1977–78 New York Rangers season

The 1977–78 New York Rangers season was the franchise's 52nd season. The Rangers slipped to last in the Patrick but qualified for the playoffs by having one of the top twelve records in the league. The Rangers lost in the first round of the playoffs.

1977–78 New York Rangers
Division	4th Patrick
Conference	5th Campbell
1977–78 record	30–37–13
Home record	18–15–7
Road record	12–22–6
Goals for	279
Goals against	280
Team information
General manager	John Ferguson
Coach	Jean-Guy Talbot
Captain	Phil Esposito
Alternate captains	None
Arena	Madison Square Garden
Team leaders
Goals	Pat Hickey (40)
Assists	Ron Greschner (48)
Points	Phil Esposito (81)
Penalty minutes	Carol Vadnais (115)
Wins	John Davidson (14)
Goals against average	John Davidson (3.18)
← 1976–77 1978–79 →

Offseason

The Rangers hired Jean-Guy Talbot as their new head coach. It would be his only season as head coach of the Rangers.

Regular season

Season standings

Patrick Division

	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	Pts
New York Islanders	80	48	17	15	334	210	111
Philadelphia Flyers	80	45	20	15	296	200	105
Atlanta Flames	80	34	27	19	274	252	87
New York Rangers	80	30	37	13	279	280	73

^[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.

Record vs. opponents

Patrick Division record vs. opponents

Vs. Campbell Conference Vs. Wales Conference Vs. Patrick Division 1977–78 NHL records Team ATL NYI NYR PHI Total Atlanta — 1–2–3 6–0 1–4–1 8–6–4 N.Y. Islanders 2–1–3 — 4–2 2–1–3 8–4–6 N.Y. Rangers 0–6 2–4 — 0–4–2 2–14–2 Philadelphia 4–1–1 1–2–3 4–0–2 — 9–3–6 Vs. Smythe Division 1977–78 NHL records Team CHI COL MIN STL VAN Total Atlanta 1–2–2 2–1–2 4–1 4–0–1 2–1–2 13–5–7 N.Y. Islanders 2–1–2 4–0–1 4–1 4–0–1 5–0 19–2–4 N.Y. Rangers 3–1–1 2–2–1 3–0–2 4–0–1 4–1 16–4–5 Philadelphia 2–2–1 3–2 3–2 4–1 5–0 17–7–1 Vs. Adams Division 1977–78 NHL records Team BOS BUF CLE TOR Total Atlanta 1–2–1 1–2–1 2–1–1 3–2 7–7–3 N.Y. Islanders 3–1 2–3 1–1–2 3–1 9–6–2 N.Y. Rangers 1–4 1–2–1 3–1 1–3 6–10–1 Philadelphia 2–1–1 0–3–1 4–0–1 1–3 7–7–3 Vs. Norris Division 1977–78 NHL records[2] Team DET LAK MTL PIT WSH Total Atlanta 1–2–1 1–2–1 0–2–2 3–1 1–2–1 6–9–5 N.Y. Islanders 4–0 2–0–2 0–4 2–1–1 4–0 12–5–3 N.Y. Rangers 2–1–1 1–3 1–3 0–2–2 2–0–2 6–9–5 Philadelphia 2–1–1 3–0–1 0–2–2 3–0–1 4–0 12–3–5

