The 1978–79 New York Rangers season was the franchise's 53rd season. The highlight of the season was participating in the Stanley Cup Final, 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
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. The Rangers would use the new colors until 1999.
Regular season
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Schedule and results
| 1 || 12 || Philadelphia Flyers || 3 – 3 || 0–0–1
| 2 || 15 || Colorado Rockies || 4 – 1 || 1–0–1
| 3 || 18 || Detroit Red Wings || 3 – 3 || 1–0–2
| 4 || 19 || @ Detroit Red Wings || 2 – 2 || 1–0–3
| 5 || 21 || @ New York Islanders || 5 – 3 || 1–1–3
| 6 || 22 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 5 – 2 || 2–1–3
| 7 || 25 || Vancouver Canucks || 6 – 2 || 3–1–3
| 8 || 28 || @ Montreal Canadiens || 2 – 1 || 4–1–3
| 9 || 29 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 3 – 2 || 5–1–3
| 10 || 2 || @ Colorado Rockies || 3 – 0 || 6–1–3
| 11 || 4 || @ Los Angeles Kings || 7 – 3 || 7–1–3
| 12 || 5 || @ Vancouver Canucks || 5 – 2 || 8–1–3
| 13 || 8 || Minnesota North Stars || 5 – 3 || 8–2–3
| 14 || 11 || @ Pittsburgh Penguins || 2 – 1 || 9–2–3
| 15 || 12 || New York Islanders || 5 – 3 || 9–3–3
| 16 || 15 || Chicago Black Hawks || 8 – 1 || 10–3–3
| 17 || 18 || @ Minnesota North Stars || 7 – 2 || 11–3–3
| 18 || 19 || Atlanta Flames || 3 – 1 || 11–4–3
| 19 || 22 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 3 – 3 || 11–4–4
| 20 || 26 || Washington Capitals || 9 – 4 || 12–4–4
| 21 || 29 || @ Atlanta Flames || 5 – 3 || 13–4–4
| 22 || 2 || @ Toronto Maple Leafs || 5 – 2 || 13–5–4
| 23 || 3 || Boston Bruins || 3 – 2 || 13–6–4
| 24 || 6 || St. Louis Blues || 7 – 4 || 14–6–4
| 25 || 7 || @ Philadelphia Flyers || 5 – 2 || 15–6–4
| 26 || 9 || @ Detroit Red Wings || 5 – 4 || 15–7–4
| 27 || 10 || Philadelphia Flyers || 4 – 0 || 15–8–4
| 28 || 13 || Los Angeles Kings || 8 – 7 || 16–8–4
| 29 || 16 || @ Boston Bruins || 4 – 1 || 16–9–4
| 30 || 17 || Boston Bruins || 4 – 1 || 16–10–4
| 31 || 20 || Buffalo Sabres || 6 – 3 || 17–10–4
| 32 || 22 || Detroit Red Wings || 4 – 2 || 18–10–4
| 33 || 23 || @ New York Islanders || 9 – 4 || 18–11–4
| 34 || 26 || @ Atlanta Flames || 5 – 3 || 19–11–4
| 35 || 28 || @ Philadelphia Flyers || 6 – 5 || 19–12–4
| 36 || 30 || @ Chicago Black Hawks || 5 – 4 || 20–12–4
| 37 || 31 || Atlanta Flames || 6 – 5 || 20–13–4
| 38 || 3 || Montreal Canadiens || 6 – 2 || 21–13–4
| 39 || 5 || Vancouver Canucks || 6 – 4 || 22–13–4
| 40 || 9 || @ St. Louis Blues || 5 – 3 || 23–13–4
| 41 || 10 || @ Colorado Rockies || 5 – 3 || 24–13–4
| 42 || 14 || @ Atlanta Flames || 6 – 4 || 25–13–4
| 43 || 15 || Minnesota North Stars || 8 – 1 || 25–14–4
| 44 || 17 || New York Islanders || 5 – 3 || 26–14–4
| 45 || 20 || @ St. Louis Blues || 3 – 2 || 26–15–4
| 46 || 21 || Philadelphia Flyers || 5 – 5 || 26–15–5
| 47 || 24 || @ Washington Capitals || 5 – 1 || 26–16–5
| 48 || 25 || @ Buffalo Sabres || 5 – 4 || 27–16–5
