2021–22 New York Rangers season

The 2021–22 New York Rangers season was the franchise's 95th season of play and their 96th season overall. Before the season, the Rangers lost Colin Blackwell to the Seattle Kraken in the 2021 NHL expansion draft.

The Rangers retired the no. 30 jersey in honor of Henrik Lundqvist on January 28, 2022.

During the season the team commemorated Rod Gilbert, who died in August 2021, with a no. 7 shoulder patch on their jerseys. Additionally, the Rangers created the Rod Gilbert "Mr. Ranger" Award, which will be given annually to the player "who best honors Rod's legacy by exemplifying leadership qualities both on and off the ice, and making a significant humanitarian contribution to his community."

On December 3, 2021, after a 1–0 win over the San Jose Sharks, Rangers goaltenders Igor Shesterkin and Alexandar Georgiev had a first combined shutout since Henrik Lundqvist and Antti Raanta achieved it during a 2–0 victory over the Dallas Stars on December 15, 2016.

Three Rangers were selected to participate in the 2022 NHL All-Star Game – Chris Kreider, Adam Fox, and Mika Zibanejad. However, for personal reasons, Zibanejad did not attend the game. It was the 34th time in franchise history that the Rangers have had three or more players selected to the same All-Star Game and first since the 2011–12 season with Henrik Lundqvist, Daniel Girardi and Marián Gáborík. At the conclusion of the regular season, Shesterkin was nominated for and eventually won the Vezina Trophy, and was also named to the NHL first All-Star team.

On April 9, 2022, the Rangers clinched a playoff berth after a 5–1 win against the Ottawa Senators. In the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Rangers trailed 3–1 after the first four games of the series, but won the next three games against the Pittsburgh Penguins and won the series 4–3. This was the third time in franchise history that the Rangers won the seven-game series after trailing 3–1 (2013–14 and 2014–15). The Rangers qualified for the conference finals for the first time since the 2014–15 season after they defeated the Carolina Hurricanes in seven games in the second round. They would go on to lose to the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games.

Standings

Divisional standings

Conference standings

Schedule and results

Preseason The preseason schedule was published on July 27, 2021.

|- style="background:#fcc;" | 1 || September 26 || NY Islanders || 0–4 || || Georgiev || Madison Square Garden || 10,238 || 0–1–0 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 2 || September 28 || Boston || 3–2 || || Wall || Madison Square Garden || 9,902 || 1–1–0 || |- style="background:#fcc;" | 3 || October 1 || @ New Jersey || 1–7 || || Shesterkin || Prudential Center || 10,474 || 1–2–0 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 4 || October 2 || @ Boston || 4–3 || OT || Wall || TD Garden || 17,850 || 2–2–0 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 5 || October 6 || New Jersey || 6–2 || || Shesterkin || Madison Square Garden || 10,468 || 3–2–0 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 6 || October 9 || @ NY Islanders || 5–4 || OT || Georgiev || Webster Bank Arena || — || 4–2–0 ||

Regular season The regular season schedule was published on July 22, 2021, with only about a handful of games scheduled in February because NHL players were planning to participate in the 2022 Winter Olympics. However, on December 22, the NHL announced that its players would not participate in the 2022 Winter Olympics due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

|- style="background:#fcc;" | 1 || October 13 || @ Washington || 1–5 || || Georgiev || Capital One Arena || 18,573 || 0–1–0 || 0 || |- style="background:#fff;" | 2 || October 14 || Dallas || 2–3 || OT || Shesterkin || Madison Square Garden || 17,173 || 0–1–1 || 1 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 3 || October 16 || @ Montreal || 3–1 || || Shesterkin || Bell Centre || 21,105 || 1–1–1 || 3 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 4 || October 18 || @ Toronto || 2–1 || OT || Shesterkin || Scotiabank Arena || 18,098 || 2–1–1 || 5 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 5 || October 21 || @ Nashville || 3–1 || || Shesterkin || Bridgestone Arena || 17,159 || 3–1–1 || 7 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 6 || October 23 || @ Ottawa || 3–2 || || Georgiev || Canadian Tire Centre || 11,167 || 4–1–1 || 9 || |- style="background:#fcc;" | 7 || October 25 || Calgary || 1–5 || || Shesterkin || Madison Square Garden || 13,590 || 4–2–1 || 9 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 8 || October 29 || Columbus || 4–0 || || Shesterkin || Madison Square Garden || 14,532 || 5–2–1 || 11 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 9 || October 31 || @ Seattle || 3–1 || || Shesterkin || Climate Pledge Arena || 17,151 || 6–2–1 || 13 ||

