↑ "1978-79 New York Rangers". hockeydb.com. Retrieved August 8, 2010.
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