1988–89 New York Rangers season explained

League:	NHL
Season:	1988–89
Year:	1988
Team:	New York Rangers
Conferencerank:	6th
Divisionrank:	3rd
Record:	37–35–8
Homerecord:	21–17–2
Roadrecord:	16–18–6
Goalsfor:	310
Goalsagainst:	307
Coach:	Michel Bergeron Phil Esposito (interim)
Goalsleader:	Tony Granato (36)
Assistsleader:	Tomas Sandström (56)
Pointsleader:	Tomas Sandstrom (88)
Pimleader:	Rudy Poeschek (199)
Winsleader:	John Vanbiesbrouck (28)
Gaaleader:	John Vanbiesbrouck (3.69)

The 1988–89 New York Rangers season was the franchise's 63rd season. The team returned to the playoffs for the 11th time in 12 seasons. A major storyline of the season was Guy Lafleur's comeback from retirement.

Regular season

Guy Lafleur

After being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, Guy Lafleur returned to the NHL during the 1988–89 season with the New York Rangers. Lafleur remained one of the few players that did not wear protective helmets due to the Grandfather clause. A highlight of Lafleur's season was the opportunity to be on the same team with Marcel Dionne. During his first game back in the Montreal Forum, he scored twice against Patrick Roy during the Rangers' 7–5 loss to the Canadiens. Although his high-scoring days were well behind him, his stint with the Rangers was moderately successful and he helped the team to first place in the Patrick Division until being knocked out by a knee injury. The Rangers would finish the season in third place.

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

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

Playoffs

See main article: 1989 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Key: Win Loss

Player statistics

Skaters

Regular Season

Player					data-sort-type="number"
	79	32	56	88	5	148
	68	23	48	71	8	50
	78	29	35	64	7	60
	78	36	27	63	17	140
	70	26	36	62	14	91
^†	41	21	34	55	1	45
	68	11	36	47	3	41
	67	18	27	45	1	12
	56	24	19	43	-6	50
	60	13	29	42	0	14
	73	9	24	33	-6	107
	69	8	25	33	-15	154
	38	8	16	24	-3	6
	37	7	16	23	-6	20
^‡	30	7	10	17	-2	39
	63	6	11	17	14	88
	44	4	11	15	-3	27
	38	7	7	14	-8	177
^†	45	2	12	14	-8	45
^‡	31	4	9	13	2	16
	58	1	10	11	9	94
	20	7	3	10	0	4
^‡	26	0	10	10	-3	14
	24	3	5	8	-1	2
^‡	10	2	5	7	1	15
	11	1	5	6	0	18
^†	13	0	5	5	-6	31
	52	0	2	2	-8	199
^‡	1	1	0	1	1	0
	6	0	1	1	-1	2
	6	0	1	1	-2	0
^‡	16	0	1	1	-1	40
	20	0	1	1	-3	84
	1	0	0	0	1	0
	1	0	0	0	0	2
	1	0	0	0	-1	0
	1	0	0	0	-1	0
^†‡	3	0	0	0	-3	0
	5	0	0	0	-4	0
	9	0	0	0	2	0
	12	0	0	0	2	6

Playoffs

Player
	4	3	2	5	2
	4	3	2	5	12
	4	1	2	3	2
	4	0	2	2	30
	4	0	2	2	27
	3	2	0	2	0
	4	1	1	2	21
	4	0	1	1	6
	4	0	1	1	31
	4	0	1	1	28
	4	0	1	1	2
	4	1	0	1	0
	4	0	1	1	2
	3	0	1	1	4
	2	0	0	0	17
	1	0	0	0	0
	3	0	0	0	17
	4	0	0	0	4
	4	0	0	0	0
	4	0	0	0	9

Goaltenders

Regular Season

Player
	56	3207	28	21	4	197	3.69	1662	.881	0
	30	1621	9	14	4	102	3.78	787	.870	1

Playoffs

Player
	2	107	0	1	6	3.36	55	.891	0
	2	72	0	2	8	6.67	51	.843	0
	1	58	0	1	4	4.14	30	.867	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.

^[1]

Draft picks

New York's picks at the 1988 NHL Entry Draft in Montreal, Canada at the Montreal Forum.

Round		Player	Position	Nationality	College/Junior/Club team (League)
2	22	Troy Mallette	LW		Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
2	26	Murray Duval	D		Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
4	68	Tony Amonte	RW		Thayer Academy (Massachusetts)
5	99	Martin Bergeron	C		Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL)
6	110	Dennis Vial	D		Hamilton Steelhawks (OHL)
7	131	Mike Rosati	G		Hamilton Steelhawks (OHL)
8	152	Eric Couvrette	LW		Saint-Jean Castors (QMJHL)
10	194	Paul Cain	C		Cornwall Royals (OHL)
10	202	Eric Fenton	RW		N. Yarmouth Academy (Maine)
11	215	Peter Fiorentino	D		Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
12	236	Keith Slifstein	RW		Choate Academy (Connecticut)

Supplemental Draft

New York's picks at the 1988 NHL Supplemental Draft.

Player	Position	Nationality	College/Junior/Club team (League)
Mike Hurlbut	D		St. Lawrence University (ECAC)
Ron Lecinskas	LW		Salem State College (NCAA)

Awards and records

• Brian Leetch, Calder Memorial Trophy
• Brian Leetch, Most Goals by a Rookie Defenseman in One Season (23)^[2]
• Most goals by rookie, season – Tony Granato (1988–89) – 36

External links

• Rangers on Hockey Database
• Web site: 1988–89 New York Rangers Games. Hockey-reference.com . 2009-05-06 .

Notes and References

1. Web site: hockeydb.com . 2010-08-08 . 1988-89 New York Rangers . https://web.archive.org/web/20100731013813/http://hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0000481989.html. 31 July 2010 . live.
2. National Hockey League Official Guide and Record Book 2006, p. 184, Dan Diamond & Associates, Toronto, Ontario,