1988–89 New York Rangers season

The 1988–89 New York Rangers season was the franchise's 63rd season. The team returned to the playoffs for the 11th time in 12 seasons. A major storyline of the season was Guy Lafleur's comeback from retirement.

1988–89 New York Rangers
Division3rd Patrick
Conference6th Wales
1988–89 record37–35–8
Home record21–17–2
Road record16–18–6
Goals for310
Goals against307
Team information
General managerPhil Esposito
CoachMichel Bergeron
Phil Esposito (interim)
CaptainKelly Kisio
ArenaMadison Square Garden
Team leaders
GoalsTony Granato (36)
AssistsTomas Sandstrom (56)
PointsTomas Sandstrom (88)
Penalty minutesRudy Poeschek (199)
WinsJohn Vanbiesbrouck (28)
Goals against averageJohn Vanbiesbrouck (3.69)

Regular season

Guy Lafleur

After being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, Guy Lafleur returned to the NHL during the 1988–89 season with the New York Rangers. Lafleur remained one of the few players that did not wear protective helmets due to the Grandfather clause. A highlight of Lafleur's season was the opportunity to be on the same team with Marcel Dionne. During his first game back in the Montreal Forum, he scored twice against Patrick Roy during the Rangers' 7–5 loss to the Canadiens. Although his high-scoring days were well behind him, his stint with the Rangers was moderately successful and he helped the team to first place in the Patrick Division until being knocked out by a knee injury. The Rangers would finish the season in third place.

Season standings

Patrick Division
GP W L T GF GA Pts
Washington Capitals8041291030525992
Pittsburgh Penguins804033734734987
New York Rangers803735831030782
Philadelphia Flyers803636830728580
New Jersey Devils8027411228132566
New York Islanders802847526532561

[1]Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
Note: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

Schedule and results

1988-89 Game Log
October: 8-2-1 (Home: 5-2-0; Road: 3-0-1)
GameOctoberOpponentScoreRecord
16@ Chicago Blackhawks2 - 2 OT0-0-1
28@ St. Louis Blues4 - 21-0-1
310New Jersey Devils5 - 01-1-1
412Hartford Whalers4 - 31-2-1
516Vancouver Canucks3 - 22-2-1
619Washington Capitals5 - 13-2-1
721@ Washington Capitals4 - 14-2-1
823Quebec Nordiques8 - 25-2-1
926Philadelphia Flyers4 - 36-2-1
1029@ Philadelphia Flyers6 - 57-2-1
1130Pittsburgh Penguins9 - 28-2-1
November: 6-6-2 (Home: 2-2-1; Road: 4-4-1)
GameNovemberOpponentScoreRecord
122@ Buffalo Sabres6 - 48-3-1
136@ New Jersey Devils6 - 58-4-1
148@ New York Islanders4 - 38-5-1
159Philadelphia Flyers5 - 39-5-1
1611Boston Bruins4 - 4 OT9-5-2
1713Detroit Red Wings5 - 39-6-2
1815@ Philadelphia Flyers3 - 3 OT9-6-3
1917@ Los Angeles Kings6 - 510-6-3
2019@ Minnesota North Stars4 - 111-6-3
2121Montreal Canadiens4 - 211-7-3
2223@ Pittsburgh Penguins8 - 211-8-3
2326@ New York Islanders6 - 412-8-3
2427New York Islanders5 - 313-8-3
2529@ Winnipeg Jets4 - 314-8-3
December: 6-6-2 (Home: 4-2-0; Road: 2-4-2)
GameDecemberOpponentScoreRecord
261@ Calgary Flames6 - 314-9-3
274@ Edmonton Oilers10 - 614-10-3
286@ Vancouver Canucks5 - 315-10-3
298@ Hartford Whalers5 - 415-11-3
3010@ Boston Bruins1 - 1 OT15-11-4
3112Los Angeles Kings5 - 215-12-4
3214New York Islanders2 - 116-12-4
3317@ Montreal Canadiens6 - 316-13-4
3419Washington Capitals3 - 117-13-4
3521Buffalo Sabres5 - 217-14-4
3623@ Washington Capitals2 - 2 OT17-14-5
3726New Jersey Devils5 - 118-14-5
3827@ New Jersey Devils7 - 519-14-5
3931Chicago Blackhawks4 - 120-14-5
January: 8-2-3 (Home: 3-1-1; Road: 5-1-2)
GameJanuaryOpponentScoreRecord
402Hartford Whalers5 - 421-14-5
414Washington Capitals3 - 3 OT21-14-6
427@ New York Islanders5 - 122-14-6
439New Jersey Devils5 - 422-15-6
4414@ Pittsburgh Penguins4 - 4 OT22-15-7
4515Pittsburgh Penguins6 - 423-15-7
4618@ Chicago Blackhawks6 - 424-15-7
4719@ St. Louis Blues5 - 025-15-7
4821@ Vancouver Canucks5 - 4 OT26-15-7
4923@ Edmonton Oilers3 - 227-15-7
5026@ Calgary Flames5 - 327-16-7
5128@ Toronto Maple Leafs1 - 1 OT27-16-8
5230New York Islanders7 - 328-16-8
February: 5-7-0 (Home: 3-5-0; Road: 2-2-0)
GameFebruaryOpponentScoreRecord
531Washington Capitals4 - 3 OT28-17-8
544@ Montreal Canadiens7 - 528-18-8
555Minnesota North Stars5 - 328-19-8
569Winnipeg Jets4 - 329-19-8
5712Edmonton Oilers3 - 129-20-8
5814@ Philadelphia Flyers3 - 129-21-8
5917Toronto Maple Leafs10 - 629-22-8
6018@ Pittsburgh Penguins5 - 330-22-8
6120New Jersey Devils7 - 431-22-8
6222Philadelphia Flyers6 - 431-23-8
6325@ Quebec Nordiques7 - 232-23-8
6427Los Angeles Kings6 - 433-23-8
March: 4-10-0 (Home: 4-4-0; Road: 0-6-0)
GameMarchOpponentScoreRecord
651Toronto Maple Leafs7 - 434-23-8
663@ New Jersey Devils6 - 334-24-8
675Boston Bruins5 - 034-25-8
688Buffalo Sabres2 - 034-26-8
699@ Detroit Red Wings3 - 234-27-8
7011@ Washington Capitals4 - 234-28-8
7113Calgary Flames4 - 335-28-8
7215Winnipeg Jets6 - 335-29-8
7318@ Quebec Nordiques8 - 335-30-8
7420St. Louis Blues7 - 436-30-8
7522Minnesota North Stars3 - 137-30-8
7625@ Philadelphia Flyers6 - 137-31-8
7726Pittsburgh Penguins6 - 437-32-8
7829@ Detroit Red Wings4 - 337-33-8
April: 0-2-0 (Home: 0-1-0; Road: 0-1-0)
GameAprilOpponentScoreRecord
791@ Pittsburgh Penguins5 - 237-34-8
802New York Islanders6 - 437-35-8

