Wikipedia

1988–89 New York Rangers season

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.

1988–89 New York Rangers
Division3rd Patrick
Conference6th Wales
1988–89 record37–35–8
Home record21–17–2
Road record16–18–6
Goals for310
Goals against307
Team information
General managerPhil Esposito
CoachMichel Bergeron
Phil Esposito (interim)
CaptainKelly Kisio
ArenaMadison Square Garden
Team leaders
GoalsTony Granato (36)
AssistsTomas Sandström (56)
PointsTomas Sandstrom (88)
Penalty minutesRudy Poeschek (199)
WinsJohn Vanbiesbrouck (28)
Goals against averageJohn Vanbiesbrouck (3.69)

Regular season

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Guy Lafleur

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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.

Season standings

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Patrick Division
GP W L T GF GA Pts
Washington Capitals 80 41 29 10 305 259 92
Pittsburgh Penguins 80 40 33 7 347 349 87
New York Rangers 80 37 35 8 310 307 82
Philadelphia Flyers 80 36 36 8 307 285 80
New Jersey Devils 80 27 41 12 281 325 66
New York Islanders 80 28 47 5 265 325 61

[1]Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
Note: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

Record vs. opponents

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Vs. Wales Conference

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Vs. Campbell Conference

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Schedule and results

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1988–89 regular season[3]
October: 8–2–1 (home: 5–2–0; road: 3–0–1)
Game October Opponent Score Record
1 6 @ Chicago Blackhawks 2 – 2 OT 0–0–1
2 8 @ St. Louis Blues 4 – 2 1–0–1
3 10 New Jersey Devils 5 – 0 1–1–1
4 12 Hartford Whalers 4 – 3 1–2–1
5 16 Vancouver Canucks 3 – 2 2–2–1
6 19 Washington Capitals 5 – 1 3–2–1
7 21 @ Washington Capitals 4 – 1 4–2–1
8 23 Quebec Nordiques 8 – 2 5–2–1
9 26 Philadelphia Flyers 4 – 3 6–2–1
10 29 @ Philadelphia Flyers 6 – 5 7–2–1
11 30 Pittsburgh Penguins 9 – 2 8–2–1
November: 6–6–2 (home: 2–2–1; road: 4–4–1)
Game November Opponent Score Record
12 2 @ Buffalo Sabres 6 – 4 8–3–1
13 6 @ New Jersey Devils 6 – 5 8–4–1
14 8 @ New York Islanders 4 – 3 8–5–1
15 9 Philadelphia Flyers 5 – 3 9–5–1
16 11 Boston Bruins 4 – 4 OT 9–5–2
17 13 Detroit Red Wings 5 – 3 9–6–2
18 15 @ Philadelphia Flyers 3 – 3 OT 9–6–3
19 17 @ Los Angeles Kings 6 – 5 10–6–3
20 19 @ Minnesota North Stars 4 – 1 11–6–3
21 21 Montreal Canadiens 4 – 2 11–7–3
22 23 @ Pittsburgh Penguins 8 – 2 11–8–3
23 26 @ New York Islanders 6 – 4 12–8–3
24 27 New York Islanders 5 – 3 13–8–3
25 29 @ Winnipeg Jets 4 – 3 14–8–3
December: 6–6–2 (home: 4–2–0; road: 2–4–2)
Game December Opponent Score Record
26 1 @ Calgary Flames 6 – 3 14–9–3
27 4 @ Edmonton Oilers 10 – 6 14–10–3
28 6 @ Vancouver Canucks 5 – 3 15–10–3
29 8 @ Hartford Whalers 5 – 4 15–11–3
30 10 @ Boston Bruins 1 – 1 OT 15–11–4
31 12 Los Angeles Kings 5 – 2 15–12–4
32 14 New York Islanders 2 – 1 16–12–4
33 17 @ Montreal Canadiens 6 – 3 16–13–4
34 19 Washington Capitals 3 – 1 17–13–4
35 21 Buffalo Sabres 5 – 2 17–14–4
36 23 @ Washington Capitals 2 – 2 OT 17–14–5
37 26 New Jersey Devils 5 – 1 18–14–5
38 27 @ New Jersey Devils 7 – 5 19–14–5
39 31 Chicago Blackhawks 4 – 1 20–14–5
January: 8–2–3 (home: 3–1–1; road: 5–1–2)
Game January Opponent Score Record
40 2 Hartford Whalers 5 – 4 21–14–5
41 4 Washington Capitals 3 – 3 OT 21–14–6
42 7 @ New York Islanders 5 – 1 22–14–6
43 9 New Jersey Devils 5 – 4 22–15–6
44 14 @ Pittsburgh Penguins 4 – 4 OT 22–15–7
45 15 Pittsburgh Penguins 6 – 4 23–15–7
46 18 @ Chicago Blackhawks 6 – 4 24–15–7
47 19 @ St. Louis Blues 5 – 0 25–15–7
48 21 @ Vancouver Canucks 5 – 4 OT 26–15–7
49 23 @ Edmonton Oilers 3 – 2 27–15–7
50 26 @ Calgary Flames 5 – 3 27–16–7
51 28 @ Toronto Maple Leafs 1 – 1 OT 27–16–8
52 30 New York Islanders 7 – 3 28–16–8
February: 5–7–0 (home: 3–5–0; road: 2–2–0)
Game February Opponent Score Record
53 1 Washington Capitals 4 – 3 OT 28–17–8
54 4 @ Montreal Canadiens 7 – 5 28–18–8
55 5 Minnesota North Stars 5 – 3 28–19–8
56 9 Winnipeg Jets 4 – 3 29–19–8
57 12 Edmonton Oilers 3 – 1 29–20–8
58 14 @ Philadelphia Flyers 3 – 1 29–21–8
59 17 Toronto Maple Leafs 10 – 6 29–22–8
60 18 @ Pittsburgh Penguins 5 – 3 30–22–8
61 20 New Jersey Devils 7 – 4 31–22–8
62 22 Philadelphia Flyers 6 – 4 31–23–8
63 25 @ Quebec Nordiques 7 – 2 32–23–8
64 27 Los Angeles Kings 6 – 4 33–23–8
March: 4–10–0 (home: 4–4–0; road: 0–6–0)
Game March Opponent Score Record
65 1 Toronto Maple Leafs 7 – 4 34–23–8
66 3 @ New Jersey Devils 6 – 3 34–24–8
67 5 Boston Bruins 5 – 0 34–25–8
68 8 Buffalo Sabres 2 – 0 34–26–8
69 9 @ Detroit Red Wings 3 – 2 34–27–8
70 11 @ Washington Capitals 4 – 2 34–28–8
71 13 Calgary Flames 4 – 3 35–28–8
72 15 Winnipeg Jets 6 – 3 35–29–8
73 18 @ Quebec Nordiques 8 – 3 35–30–8
74 20 St. Louis Blues 7 – 4 36–30–8
75 22 Minnesota North Stars 3 – 1 37–30–8
76 25 @ Philadelphia Flyers 6 – 1 37–31–8
77 26 Pittsburgh Penguins 6 – 4 37–32–8
78 29 @ Detroit Red Wings 4 – 3 37–33–8
April: 0–2–0 (home: 0–1–0; road: 0–1–0)
Game April Opponent Score Record
79 1 @ Pittsburgh Penguins 5 – 2 37–34–8
80 2 New York Islanders 6 – 4 37–35–8

Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Tie (1 point)

Playoffs

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Main article: 1989 Stanley Cup playoffs
1989 Stanley Cup playoffs[3]
Division semifinals vs. (P2) Pittsburgh Penguins – Pittsburgh wins 4–0
Game Date Visitor Score Home OT Series
1 April 5 New York Rangers 1 – 3 Pittsburgh Penguins Pittsburgh leads series 1-0
2 April 6 New York Rangers 4 – 7 Pittsburgh Penguins Pittsburgh leads series 2-0
3 April 8 Pittsburgh Penguins 5 – 4 New York Rangers OT Pittsburgh leads series 3-0
4 April 9 Pittsburgh Penguins 4 – 3 New York Rangers Pittsburgh wins series 4-0

Legend:   Win   Loss

Player statistics

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Skaters
Goaltenders
Regular Season
Player GP TOI W L T GA GAA SA SV% SO
John Vanbiesbrouck 56 3207 28 21 4 197 3.69 1662 .881 0
Bob Froese 30 1621 9 14 4 102 3.78 787 .870 1
Playoffs
Player GP TOI W L GA GAA SA SV% SO
John Vanbiesbrouck 2 107 0 1 6 3.36 55 .891 0
Bob Froese 2 72 0 2 8 6.67 51 .843 0
Mike Richter 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.

[4]

Note:
Pos = Position; GPI = Games played in; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes; +/- = Plus/minus; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals
Min, TOI = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T,T/OT = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; SA = Shots against; SV = Shots saved; SV% = Save percentage;

Awards and records

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Draft picks

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

Supplemental Draft

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New York's picks at the 1988 NHL supplemental draft.

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

References

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  1. ^ Dinger, Ralph, ed. (2011). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2012. Dan Diamond & Associates. p. 153. ISBN 9781894801225.
  2. ^ "All-Time NHL Results". NHL.com. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  3. ^ a b "1988-89 New York Rangers Schedule". Hockey-Reference.com. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  4. ^ "1988-89 New York Rangers". hockeydb.com. Archived from the original on July 31, 2010. Retrieved August 8, 2010.
  5. ^ National Hockey League Official Guide and Record Book 2006, p. 184, Dan Diamond & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, ISBN 0-920445-98-5
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