|- style="background:#fff;" | 10 || November 2 || @ Vancouver || 2–3 || OT || Shesterkin || Rogers Arena || 18,257 || 6–2–2 || 14 || |- style="background:#fff;" | 11 || November 5 || @ Edmonton || 5–6 || OT || Georgiev || Rogers Place || 17,404 || 6–2–3 || 15 || |- style="background:#fcc;" | 12 || November 6 || @ Calgary || 0–6 || || Shesterkin || Scotiabank Saddledome || 15,879 || 6–3–3 || 15 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 13 || November 8 || Florida || 4–3 || || Shesterkin || Madison Square Garden || 14,877 || 7–3–3 || 17 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 14 || November 13 || @ Columbus || 5–3 || || Shesterkin || Nationwide Arena || 15,539 || 8–3–3 || 19 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 15 || November 14 || New Jersey || 4–3 || SO || Georgiev || Madison Square Garden || 16,130 || 9–3–3 || 21 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 16 || November 16 || Montreal || 3–2 || || Shesterkin || Madison Square Garden || 15,255 || 10–3–3 || 23 || |- style="background:#fcc;" | 17 || November 18 || @ Toronto || 1–2 || || Shesterkin || Scotiabank Arena || 19,029 || 10–4–3 || 23 || |- style="background:#ccc;" | — || November 20 || @ Ottawa || – || colspan="7"|Postponed due to COVID-19 protocol; moved to February 20 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 18 || November 21 || Buffalo || 5–4 || || Shesterkin || Madison Square Garden || 17,256 || 11–4–3 || 25 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 19 || November 24 || @ NY Islanders || 4–1 || || Shesterkin || UBS Arena || 17,255 || 12–4–3 || 27 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 20 || November 26 || @ Boston || 5–2 || || Shesterkin || TD Garden || 17,850 || 13–4–3 || 29 || |- style="background:#ccc;" | — || November 28 || NY Islanders || – || colspan="7"|Postponed due to COVID-19 protocol; moved to March 17

|- style="background:#cfc;" | 21 || December 1 || Philadelphia || 4–1 || || Shesterkin || Madison Square Garden || 15,687 || 14–4–3 || 31 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 22 || December 3 || San Jose || 1–0 || || Shesterkin || Madison Square Garden || 16,726 || 15–4–3 || 33 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 23 || December 4 || Chicago || 3–2 || || Georgiev || Madison Square Garden || 17,046 || 16–4–3 || 35 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 24 || December 7 || @ Chicago || 6–2 || || Georgiev || United Center || 17,207 || 17–4–3 || 37 || |- style="background:#fcc;" | 25 || December 8 || Colorado || 3–7 || || Huska || Madison Square Garden || 16,714 || 17–5–3 || 37 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 26 || December 10 || @ Buffalo || 2–1 || || Georgiev || KeyBank Center || 9,703 || 18–5–3 || 39 || |- style="background:#fcc;" | 27 || December 12 || Nashville || 0–1 || || Georgiev || Madison Square Garden || 16,177 || 18–6–3 || 39 || |- style="background:#fcc;" | 28 || December 14 || @ Colorado || 2–4 || || Georgiev || Ball Arena || 17,198 || 18–7–3 || 39 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 29 || December 15 || @ Arizona || 3–2 || || Kinkaid || Gila River Arena || 11,380 || 19–7–3 || 41 || |- style="background:#fff;" | 30 || December 17 || Vegas || 2–3 || SO || Georgiev || Madison Square Garden || 17,400 || 19–7–4 || 42 || |- style="background:#ccc;" | — || December 22 || Montreal || – || colspan="7"|Postponed due to COVID-19 protocol; moved to April 27 |- style="background:#ccc;" | — || December 27 || Detroit || – || colspan="7"|Postponed due to COVID-19 protocol; moved to February 17 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 31 || December 29 || @ Florida || 3–4 || || Shesterkin || FLA Live Arena || 15,857 || 19–8–4 || 42 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 32 || December 31 || @ Tampa Bay || 4–3 || SO || Shesterkin || Amalie Arena || 19,092 || 20–8–4 || 44 ||