Schedule and results

1977–78 regular season[3]
October: 4–5–1 (home: 3–2–1; road: 1–3–0) Game October Opponent Score Record 1 12 Vancouver Canucks 6–3 1–0–0 2 15 @ Montreal Canadiens 5–0 1–1–0 3 16 New York Islanders 4–2 2–1–0 4 19 Pittsburgh Penguins 3–3 2–1–1 5 22 @ New York Islanders 7–2 2–2–1 6 23 Montreal Canadiens 6–2 2–3–1 7 25 @ Cleveland Barons 5–0 3–3–1 8 26 St. Louis Blues 6–2 4–3–1 9 29 @ Atlanta Flames 4–3 4–4–1 10 30 Los Angeles Kings 5–3 4–5–1
November: 5–7–1 (home: 3–2–0; road: 2–5–1) Game November Opponent Score Record 11 2 @ Colorado Rockies 6–2 4–6–1 12 4 @ Vancouver Canucks 5–1 5–6–1 13 5 @ Los Angeles Kings 3–1 5–7–1 14 9 Buffalo Sabres 8–4 6–7–1 15 12 @ Detroit Red Wings 3–1 6–8–1 16 13 Atlanta Flames 5–2 6–9–1 17 16 Chicago Black Hawks 5–2 7–9–1 18 19 @ Pittsburgh Penguins 5–5 7–9–2 19 20 Vancouver Canucks 3–0 7–10–2 20 23 Colorado Rockies 6–3 8–10–2 21 26 @ Boston Bruins 3–2 8–11–2 22 27 @ Buffalo Sabres 3–2 8–12–2 23 30 @ St. Louis Blues 4–0 9–12–2
December: 3–4–7 (home: 2–2–4; road: 1–2–3) Game December Opponent Score Record 24 3 @ Minnesota North Stars 4–0 10–12–2 25 4 Minnesota North Stars 4–4 10–12–3 26 7 Philadelphia Flyers 3–3 10–12–4 27 8 @ Philadelphia Flyers 7–4 10–13–4 28 11 Boston Bruins 8–2 10–14–4 29 14 @ Chicago Black Hawks 2–2 10–14–5 30 15 @ Detroit Red Wings 5–5 10–14–6 31 17 @ Cleveland Barons 4–2 10–15–6 32 18 Detroit Red Wings 6–2 11–15–6 33 21 Washington Capitals 5–5 11–15–7 34 23 Cleveland Barons 5–4 12–15–7 35 28 Philadelphia Flyers 4–3 12–16–7 36 30 @ Washington Capitals 3–3 12–16–8 37 31 Buffalo Sabres 2–2 12–16–9
January: 4–8–0 (home: 0–3–0; road: 4–5–0) Game January Opponent Score Record 38 4 @ Minnesota North Stars 5–3 13–16–9 39 7 @ Colorado Rockies 3–1 13–17–9 40 9 Pittsburgh Penguins 5–3 13–18–9 41 10 @ Boston Bruins 3–2 14–18–9 42 14 @ Philadelphia Flyers 4–1 14–19–9 43 17 @ Vancouver Canucks 5–4 15–19–9 44 18 @ Los Angeles Kings 3–0 16–19–9 45 20 @ Atlanta Flames 5–3 16–20–9 46 22 @ Pittsburgh Penguins 3–1 16–21–9 47 25 Toronto Maple Leafs 4–3 16–22–9 48 28 @ New York Islanders 6–2 16–23–9 49 29 Los Angeles Kings 4–1 16–24–9
February: 5–6–2 (home: 4–3–1; road: 1–3–1) Game February Opponent Score Record 50 1 New York Islanders 7–6 16–25–9 51 4 @ St. Louis Blues 2–2 16–25–10 52 5 Colorado Rockies 6–3 17–25–10 53 8 Minnesota North Stars 3–0 18–25–10 54 9 @ Buffalo Sabres 2–0 18–26–10 55 11 @ Toronto Maple Leafs 3–2 18–27–10 56 12 Montreal Canadiens 5–3 18–28–10 57 15 Vancouver Canucks 6–3 19–28–10 58 19 Colorado Rockies 4–4 19–28–11 59 22 @ Chicago Black Hawks 3–2 19–29–11 60 23 Chicago Black Hawks 6–2 20–29–11 61 25 @ Montreal Canadiens 6–3 21–29–11 62 27 Atlanta Flames 5–3 21–30–11
March: 8–2–2 (home: 5–2–1; road: 3–0–1) Game March Opponent Score Record 63 1 Detroit Red Wings 3–2 22–30–11 64 5 Toronto Maple Leafs 4–1 22–31–11 65 8 Cleveland Barons 6–1 23–31–11 66 12 Washington Capitals 8–2 24–31–11 67 15 Philadelphia Flyers 2–2 24–31–12 68 18 Boston Bruins 6–3 24–32–12 69 19 @ Minnesota North Stars 7–7 24–32–13 70 22 @ St. Louis Blues 6–1 25–32–13 71 24 @ Washington Capitals 11–4 26–32–13 72 25 @ Toronto Maple Leafs 5–2 27–32–13 73 27 St. Louis Blues 5–2 28–32–13 74 29 New York Islanders 5–1 29–32–13
April: 1–5–0 (home: 1–1–0; road: 0–4–0) Game April Opponent Score Record 75 1 @ Atlanta Flames 6–0 29–33–13 76 2 @ Boston Bruins 8–3 29–34–13 77 5 Atlanta Flames 4–2 29–35–13 78 6 @ Philadelphia Flyers 3–0 29–36–13 79 8 @ New York Islanders 7–2 29–37–13 80 9 Chicago Black Hawks 3–2 30–37–13
Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Tie (1 point)