Playoffs

Key:   Win   Loss

1989 Stanley Cup Playoffs

Player statistics

Skaters
Goaltenders
Regular Season
Player GP TOI W L T GA GAA SA SV% SO
John Vanbiesbrouck563207282141973.691662.8810
Bob Froese30162191441023.78787.8701
Playoffs
Player GP TOI W L GA GAA SA SV% SO
John Vanbiesbrouck21070163.3655.8910
Bob Froese2720286.6751.8430
Mike Richter1580144.1430.8670

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.

[2]

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;

Draft picks

New York's picks at the 1988 NHL Entry Draft in Montreal, Quebec, Canada at the Montreal Forum.

Round # Player Position Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)
2 22 Troy Mallette LW  Canada Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
2 26 Murray Duval D  Canada Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
4 68 Tony Amonte RW  United States Thayer Academy (Massachusetts)
5 99 Martin Bergeron C  Canada Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL)
6 110 Dennis Vial D  Canada Hamilton Steelhawks (OHL)
7 131 Mike Rosati G  Canada Hamilton Steelhawks (OHL)
8 152 Eric Couvrette LW  Canada Saint-Jean Castors (QMJHL)
10 194 Paul Cain C  Canada Cornwall Royals (OHL)
10 202 Eric Fenton RW  United States N. Yarmouth Academy (Maine)
11 215 Peter Fiorentino D  Canada Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
12 236 Keith Slifstein RW  United States Choate Academy (Connecticut)

Supplemental Draft

New York's picks at the 1988 NHL Supplemental Draft.

Player Position Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)
Mike Hurlbut D  United States St. Lawrence University (ECAC)
Ron Lecinskas LW  United States Salem State College (NCAA)

Awards and records

References

  1. Dinger, Ralph, ed. (2011). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2012. Dan Diamond & Associates. p. 153. ISBN 9781894801225.
  2. "1988-89 New York Rangers". hockeydb.com. Archived from the original on July 31, 2010. Retrieved August 8, 2010.
  3. National Hockey League Official Guide and Record Book 2006, p. 184, Dan Diamond & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, ISBN 0-920445-98-5
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