|- style="background:#cfc;" | 33 || January 2 || Tampa Bay || 4–0 || || Shesterkin || Madison Square Garden || 16,885 || 21–8–4 || 46 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 34 || January 3 || Edmonton || 4–1 || || Georgiev || Madison Square Garden || 16,979 || 22–8–4 || 48 || |- style="background:#fcc;" | 35 || January 6 || @ Vegas || 1–5 || || Georgiev || T-Mobile Arena || 18,117 || 22–9–4 || 48 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 36 || January 8 || @ Anaheim || 4–1 || || Georgiev || Honda Center || 15,146 || 23–9–4 || 50 || |- style="background:#fcc;" | 37 || January 10 || @ Los Angeles || 1–3 || || Georgiev || Crypto.com Arena || 13,558 || 23–10–4 || 50 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 38 || January 13 || @ San Jose || 3–0 || || Shesterkin || SAP Center || 10,919 || 24–10–4 || 52 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 39 || January 15 || @ Philadelphia || 3–2 || || Shesterkin || Wells Fargo Center || 18,293 || 25–10–4 || 54 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 40 || January 19 || Toronto || 6–3 || || Shesterkin || Madison Square Garden || 16,624 || 26–10–4 || 56 || |- style="background:#fcc;" | 41 || January 21 || @ Carolina || 3–6 || || Georgiev || PNC Arena || 16,118 || 26–11–4 || 56 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 42 || January 22 || Arizona || 7–3 || || Shesterkin || Madison Square Garden || 17,006 || 27–11–4 || 58 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 43 || January 24 || Los Angeles || 3–2 || SO || Shesterkin || Madison Square Garden || 15,666 || 28–11–4 || 60 || |- style="background:#fcc;" | 44 || January 27 || @ Columbus || 3–5 || || Georgiev || Nationwide Arena || 14,878 || 28–12–4 || 60 || |- style="background:#fcc;" | 45 || January 28 || Minnesota || 2–3 || || Shesterkin || Madison Square Garden || 18,006 || 28–13–4 || 60 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 46 || January 30 || Seattle || 3–2 || || Shesterkin || Madison Square Garden || 18,006 || 29–13–4 || 62 ||

|- style="background:#cfc;" | 47 || February 1 || Florida || 5–2 || || Shesterkin || Madison Square Garden || 15,942 || 30–13–4 || 64 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 48 || February 15 || Boston || 2–1 || SO || Shesterkin || Madison Square Garden || 15,403 || 31–13–4 || 66 || |- style="background:#fff;" | 49 || February 17 || Detroit || 2–3 || SO || Shesterkin || Madison Square Garden || 16,461 || 31–13–5 || 67 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 50 || February 20 || @ Ottawa || 2–1 || || Shesterkin || Canadian Tire Centre || 5,181 || 32–13–5 || 69 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 51 || February 24 || Washington || 4–1 || || Shesterkin || Madison Square Garden || 18,006 || 33–13–5 || 71 || |- style="background:#fcc;" | 52 || February 26 || @ Pittsburgh || 0–1 || || Shesterkin || PPG Paints Arena || 18,413 || 33–14–5 || 71 || |- style="background:#fcc;" | 53 || February 27 || Vancouver || 2–5 || || Georgiev || Madison Square Garden || 16,483 || 33–15–5 || 71 ||

|- style="background:#cfc;" | 54 || March 2 || St. Louis || 5–3 || || Shesterkin || Madison Square Garden || 16,870 || 34–15–5 || 73 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 55 || March 4 || New Jersey || 3–1 || || Shesterkin || Madison Square Garden || 18,006 || 35–15–5 || 75 || |- style="background:#cfc;" | 56 || March 6 || @ Winnipeg || 4–1 || || Shesterkin || Canada Life Centre || 12,867 || 36–15–5 || 77 || |- style="background:#fcc;" | 57 || March 8 || @ Minnesota || 2–5 || || Georgiev || Xcel Energy Center || 18,356 || 36–16–5 || 77 || |- style="background:#fcc;" | 58 || March 10 || @ St. Louis || 2–6 || || Shesterkin || Enterprise Center || 18,096 || 36–17–5 || 77 || |- style="background:#cfc;"