1971–72 New York Rangers season explained

League:	NHL
Season:	1971–72
Year:	1971
Team:	New York Rangers
Divisionrank:	2nd
Record:	48–17–13
Goalsfor:	317
Goalsagainst:	192
Coach:	Emile Francis
Goalsleader:	Vic Hadfield (50)
Assistsleader:	Jean Ratelle (63)
Pointsleader:	Jean Ratelle (109)
Pimleader:	Vic Hadfield (142)
Winsleader:	Gilles Villemure, Ed Giacomin (24)
Gaaleader:	Gilles Villemure (2.09)

The 1971–72 New York Rangers season was the franchise's 46th season. Jean Ratelle, Vic Hadfield, and Rod Gilbert ranked third, fourth and fifth overall in league scoring.^[1] The Rangers qualified for the postseason for the sixth consecutive season. The club made its first appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals since 1950 but lost in six games to the Boston Bruins.

Regular season

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 1 || 9 || @ Montreal Canadiens || 4–4 || 0–0–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 2 || 10 || @ Boston Bruins || 4–1 || 1–0–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 3 || 13 || Boston Bruins || 6–1 || 1–1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 4 || 16 || @ Toronto Maple Leafs || 5–3 || 2–1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 5 || 17 || Montreal Canadiens || 8–4 || 3–1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 6 || 20 || Chicago Black Hawks || 3–1 || 4–1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 7 || 23 || @ St. Louis Blues || 4–3 || 5–1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 8 || 24 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 1–1 || 5–1–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 9 || 27 || Detroit Red Wings || 7–4 || 6–1–2|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 10 || 30 || @ Pittsburgh Penguins || 1–1 || 6–1–3|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 11 || 31 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 3–3 || 6–1–4|-|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 12 || 3 || @ Los Angeles Kings || 7–1 || 7–1–4|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 13 || 5 || @ California Golden Seals || 8–1 || 8–1–4|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 14 || 6 || @ Vancouver Canucks || 3–1 || 9–1–4|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 15 || 10 || Los Angeles Kings || 7–1 || 10–1–4|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 16 || 13 || Buffalo Sabres || 5–2 || 11–1–4|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 17 || 14 || Vancouver Canucks || 6–1 || 12–1–4|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 18 || 20 || @ Minnesota North Stars || 4–1 || 12–2–4|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 19 || 21 || California Golden Seals || 12–1 || 13–2–4|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 20 || 24 || St. Louis Blues || 8–3 || 14–2–4|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 21 || 27 || @ Detroit Red Wings || 3–1 || 14–3–4|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 22 || 28 || @ Philadelphia Flyers || 4–2 || 15–3–4|-|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 23 || 1 || Buffalo Sabres || 7–2 || 16–3–4|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 24 || 4 || @ Pittsburgh Penguins || 4–2 || 16–4–4|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 25 || 5 || Vancouver Canucks || 6–3 || 17–4–4|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 26 || 8 || @ Chicago Black Hawks || 2–2 || 17–4–5|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 27 || 9 || @ Philadelphia Flyers || 5–0 || 18–4–5|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 28 || 12 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 6–1 || 19–4–5|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 29 || 15 || Philadelphia Flyers || 6–2 || 20–4–5|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 30 || 16 || @ Boston Bruins || 8–1 || 20–5–5|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 31 || 18 || @ St. Louis Blues || 5–2 || 21–5–5|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 32 || 19 || Minnesota North Stars || 1–1 || 21–5–6|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 33 || 22 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 4–2 || 22–5–6|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 34 || 25 || @ Minnesota North Stars || 2–1 || 23–5–6|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 35 || 26 || Montreal Canadiens || 5–1 || 24–5–6|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 36 || 29 || Philadelphia Flyers || 5–1 || 25–5–6|-|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 37 || 2 || Boston Bruins || 4–1 || 25–6–6|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 38 || 5 || St. Louis Blues || 9–1 || 26–6–6|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 39 || 9 || Los Angeles Kings || 8–0 || 27–6–6|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 40 || 12 || @ Chicago Black Hawks || 5–5 || 27–6–7|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 41 || 13 || @ Buffalo Sabres || 5–2 || 28–6–7|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 42 || 15 || @ Toronto Maple Leafs || 4–3 || 28–7–7|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 43 || 19 || @ Los Angeles Kings || 5–1 || 29–7–7|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 44 || 21 || @ California Golden Seals || 5–0 || 30–7–7|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 45 || 22 || @ Vancouver Canucks || 5–2 || 30–8–7|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 46 || 26 || Buffalo Sabres || 5–1 || 31–8–7|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 47 || 29 || @ Minnesota North Stars || 4–2 || 31–9–7|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 48 || 30 || Minnesota North Stars || 1–1 || 31–9–8|-|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 49 || 2 || Boston Bruins || 2–0 || 31–10–8|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 50 || 3 || @ Buffalo Sabres || 4–2 || 32–10–8|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 51 || 5 || @ St. Louis Blues || 6–5 || 32–11–8|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 52 || 6 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 2–2 || 32–11–9|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 53 || 9 || Chicago Black Hawks || 4–1 || 33–11–9|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 54 || 12 || @ Pittsburgh Penguins || 8–3 || 34–11–9|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 55 || 13 || Los Angeles Kings || 4–2 || 35–11–9|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 56 || 15 || @ Vancouver Canucks || 5–1 || 36–11–9|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 57 || 17 || @ Los Angeles Kings || 6–4 || 37–11–9|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 58 || 18 || @ California Golden Seals || 2–2 || 37–11–10|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 59 || 20 || Detroit Red Wings || 4–3 || 38–11–10|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 60 || 22 || @ Montreal Canadiens || 7–3 || 39–11–10|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 61 || 23 || Philadelphia Flyers || 4–3 || 40–11–10|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 62 || 27 || St. Louis Blues || 2–0 || 41–11–10|-|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 63 || 1 || California Golden Seals || 4–1 || 42–11–10|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 64 || 2 || @ Buffalo Sabres || 4–3 || 43–11–10|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 65 || 5 || Vancouver Canucks || 6–1 || 44–11–10|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 66 || 8 || Chicago Black Hawks || 3–3 || 44–11–11|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 67 || 11 || @ Detroit Red Wings || 4–2 || 45–11–11|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 68 || 12 || California Golden Seals || 7–3 || 45–12–11|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 69 || 15 || @ Chicago Black Hawks || 3–1 || 45–13–11|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 70 || 16 || @ Detroit Red Wings || 2–1 || 46–13–11|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 71 || 18 || @ Philadelphia Flyers || 5–3 || 47–13–11|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 72 || 19 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 5–3 || 48–13–11|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 73 || 23 || @ Boston Bruins || 4–1 || 48–14–11|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 74 || 25 || @ Montreal Canadiens || 3–3 || 48–14–12|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 75 || 26 || Minnesota North Stars || 5–0 || 48–15–12|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 76 || 29 || Detroit Red Wings || 2–2 || 48–15–13|-|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 77 || 1 || @ Toronto Maple Leafs || 2–1 || 48–16–13|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 78 || 2 || Montreal Canadiens || 6–5 || 48–17–13|-

