1980–81 New York Rangers season explained

League:NHL
Season:1980–81
Year:1980
Team:New York Rangers
Conferencerank:T-7th
Divisionrank:4th
Record:30–36–14
Goalsfor:312
Goalsagainst:317
Coach:Fred Shero
Craig Patrick
Altcaptain:None
Attendance:17,293
Goalsleader:Ed Johnstone/Anders Hedberg (30)
Assistsleader:Ron Greschner (41)
Pointsleader:Anders Hedberg (70)
Pimleader:Barry Beck (231)
Winsleader:Doug Soetaert (16)
Gaaleader:Steve Weeks (2.00)

The 1980–81 New York Rangers season was the franchise's 55th season. In the regular season, the Rangers finished in fourth place in the Patrick Division with 74 points and earned a berth in the playoffs. New York won series with the Los Angeles Kings and St. Louis Blues to reach the NHL semi-finals, where the team was defeated by the New York Islanders in a four-game sweep.[1]

Regular season

Fred Shero, citing a drinking problem, chose to resign as coach. Craig Patrick, the Rangers' director of operations, replaced him. Craig Patrick became the third generation of the Patrick family to coach the Rangers, after Lester Patrick, Lynn Patrick and Muzz Patrick.[2]

Halfway through the season, veteran Phil Esposito decided to retire. He retired after 18 seasons, the last six with the Rangers. He finished his career with 717 goals and 1,590 points.[3]

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 1 || 9 || @ Boston Bruins || 7–2 || 0–1–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 2 || 11 || @ Toronto Maple Leafs || 8–3 || 1–1–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 3 || 12 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 6–3 || 1–2–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 4 || 15 || St. Louis Blues || 2–1 || 1–3–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 5 || 18 || @ Washington Capitals || 8–2 || 1–4–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 6 || 19 || Edmonton Oilers || 4–2 || 1–5–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 7 || 22 || Vancouver Canucks || 3–2 || 2–5–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 8 || 25 || @ Detroit Red Wings || 4–2 || 2–6–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 9 || 26 || Detroit Red Wings || 7–6 || 3–6–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 10 || 28 || @ St. Louis Blues || 5–4 || 3–7–0|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 11 || 30 || @ Philadelphia Flyers || 3–3 || 3–7–1|-|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 12 || 1 || @ Montreal Canadiens || 7–4 || 3–8–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 13 || 2 || Los Angeles Kings || 6–3 || 3–9–1|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 14 || 5 || @ Chicago Black Hawks || 3–3 || 3–9–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 15 || 8 || @ Vancouver Canucks || 6–4 || 3–10–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 16 || 10 || @ Los Angeles Kings || 4–1 || 3–11–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 17 || 11 || @ Calgary Flames || 7–3 || 3–12–2|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 18 || 14 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 3–3 || 3–12–3|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 19 || 16 || Hartford Whalers || 7–3 || 4–12–3|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 20 || 19 || Philadelphia Flyers || 5–1 || 4–13–3|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 21 || 22 || @ New York Islanders || 6–4 || 4–14–3|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 22 || 23 || Vancouver Canucks || 2–2 || 4–14–4|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 23 || 26 || Boston Bruins || 6–4 || 5–14–4|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 24 || 29 || @ Pittsburgh Penguins || 4–2 || 6–14–4|-|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 25 || 1 || Minnesota North Stars || 5–3 || 6–15–4|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 26 || 3 || @ Winnipeg Jets || 4–3 || 7–15–4|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 27 || 5 || @ Edmonton Oilers || 5–1 || 8–15–4|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 28 || 7 || Chicago Black Hawks || 5–4 || 9–15–4|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 29 || 10 || Washington Capitals || 6–2 || 10–15–4|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 30 || 12 || @ Colorado Rockies || 4–3 || 11–15–4|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 31 || 14 || @ Chicago Black Hawks || 2–1 || 11–16–4|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 32 || 17 || Winnipeg Jets || 8–2 || 12–16–4|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 33 || 20 || @ Minnesota North Stars || 3–3 || 12–16–5|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 34 || 22 || Calgary Flames || 3–2 || 12–17–5|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 35 || 26 || @ Washington Capitals || 7–3 || 12–18–5|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 36 || 28 || Montreal Canadiens || 5–2 || 12–19–5|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 37 || 30 || @ Quebec Nordiques || 6–3 || 13–19–5|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 38 || 31 || Colorado Rockies || 6–4 || 13–20–5|-|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 39 || 2 || New York Islanders || 3–1 || 14–20–5|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 40 || 4 || Quebec Nordiques || 2–2 || 14–20–6|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 41 || 9 || Buffalo Sabres || 3–3 || 14–20–7|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 42 || 11 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 5–3 || 14–21–7|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 43 || 13 || @ Calgary Flames || 4–4 || 14–21–8|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 44 || 15 || @ Colorado Rockies || 4–3 || 14–22–8|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 45 || 18 || @ Buffalo Sabres || 4–0 || 14–23–8|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 46 || 19 || Calgary Flames || 6–3 || 15–23–8|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 47 || 21 || @ Winnipeg Jets || 5–1 || 15–24–8|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 48 || 23 || @ Edmonton Oilers || 7–4 || 16–24–8|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 49 || 24 || @ Vancouver Canucks || 7–5 || 17–24–8|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 50 || 28 || @ Los Angeles Kings || 6–2 || 18–24–8|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 51 || 31 || @ Minnesota North Stars || 7–3 || 19–24–8|-|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 52 || 2 || Los Angeles Kings || 3–2 || 19–25–8|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 53 || 4 || New York Islanders || 9–3 || 20–25–8|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 54 || 5 || @ Boston Bruins || 6–3 || 20–26–8|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 55 || 8 || Minnesota North Stars || 3–3 || 20–26–9|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 56 || 12 || Winnipeg Jets || 8–6 || 21–26–9|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 57 || 14 || @ Toronto Maple Leafs || 6–3 || 21–27–9|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 58 || 15 || St. Louis Blues || 5–4 || 21–28–9|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 59 || 18 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 8–3 || 22–28–9|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 60 || 19 || @ Detroit Red Wings || 7–3 || 22–29–9|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 61 || 21 || Washington Capitals || 6–4 || 23–29–9|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 62 || 22 || @ Hartford Whalers || 6–5 || 23–30–9|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 63 || 25 || Buffalo Sabres || 6–3 || 24–30–9|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 64 || 28 || @ Pittsburgh Penguins || 6–4 || 24–31–9|-|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 65 || 1 || Montreal Canadiens || 4–4 || 24–31–10|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 66 || 4 || Edmonton Oilers || 5–5 || 24–31–11|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 67 || 7 || @ St. Louis Blues || 7–2 || 24–32–11|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 68 || 8 || Detroit Red Wings || 4–4 || 24–32–12|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 69 || 10 || @ Quebec Nordiques || 6–4 || 24–33–12|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 70 || 11 || Colorado Rockies || 4–3 || 24–34–12|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 71 || 14 || Hartford Whalers || 6–2 || 25–34–12|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 72 || 18 || Boston Bruins || 3–2 || 26–34–12|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 73 || 21 || @ Hartford Whalers || 6–4 || 27–34–12|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 74 || 22 || Quebec Nordiques || 7–7 || 27–34–13|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 75 || 25 || @ Buffalo Sabres || 4–2 || 27–35–13|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 76 || 28 || @ Montreal Canadiens || 6–2 || 28–35–13|- align="center" bgcolor="white"| 77 || 30 || Philadelphia Flyers || 0–0 || 28–35–14|-|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB"| 78 || 2 || @ New York Islanders || 2–1 || 28–36–14|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 79 || 3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 3–1 || 29–36–14|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC"| 80 || 5 || @ Philadelphia Flyers || 2–0 || 30–36–14|-

