1979–80 New York Rangers season

The 1979–80 New York Rangers season was the franchise's 54th season. Fresh off a Stanley Cup Final loss in the first year of Fred Shero as coach, the Rangers qualified for the playoffs once again, but bowed out in the second round to Shero's old team, the Philadelphia Flyers. The team's on- and off-ice activities during this campaign was the subject of Larry Sloman's 1982 book Thin Ice: A Season in Hell with the New York Rangers.^[1]

1979–80 New York Rangers
Division	3rd Patrick
Conference	4th Campbell
1979–80 record	38–32–10
Home record	22–10–8
Road record	16–22–2
Goals for	308
Goals against	284
Team information
General manager	Fred Shero
Coach	Fred Shero
Captain	Dave Maloney
Alternate captains	None
Arena	Madison Square Garden
Team leaders
Goals	Phil Esposito (34)
Assists	Don Maloney (48)
Points	Phil Esposito (78)
Penalty minutes	Dave Maloney (186)
Wins	John Davidson (20)
Goals against average	John Davidson (3.17)
← 1978–79 1980–81 →

Regular season

Season standings

Patrick Division

	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	Pts
Philadelphia Flyers	80	48	12	20	327	254	116
New York Islanders	80	39	28	13	281	247	91
New York Rangers	80	38	32	10	308	284	86
Atlanta Flames	80	35	32	13	282	269	83
Washington Capitals	80	27	40	13	261	293	67

^[2]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.

League standings^[3]

R		Div	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	Pts
1	p – Philadelphia Flyers	PTK	80	48	12	20	327	254	116
2	y – Buffalo Sabres	ADM	80	47	17	16	318	201	110
3	x – Montreal Canadiens	NRS	80	47	20	13	328	240	107
4	Boston Bruins	ADM	80	46	21	13	310	234	105
5	New York Islanders	PTK	80	39	28	13	281	247	91
6	Minnesota North Stars	ADM	80	36	28	16	311	253	88
7	x – Chicago Black Hawks	SMY	80	34	27	19	241	250	87
8	New York Rangers	PTK	80	38	32	10	308	284	86
9	Atlanta Flames	PTK	80	35	32	13	282	269	83
10	St. Louis Blues	SMY	80	34	34	12	266	278	80
11	Toronto Maple Leafs	ADM	80	35	40	5	304	327	75
12	Los Angeles Kings	NRS	80	30	36	14	290	313	74
13	Pittsburgh Penguins	NRS	80	30	37	13	251	303	73
14	Hartford Whalers	NRS	80	27	34	19	303	312	73
15	Vancouver Canucks	SMY	80	27	37	16	256	281	70
16	Edmonton Oilers	SMY	80	28	39	13	301	322	69
17	Washington Capitals	PTK	80	27	40	13	261	293	67
18	Detroit Red Wings	NRS	80	26	43	11	268	306	63
19	Quebec Nordiques	ADM	80	25	44	11	248	313	61
20	Winnipeg Jets	SMY	80	20	49	11	214	314	51
21	Colorado Rockies	SMY	80	19	48	13	234	308	51

Divisions: ADM – Adams, NRS – Norris, PTK – Patrick, SMY – Smythe

bold – The top 16 teams in the league qualified for the playoffs, regardless of division or conference.
x – Won division; y – Won Conference (and division); p – Won Presidents' Trophy (and conference and division)