Playoffs

Main article: 1978 Stanley Cup playoffs

1978 Stanley Cup playoffs[3]
Preliminary round vs. (5) Buffalo Sabres – Sabres win 2–1 Game Date Visitor Score Home OT Series 1 April 11 New York Rangers 1–4 Buffalo Sabres Buffalo leads series 1–0 2 April 13 Buffalo Sabres 3–4 New York Rangers OT Series tied 1–1 3 April 15 New York Rangers 1–4 Buffalo Sabres Buffalo wins series 2–1
Legend:   Win   Loss

Player statistics

Skaters

Regular Season Player GP G A Pts PIM Phil Esposito 79 38 43 81 53 Pat Hickey 80 40 33 73 47 Ron Greschner 78 24 48 72 100 Walt Tkaczuk 80 26 40 66 30 Steve Vickers 79 19 44 63 30 Don Murdoch 66 27 28 55 41 Carol Vadnais 80 6 40 46 115 Ron Duguay 71 20 20 40 43 Lucien DeBlois 71 22 8 30 27 Ed Johnstone 53 13 13 26 44 Greg Polis 37 7 16 23 12 Dave Maloney 56 2 19 21 63 Mike McEwen 57 5 13 18 52 Wayne Dillon 59 5 13 18 15 Dan Newman 59 5 13 18 22 Mark Heaslip 29 5 10 15 34 Don Awrey 78 2 8 10 38 Rod Gilbert 19 2 7 9 6 Nick Fotiu 59 2 7 9 105 Dave Farrish 66 3 5 8 62 Ken Hodge 18 2 4 6 8 Dallas Smith 29 1 4 5 23 Jerry Byers 7 2 1 3 0 Mario Marois 8 1 1 2 15 Bill Goldsworthy 7 0 1 1 12 Mike Keating 1 0 0 0 0 Bud Stefanski 1 0 0 0 0 Greg Hickey 1 0 0 0 0 Greg Holst 4 0 0 0 0 Benoit Gosselin 7 0 0 0 33

Playoffs Player GP G A Pts PIM Don Murdoch 3 1 3 4 4 Steve Vickers 3 2 1 3 0 Ron Duguay 3 1 1 2 2 Carol Vadnais 3 0 2 2 16 Walt Tkaczuk 3 0 2 2 0 Pat Hickey 3 2 0 2 0 Dallas Smith 1 0 1 1 0 Wayne Dillon 3 0 1 1 0 Phil Esposito 3 0 1 1 5 Mario Marois 1 0 0 0 5 Dave Farrish 3 0 0 0 0 Nick Fotiu 3 0 0 0 5 Don Awrey 3 0 0 0 6 Mark Heaslip 3 0 0 0 0 Dan Newman 3 0 0 0 4 Dave Maloney 3 0 0 0 11 Lucien DeBlois 3 0 0 0 2 Ron Greschner 3 0 0 0 2

Goaltenders

Regular Season

Player	GP	TOI	W	L	T	GA	GAA	SO
Wayne Thomas	41	2352	12	20	7	141	3.60	4
John Davidson	34	1848	14	13	4	98	3.18	1
Doug Soetaert	6	360	2	2	2	20	3.33	0
Hardy Astrom	4	240	2	2	0	14	3.50	0

Playoffs

Player	GP	TOI	W	L	GA	GAA	SO
John Davidson	2	122	1	1	7	3.44	0
Wayne Thomas	1	60	0	1	4	4.00	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.

^[4]

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

• Phil Esposito, Lester Patrick Trophy^[5]

Transactions

Draft picks

New York's picks at the 1977 NHL amateur draft in Montreal, Canada.

Round	#	Player	Position	Nationality	College/Junior/Club team (League)
1	8	Lucien DeBlois	RW	Canada	Sorel Black Hawks (QMJHL)
1	13	Ron Duguay	C	Canada	Sudbury Wolves (OHA)
2	26	Mike Keating	LW	Canada	St. Catharines Fincups (OHA)
3	44	Steve Baker	G	United States	Union College (NCAA)
4	62	Mario Marois	D	Canada	Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
5	80	Benoit Gosselin	LW	Canada	Trois-Rivières Draveurs (QMJHL)
6	98	John Bethel	LW	Canada	Boston University (NCAA)
7	116	Bob Sullivan	LW	Canada	Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)
8	131	Lance Nethery	C	Canada	Cornell University (NCAA)
9	146	Alex Jeans	C	Canada	University of Toronto (CIAU)
10	157	Pete Raps	LW	Canada	Western Michigan University (NCAA)
11	164	Mike Brown	RW	United States	Western Michigan University (NCAA)
12	171	Mark Miller	LW	Canada	University of Michigan (NCAA)

See also

• 1977–78 NHL season