Playoffs

See main article: 1981 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Key: Win Loss

1981 Stanley Cup playoffs

Player statistics

Skaters
Regular Season
Playerdata-sort-type="number"
80 30 40 70 0 52
80 30 38 68 15 100
74 27 41 68 0 112
75 26 38 64 12 83
73 19 39 58 7 40
61 29 23 52 17 99
79 11 36 47 24 132
51 14 25 39 −3 42
50 17 21 38 2 83
75 11 23 34 9 231
50 13 17 30 2 28
80 6 23 29 0 100
43 6 22 28 13 28
59 14 12 26 −24 58
33 11 12 23 0 12
74 3 20 23 19 91
† 35 10 10 20 6 4
41 7 13 20 −13 20
61 5 14 19 10 214
54 4 12 16 −10 153
† 27 5 6 11 −6 91
12 1 5 6 −1 2
32 4 1 5 −9 32
5 4 0 4 3 4
11 2 2 4 −9 18
15 1 3 4 −1 15
15 1 3 4 6 44
‡ 8 1 2 3 −5 46
2 0 1 1 −3 0
3 0 1 1 0 0
2 0 0 0 1 0
Playoffs
Player
14 8 9 17 16
14 8 8 16 23
14 8 8 16 6
14 5 8 13 32
14 4 8 12 17
12 4 7 11 14
14 2 6 8 6
14 5 3 8 9
14 3 5 8 2
14 2 5 7 9
13 1 6 7 13
14 1 4 5 18
14 1 3 4 26
14 3 1 4 20
8 2 2 4 4
14 0 3 3 63
12 2 0 2 93
2 0 2 2 9
3 0 1 1 6
3 1 0 1 0
1 0 0 0 2
2 0 0 0 4
Goaltenders
Regular Season
Player
39 2320 16 16 7 152 3.93 0
21 1260 10 6 5 73 3.48 2
10 560 1 7 1 48 5.14 0
10 600 3 6 1 34 3.40 0
1 60 0 1 0 2 2.00 0
Playoffs
Player
14 826 7 7 55 4.00 0
1 14 0 0 1 4.29 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]

Draft picks

New York's picks at the 1980 NHL Entry Draft in Montreal, Canada at the Montreal Forum.[5] [6]

RoundPlayerPositionNationalityCollege/Junior/Club team (League)
114Jim MaloneFToronto Marlboros (OHA)
235Mike AllisonRWSudbury Wolves (OHA)
477Kurt KleinendorstCProvidence College (NCAA)
598Scot KleinendorstDProvidence College (NCAA)
6119Reijo RuotsalainenD FinlandKarpat (SM-liiga)
7140Bob ScurfieldCWestern Michigan University (NCAA)
8161Bart WilsonDToronto Marlboros (OHA)
9182Chris WrayRWBoston College (NCAA)
10203Anders BackstromD SwedenBrynas (Elitserien)

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 1980–81 New York Rangers Roster and Statistics. Hockey-Reference. 2010-11-13.
  2. McFarlane, p. 204
  3. McFarlane, p. 205
  4. Web site: hockeydb.com . 2010-08-08 . 1980–81 New York Rangers . https://web.archive.org/web/20100825093839/http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0000481981.html. 25 August 2010 . live.
  5. Web site: 1980 NHL Entry Draft. Hockey-Reference. 2012-04-28.
  6. Web site: NHL Draft History . National Hockey League . 2012-04-28 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20010128131400/http://nhl.com/futures/drafthistory.html . 2001-01-28 .

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