Record vs. opponents

Patrick Division record vs. opponents

Vs. Campbell Conference Vs. Patrick Division 1979–80 NHL records[4] Team ATL NYI NYR PHI WSH Total Atlanta — 1–3 3–0–1 2–2 3–0–1 9−5−2 N.Y. Islanders 3–1 — 2–2 2–2 2–2 9−7−0 N.Y. Rangers 0–3–1 2–2 — 1–2–1 2–2 5−9−2 Philadelphia 2–2 2–2 2–1–1 — 2–0–2 8−5−3 Washington 0–3–1 2–2 2–2 0–2–2 — 4−9−3 Vs. Smythe Division 1979–80 NHL records Team CHI COL EDM STL VAN WIN Total Atlanta 0−2−2 4−0 2−1−1 3−1 2−2 4−0 15−6−3 N.Y. Islanders 2−1−1 3−1 1−2−1 3−1 1−2−1 2−0−2 12−7−5 N.Y. Rangers 1−2−1 1−1−2 3−1 4−0 4−0 2−2 15−6−3 Philadelphia 2–0–2 2–1–1 3–0−1 2−0−2 3−1 4−0 16−2−6 Washington 2−2 1−1−2 1−3 2−2 3−1 3−0−1 12−9−3 Vs. Wales Conference Vs. Adams Division 1979–80 NHL records Team BOS BUF MIN QUE TOR Total Atlanta 0–4 0–3–1 1–1–2 3–0–1 1–3 5–11–4 N.Y. Islanders 1–3 1–2–1 0–2–2 4–0 3–1 9–8–3 N.Y. Rangers 2–2 1–2–1 1–2–1 2–1–1 2–2 8–9–3 Philadelphia 1–1–2 3–0–1 3–1 3–0–1 1–1–2 11–3–6 Washington 1–2–1 0–4 0–3–1 1–1–2 1–3 3–13–4 Vs. Norris Division 1979–80 NHL records Team DET HFD LAK MTL PIT Total Atlanta 2–1–1 1–3 2–1–1 0–3–1 1–2–1 6–10–4 N.Y. Islanders 1–3 3–1 2–1–1 3–0–1 0–1–3 9–6–5 N.Y. Rangers 3–1 2–1–1 3–1 0–3–1 2–2 10–8–2 Philadelphia 3–0–1 2–0–2 4–0 1–2–1 3–0–1 13–2–5 Washington 1–2–1 2–1–1 3–1 1–2–1 1–3 8–9–3