| 49 || 27 || @ New York Islanders || 7 – 2 || 28–16–5
| 50 || 30 || @ Vancouver Canucks || 5 – 3 || 29–16–5
| 51 || 31 || @ Colorado Rockies || 5 – 4 || 29–17–5
| 52 || 3 || @ Los Angeles Kings || 4 – 2 || 29–18–5
| 53 || 14 || Boston Bruins || 5 – 1 || 30–18–5
| 54 || 15 || @ Buffalo Sabres || 4 – 3 || 30–19–5
| 55 || 17 || @ Philadelphia Flyers || 4 – 2 || 31–19–5
| 56 || 18 || Washington Capitals || 6 – 6 || 31–19–6
| 57 || 21 || St. Louis Blues || 7 – 3 || 32–19–6
| 58 || 24 || @ Toronto Maple Leafs || 4 – 2 || 33–19–6
| 59 || 25 || New York Islanders || 3 – 2 || 34–19–6
| 60 || 27 || @ St. Louis Blues || 4 – 1 || 34–20–6
| 61 || 28 || @ Minnesota North Stars || 4 – 4 || 34–20–7
| 62 || 3 || Buffalo Sabres || 2 – 2 || 34–20–8
| 63 || 4 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 4 – 2 || 34–21–8
| 64 || 7 || Colorado Rockies || 5 – 3 || 35–21–8
| 65 || 10 || @ Montreal Canadiens || 6 – 3 || 36–21–8
| 66 || 11 || Chicago Black Hawks || 5 – 2 || 37–21–8
| 67 || 14 || Atlanta Flames || 6 – 4 || 37–22–8
| 68 || 15 || @ Boston Bruins || 7 – 4 || 38–22–8
| 69 || 17 || @ New York Islanders || 5 – 2 || 38–23–8
| 70 || 18 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 5 – 1 || 38–24–8
| 71 || 20 || @ Washington Capitals || 2 – 2 || 38–24–9
| 72 || 21 || @ Chicago Black Hawks || 7 – 6 || 39–24–9
| 73 || 25 || Montreal Canadiens || 1 – 0 || 39–25–9
| 74 || 27 || Philadelphia Flyers || 4 – 4 || 39–25–10
| 75 || 28 || @ Pittsburgh Penguins || 7 – 1 || 39–26–10
| 76 || 1 || @ Philadelphia Flyers || 7 – 3 || 39–27–10
| 77 || 2 || Los Angeles Kings || 5 – 4 || 40–27–10
| 78 || 4 || Atlanta Flames || 3 – 3 || 40–27–11
| 79 || 6 || @ Atlanta Flames || 9 – 2 || 40–28–11
| 80 || 8 || New York Islanders || 5 – 2 || 40–29–11
Legend:
Season summary February 25: During a win against the Islanders, Ulf Nilsson was injured on a hip check by Denis Potvin of the New York Islanders. He suffered a broken ankle when his skate blade got caught in a crevice in the Madison Square Garden ice as he was hit by Potvin, which resulted in Nilsson bearing the entire force of the hit on only one leg. Although Nilsson has never characterized the hit as dirty and, in 2009, said, "He [Potvin] was always fair. But the ice was never great in the Garden, because they had basketball and other events. My foot got caught. It was a freak thing." Nevertheless, the incident is still commemorated by the "Potvin Sucks" chant that takes place during every Rangers home game, and to this day, this would serve as the origin to this infamous "Potvin Sucks" chant at Madison Square Garden.
Playoffs
Stanley Cup Final The Rangers faced the defending champion Montreal Canadiens, who were making their fourth straight Stanley Cup Final appearance. It was the Rangers' first appearance in the Final since the 1972 Stanley Cup Final. The Canadiens would win the best-of-seven series four games to one, to win their fourth consecutive Stanley Cup.