Playoffs

See main article: 1972 Stanley Cup Finals. Key: Win Loss

Player statistics

Skaters

Regular Season

Player
	63	46	63	109	4
	78	50	56	106	142
	73	43	54	97	64
	75	24	49	73	130
	76	24	42	66	65
	78	22	37	59	53
	78	21	36	57	12
	78	5	36	41	62
	75	19	21	40	22
	78	7	30	37	56
	78	15	21	36	66
	59	11	17	28	53
^†	60	8	8	16	25
	68	2	14	16	67
	76	5	9	14	77
	48	4	7	11	4
^†	50	1	10	11	54
^‡	16	4	5	9	2
^‡	34	3	3	6	20
^†	8	1	4	5	0
^‡	17	2	1	3	14
^†	13	0	2	2	2
	3	0	1	1	0
	1	0	0	0	0
^†	1	0	0	0	0
	3	0	0	0	2
^†‡	7	0	0	0	0

Playoffs

Player
	16	6	11	17	7
	16	7	9	16	22
	16	7	8	15	11
	16	4	8	12	18
	16	5	7	12	11
	16	4	7	11	21
	16	4	6	10	35
	16	4	5	9	19
	16	2	6	8	4
	16	4	3	7	16
	16	1	4	5	10
	13	1	3	4	2
	16	1	3	4	21
	8	2	1	3	0
	10	0	3	3	8
	4	0	1	1	0
	16	0	1	1	22
	6	0	1	1	0
	1	0	0	0	0
	1	0	0	0	0
	12	0	0	0	46

Goaltenders

Regular Season

Player
	44	2551	24	10	9	115	2.70	1
	37	2129	24	7	4	74	2.09	3

Playoffs

Player
	10	600	6	4	27	2.70	0
	6	360	4	2	14	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.

^[2]

Draft picks

New York's picks at the 1971 NHL Amateur Draft in Montreal, Canada.

Round		Player	Position	Nationality	College/Junior/Club team (League)
1	10	Steve Vickers	LW		Toronto Marlboros (OHA)
1	13	Steve Durbano	D		Toronto Marlboros (OHA)
2	27	Tom Williams	LW		Hamilton Red Wings (OHA)
3	41	Terry West	C		London Knights (OHA)
4	55	Jerry Butler	RW		Hamilton Red Wings (OHA)
5	69	Fraser Robertson	D		Lethbridge Sugar Kings (AJHL)
6	83	Wayne Wood	G		Montreal Junior Canadiens (OHA)
7	96	Doug Keeler	C		Ottawa 67's (OHA)
7	97	Jean-Denis Royal	D		Saint-Jerome Alouettes (QMJHL)
8	109	Gene Sobchuk	LW		Regina Pats (WCHL)
9	110	Jim Ivison	D		Brandon Wheat Kings (WCHL)
10	111	Andre Peloffy	C		Rosemont National (QMJHL)
11	112	Elston Evoy	C		Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (NOHA)
12	114	Gerry Lecomte	D		Sherbrooke Beavers (QMJHL)
13	115	Wayne Forsey	LW		Swift Current Broncos (WCHL)
14	116	Bill Forrest	D		Hamilton Red Wings (OHA)

External links

• Rangers on Hockey Database

Notes and References

1. National Hockey League Official Guide and Record Book 2006, p.162, Dan Diamond & Associates, Toronto, Ontario,
2. Web site: hockeydb.com . 2010-08-08 . 1971–72 New York Rangers .