Schedule and results

1979–80 regular season[5]
October: 4–4–1 (home: 3–1–1; road: 1–3–0) Game October Opponent Score Record 1 10 @ Toronto Maple Leafs 6 – 3 1–0–0 2 14 Washington Capitals 5 – 3 1–1–0 3 18 Vancouver Canucks 6 – 3 2–1–0 4 20 @ Montreal Canadiens 5 – 4 2–2–0 5 21 Pittsburgh Penguins 6 – 3 3–2–0 6 24 Edmonton Oilers 10 – 2 4–2–0 7 25 @ Philadelphia Flyers 5 – 2 4–3–0 8 27 @ Minnesota North Stars 7 – 2 4–4–0 9 28 Hartford Whalers 2 – 2 4–4–1
November: 5–9–1 (home: 4–3–1; road: 1–6–0) Game November Opponent Score Record 10 1 @ Los Angeles Kings 4 – 2 4–5–1 11 3 @ Colorado Rockies 7 – 2 4–6–1 12 4 @ Vancouver Canucks 4 – 2 5–6–1 13 7 Los Angeles Kings 8 – 4 6–6–1 14 10 Quebec Nordiques 5 – 4 7–6–1 15 11 Pittsburgh Penguins 4 – 1 7–7–1 16 13 @ New York Islanders 10 – 5 7–8–1 17 14 Detroit Red Wings 3 – 2 8–8–1 18 16 @ Atlanta Flames 4 – 2 8–9–1 19 18 St. Louis Blues 5 – 3 9–9–1 20 21 Winnipeg Jets 6 – 4 9–10–1 21 24 @ Pittsburgh Penguins 5 – 3 9–11–1 22 25 Toronto Maple Leafs 4 – 3 9–12–1 23 28 Minnesota North Stars 4 – 4 9–12–2 24 29 @ Buffalo Sabres 2 – 1 9–13–2
December: 8–2–3 (home: 3–1–3; road: 5–1–0) Game December Opponent Score Record 25 1 @ St. Louis Blues 2 – 0 10–13–2 26 3 Montreal Canadiens 3 – 3 10–13–3 27 5 Chicago Black Hawks 3 – 3 10–13–4 28 7 @ Hartford Whalers 7 – 4 11–13–4 29 9 New York Islanders 5 – 4 12–13–4 30 11 @ Detroit Red Wings 2 – 1 13–13–4 31 12 @ Chicago Black Hawks 5 – 2 14–13–4 32 15 @ Washington Capitals 5 – 4 14–14–4 33 16 Philadelphia Flyers 1 – 1 14–14–5 34 19 Vancouver Canucks 5 – 3 15–14–5 35 22 @ Pittsburgh Penguins 4 – 3 16–14–5 36 23 Boston Bruins 4 – 3 16–15–5 37 30 Washington Capitals 5 – 2 17–15–5
January: 6–5–4 (home: 2–2–2; road: 4–3–2) Game January Opponent Score Record 38 2 @ Quebec Nordiques 3 – 3 17–15–6 39 4 Philadelphia Flyers 5 – 3 17–16–6 40 6 Atlanta Flames 5 – 5 17–16–7 41 7 Hartford Whalers 5 – 2 18–16–7 42 9 @ Detroit Red Wings 4 – 0 18–17–7 43 11 @ Edmonton Oilers 6 – 2 19–17–7 44 12 @ Winnipeg Jets 3 – 0 20–17–7 45 14 Colorado Rockies 6 – 6 20–17–8 46 16 Winnipeg Jets 4 – 1 21–17–8 47 19 @ Boston Bruins 6 – 3 21–18–8 48 20 Chicago Black Hawks 2 – 1 21–19–8 49 22 @ Los Angeles Kings 5 – 4 22–19–8 50 23 @ Vancouver Canucks 6 – 4 23–19–8 51 27 @ Colorado Rockies 3 – 3 23–19–9 52 31 @ Buffalo Sabres 6 – 2 23–20–9
February: 6–5–0 (home: 4–1–0; road: 2–4–0) Game February Opponent Score Record 53 2 @ Washington Capitals 6 – 3 24–20–9 54 3 @ Quebec Nordiques 5 – 4 24–21–9 55 10 Quebec Nordiques 3 – 1 25–21–9 56 13 @ Chicago Black Hawks 3 – 1 25–22–9 57 17 Toronto Maple Leafs 6 – 4 25–23–9 58 18 @ Hartford Whalers 6 – 4 25–24–9 59 20 Edmonton Oilers 4 – 1 26–24–9 60 23 @ Minnesota North Stars 6 – 3 26–25–9 61 24 New York Islanders 8 – 2 27–25–9 62 27 Los Angeles Kings 5 – 4 28–25–9 63 28 @ Boston Bruins 5 – 2 29–25–9
March: 8–5–1 (home: 6–1–1; road: 2–4–0) Game March Opponent Score Record 64 2 Boston Bruins 2 – 1 30–25–9 65 5 Buffalo Sabres 4 – 2 31–25–9 66 8 @ Montreal Canadiens 5 – 2 31–26–9 67 9 Minnesota North Stars 4 – 2 32–26–9 68 12 Colorado Rockies 6 – 0 33–26–9 69 15 @ Toronto Maple Leafs 8 – 4 34–26–9 70 16 St. Louis Blues 5 – 2 35–26–9 71 19 @ Edmonton Oilers 4 – 2 35–27–9 72 21 @ Winnipeg Jets 4 – 2 35–28–9 73 23 Montreal Canadiens 6 – 1 35–29–9 74 25 Buffalo Sabres 3 – 3 35–29–10 75 28 @ Atlanta Flames 4 – 2 35–30–10 76 29 @ St. Louis Blues 4 – 3 36–30–10 77 31 Detroit Red Wings 7 – 5 37–30–10
April: 1–2–0 (home: 0–1–0; road: 1–1–0) Game April Opponent Score Record 78 2 Atlanta Flames 7 – 3 37–31–10 79 5 @ New York Islanders 2 – 1 37–32–10 80 6 @ Philadelphia Flyers 8 – 3 38–32–10
Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Tie (1 point)

Playoffs

Main article: 1980 Stanley Cup playoffs

1980 Stanley Cup playoffs[5]
Preliminary round vs. (9) Atlanta Flames – Rangers win 3–1 Game Date Visitor Score Home OT Series 1 April 8 Atlanta Flames 1 – 2 New York Rangers OT New York Rangers lead series 1-0 2 April 9 Atlanta Flames 1 – 5 New York Rangers New York Rangers lead series 2-0 3 April 11 New York Rangers 2 – 4 Atlanta Flames New York Rangers lead series 2-1 4 April 12 New York Rangers 5 – 2 Atlanta Flames New York Rangers win series 3-1
Quarterfinals vs. (1) Philadelphia Flyers – Flyers win 4–1 Game Date Visitor Score Home OT Series 1 April 16 New York Rangers 1 – 2 Philadelphia Flyers Philadelphia leads series 1-0 2 April 17 New York Rangers 1 – 4 Philadelphia Flyers Philadelphia leads series 2-0 3 April 19 Philadelphia Flyers 3 – 0 New York Rangers Philadelphia leads series 3-0 4 April 20 Philadelphia Flyers 2 – 4 New York Rangers Philadelphia leads series 3-1 5 April 22 New York Rangers 1 – 3 Philadelphia Flyers Philadelphia wins series 4-1
Legend:   Win   Loss