| 1 || April 10 || Los Angeles Kings || 1 – 7 || New York Rangers || || New York Rangers lead series 1–0
| 2 || April 12 || New York Rangers || 2 – 1 || Los Angeles Kings || OT || New York Rangers win series 2–0
| 1 || April 16 || New York Rangers || 2 – 3 || Philadelphia Flyers || OT || Philadelphia leads series 1–0
| 2 || April 18 || New York Rangers || 7 – 1 || Philadelphia Flyers || || Series tied 1-1
| 3 || April 20 || Philadelphia Flyers || 1 – 5 || New York Rangers || || New York Rangers lead series 2–1
| 4 || April 22 || Philadelphia Flyers || 0 – 6 || New York Rangers || || New York Rangers lead series 3–1
| 5 || April 24 || New York Rangers || 8 – 3 || Philadelphia Flyers || || New York Rangers win series 4–1
| 1 || April 26 || New York Rangers || 4 – 1 || New York Islanders || || New York Rangers lead series 1–0
| 2 || April 28 || New York Rangers || 3 – 4 || New York Islanders || OT || Series tied 1-1
| 3 || May 1 || New York Islanders || 1 – 3 || New York Rangers || || New York Rangers lead series 2–1
| 4 || May 3 || New York Islanders || 3 – 2 || New York Rangers || OT || Series tied 2-2
| 5 || May 5 || New York Rangers || 4 – 3 || New York Islanders || || New York Rangers lead series 3–2
| 6 || May 8 || New York Islanders || 1 – 2 || New York Rangers || || New York Rangers win series 4–2
| 1 || May 13 || New York Rangers || 4 – 1 || Montreal Canadiens || || New York Rangers lead series 1–0
| 2 || May 15 || New York Rangers || 2 – 6 || Montreal Canadiens || || Series tied 1-1
| 3 || May 17 || Montreal Canadiens || 4 – 1 || New York Rangers || || Montreal leads series 2–1
| 4 || May 19 || Montreal Canadiens || 4 – 3 || New York Rangers || OT || Montreal leads series 3–1
| 5 || May 21 || New York Rangers || 1 – 4 || Montreal Canadiens || || Montreal wins series 4–1
Legend:
Player statistics Skaters
Regular season Player 80 33 46 79 33 80 42 36 78 37 80 34 41 75 56 59 27 39 66 21 79 27 36 63 35 80 20 38 58 35 60 17 36 53 66 66 13 34 47 24 77 8 37 45 86 77 15 27 42 38 40 15 21 36 6 70 6 25 31 37 71 5 26 31 153 68 13 16 29 29 62 11 17 28 26 76 11 17 28 151 28 9 17 26 39 71 1 19 20 61 30 5 3 8 27 71 3 5 8 190 ‡ 6 1 1 2 8 4 0 1 1 6 18 0 1 1 18 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0
Playoffs Player 18 7 13 20 19 18 8 12 20 20 18 2 11 13 8 18 7 5 12 12 18 7 5 12 16 18 4 7 11 10 18 2 9 11 13 18 5 4 9 11 18 4 5 9 12 18 5 3 8 13 18 1 7 8 6 15 4 3 7 8 17 3 4 7 45 18 0 6 6 29 18 0 6 6 20 17 5 0 5 10 7 0 2 2 14 9 2 0 2 4 4 0 0 0 6 2 0 0 0 2
Goaltenders Regular season Player 39 2232 20 12 5 131 3.52 0 31 1668 15 10 3 101 3.63 1 17 900 5 7 3 57 3.80 0
Playoffs Player 18 1106 11 7 42 2.28 1
†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.
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 Kitchener Rangers (OHA) 3 43 Ray Markham C Flin Flon Bombers (WCHL) 3 44 Dean Turner D University of Michigan (NCAA) 4 59 Dave Silk RW Boston University (NCAA) 4 60 Andre Dore D Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) 5 76 Mike MacDougall RW Port Huron Flags (IHL) 6 93 Tom Laidlaw D Northern Michigan University (NCAA) 7 110 Dan Clark D Milwaukee Admirals (IHL) 8 127 Greg Kostenko D Ohio State University (NCAA) 9 144 Brian McDavid D Kitchener Rangers (OHA) 10 161 Mark Rodrigues G Yale University (NCAA) 11 176 Steve Weeks G Northern Michigan University (NCAA) 12 192 Pierre Daigneault LW Montreal Juniors (QMJHL) 13 206 Chris McLaughlin D Dartmouth College (NCAA) 14 217 Todd Johnson C Boston University (NCAA) 15 223 Dan McCarthy C Sudbury Wolves (OHA)
References
External links Rangers on Hockey Database