Player statistics

Skaters

Regular Season Player GP G A Pts +/- PIM Phil Esposito 80 34 44 78 -13 73 Don Maloney 79 25 48 73 -15 97 Anders Hedberg 80 32 39 71 13 21 Steve Vickers 75 29 33 62 20 38 Barry Beck† 61 14 45 59 16 98 Ron Greschner 76 21 37 58 -11 103 Ulf Nilsson 50 14 44 58 15 20 Ron Duguay 73 28 22 50 -6 37 Don Murdoch‡ 56 23 19 42 -11 16 Walt Tkaczuk 76 12 25 37 19 36 Dave Maloney 77 12 25 37 10 186 Ed Johnstone 78 14 21 35 3 60 Mario Marois 79 8 23 31 0 142 Dean Talafous 55 10 20 30 1 26 Carol Vadnais 66 3 20 23 -1 118 Warren Miller 55 7 6 13 -6 17 Claude Larose 25 4 7 11 -5 2 Doug Sulliman 31 4 7 11 0 2 Tim Bothwell 45 4 6 10 -3 20 Mike McEwen‡ 9 1 7 8 3 8 Jocelyn Guevremont 20 2 5 7 -12 6 Pat Conacher 17 0 5 5 -10 4 Lucien DeBlois‡ 6 3 1 4 -1 7 Pat Hickey‡ 7 2 2 4 -1 10 Cam Connor† 12 0 3 3 3 37 Ray Markham 14 1 1 2 -3 21 Frank Beaton 23 1 1 2 -5 43 Ed Hospodar 20 0 1 1 -2 76 Andre Dore 2 0 0 0 -1 0 Dave Silk 2 0 0 0 1 0 Jim Mayer 4 0 0 0 1 0 Bill Lochead 7 0 0 0 -5 4

Playoffs Player GP G A Pts PIM Ron Duguay 9 5 2 7 11 Ulf Nilsson 9 0 6 6 2 Ron Greschner 9 0 6 6 10 Phil Esposito 9 3 3 6 8 Barry Beck 9 1 4 5 6 Anders Hedberg 9 3 2 5 7 Steve Vickers 9 2 2 4 4 Don Maloney 9 0 4 4 10 Carol Vadnais 9 1 2 3 6 Dean Talafous 5 1 2 3 9 Dave Maloney 8 2 1 3 8 Mario Marois 9 0 2 2 8 Ed Hospodar 7 1 0 1 42 Ray Markham 7 1 0 1 24 Pat Conacher 3 0 1 1 2 Warren Miller 6 1 0 1 0 Ed Johnstone 9 0 1 1 25 Walt Tkaczuk 7 0 1 1 2 Cam Connor 2 0 0 0 2 Tim Bothwell 9 0 0 0 8

Goaltenders

Goaltenders

Regular Season

Player	GP	TOI	W	L	T	GA	GAA	SO
John Davidson	41	2306	20	15	4	122	3.17	2
Steve Baker	27	1391	9	8	6	79	3.41	1
Wayne Thomas	12	668	4	7	0	44	3.95	0
Doug Soetaert	8	435	5	2	0	33	4.55	0

Playoffs

Player	GP	TOI	W	L	GA	GAA	SO
John Davidson	9	541	4	5	21	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.

^[6]

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 1979 NHL entry draft in Montreal, Canada.

Round	#	Player	Position	Nationality	College/Junior/Club team (League)
1	13	Doug Sulliman	LW	Canada	Kitchener Rangers (OHA)
2	34	Ed Hospodar	D	United States	Ottawa 67's (OHA)
4	76	Pat Conacher	C	Canada	Saskatoon Blades (WCHL)
5	97	Dan Makuch	RW	Canada	Clarkson University (NCAA)
6	118	Stan Adams	C	Canada	Niagara Falls Flyers (OHA)

Awards and records

Transactions