1996–97 New York Rangers season
NHL hockey team season
The 1996–97 New York Rangers season was the franchise's 71st season. The highlight of the season was that it was Wayne Gretzky 's first season in New York.
The Rangers qualified for the playoffs as the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, and advanced all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they were defeated by the Philadelphia Flyers . This marked the last playoff appearance for the Rangers until the 2005–06 season.
Regular season
The Rangers had the fewest power-play opportunities during the regular season (287), but the best power-play percentage (21.95%).[ 1]
Final standings
Divisions: ATL – Atlantic, NE – Northeast
bold – Qualified for playoffs
Playoffs
Schedule and results
Regular season
1996–97 regular season[ 3]
October: 5–6–3 (home: 4–3–1; road: 1–3–2)
Game
Date
Opponent
Score
Record
Recap
1
October 5, 1996
@ Boston Bruins
4–4 OT
0–0–1
Recap
2
October 6, 1996
Florida Panthers
5–2
0–1–1
Recap
3
October 8, 1996
@ Florida Panthers
1–1 OT
0–1–2
Recap
4
October 10, 1996
Dallas Stars
2–1
0–2–2
Recap
5
October 12, 1996
@ Montreal Canadiens
5–2
0–3–2
Recap
6
October 14, 1996
Calgary Flames
5–4
1–3–2
Recap
7
October 16, 1996
Pittsburgh Penguins
8–1
2–3–2
Recap
8
October 18, 1996
St. Louis Blues
2–1
3–3–2
Recap
9
October 20, 1996
@ Tampa Bay Lightning
5–2
3–4–2
Recap
10
October 23, 1996
Washington Capitals
3–2
3–5–2
Recap
11
October 25, 1996
@ Florida Panthers
6–4
3–6–2
Recap
12
October 27, 1996
Buffalo Sabres
6–4
4–6–2
Recap
13
October 29, 1996
Florida Panthers
1–1 OT
4–6–3
Recap
14
October 30, 1996
@ New Jersey Devils
6–1
5–6–3
Recap
November: 4–7–1 (home: 0–3–0; road: 4–4–1)
Game
Date
Opponent
Score
Record
Recap
15
November 2, 1996
@ Boston Bruins
5–2
6–6–3
Recap
16
November 4, 1996
Tampa Bay Lightning
5–3
6–7–3
Recap
17
November 6, 1996
@ New York Islanders
1–1 OT
6–7–4
Recap
18
November 9, 1996
@ Washington Capitals
3–2
6–8–4
Recap
19
November 11, 1996
Vancouver Canucks
3–2
6–9–4
Recap
20
November 13, 1996
Philadelphia Flyers
2–1
6–10–4
Recap
21
November 16, 1996
@ Pittsburgh Penguins
8–3
7–10–4
Recap
22
November 18, 1996
@ Calgary Flames
5–3
7–11–4
Recap
23
November 21, 1996
@ Edmonton Oilers
3–2
7–12–4
Recap
24
November 23, 1996
@ Vancouver Canucks
5–3
7–13–4
Recap
25
November 26, 1996
@ Phoenix Coyotes
3–1
8–13–4
Recap
26
November 27, 1996
@ Colorado Avalanche
5–2
9–13–4
Recap
December: 11–3–1 (home: 7–1–1; road: 4–2–0)
Game
Date
Opponent
Score
Record
Recap
27
December 1, 1996
Montreal Canadiens
6–2
10–13–4
Recap
28
December 4, 1996
Philadelphia Flyers
1–1 OT
10–13–5
Recap
29
December 6, 1996
Toronto Maple Leafs
6–5
11–13–5
Recap
30
December 7, 1996
@ Toronto Maple Leafs
4–0
12–13–5
Recap
31
December 9, 1996
Phoenix Coyotes
5–2
13–13–5
Recap
32
December 11, 1996
New York Islanders
5–3
13–14–5
Recap
33
December 13, 1996
@ Buffalo Sabres
3–0
14–14–5
Recap
34
December 16, 1996
Hartford Whalers
5–2
15–14–5
Recap
35
December 18, 1996
Los Angeles Kings
4–0
16–14–5
Recap
36
December 21, 1996
@ Montreal Canadiens
3–2 OT
17–14–5
Recap
37
December 22, 1996
Florida Panthers
7–3
18–14–5
Recap
38
December 26, 1996
@ Ottawa Senators
5–2
18–15–5
Recap
39
December 27, 1996
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
3–2
19–15–5
Recap
40
December 30, 1996
@ Dallas Stars
3–2
20–15–5
Recap
41
December 31, 1996
@ Tampa Bay Lightning
4–2
20–16–5
Recap
January: 5–4–2 (home: 3–3–2; road: 2–1–0)
Game
Date
Opponent
Score
Record
Recap
42
January 2, 1997
New York Islanders
4–3
21–16–5
Recap
43
January 4, 1997
Ottawa Senators
6–4
22–16–5
Recap
44
January 6, 1997
Colorado Avalanche
2–2 OT
22–16–6
Recap
45
January 8, 1997
Tampa Bay Lightning
4–3
22–17–6
Recap
46
January 9, 1997
@ Washington Capitals
2–0
22–18–6
Recap
47
January 12, 1997
New Jersey Devils
3–0
23–18–6
Recap
48
January 13, 1997
New York Islanders
4–2
23–19–6
Recap
49
January 21, 1997
Edmonton Oilers
4–4 OT
23–19–7
Recap
50
January 22, 1997
@ Washington Capitals
5–3
24–19–7
Recap
51
January 25, 1997
@ Pittsburgh Penguins
7–4
25–19–7
Recap
52
January 27, 1997
Chicago Blackhawks
2–1
25–20–7
Recap
February: 3–6–2 (home: 1–1–1; road: 2–5–1)
Game
Date
Opponent
Score
Record
Recap
53
February 1, 1997
@ Philadelphia Flyers
4–2
26–20–7
Recap
54
February 2, 1997
Boston Bruins
3–2
26–21–7
Recap
55
February 5, 1997
Hartford Whalers
5–2
27–21–7
Recap
56
February 8, 1997
@ New York Islanders
5–2
28–21–7
Recap
57
February 9, 1997
@ Florida Panthers
4–3
28–22–7
Recap
58
February 13, 1997
@ St. Louis Blues
4–1
28–23–7
Recap
59
February 15, 1997
@ Chicago Blackhawks
2–0
28–24–7
Recap
60
February 17, 1997
New Jersey Devils
2–2 OT
28–24–8
Recap
61
February 19, 1997
@ New Jersey Devils
1–1 OT
28–24–9
Recap
62
February 21, 1997
@ Hartford Whalers
7–2
28–25–9
Recap
63
February 23, 1997
@ Philadelphia Flyers
2–1
28–26–9
Recap
March: 7–6–0 (home: 4–2–0; road: 3–4–0)
Game
Date
Opponent
Score
Record
Recap
64
March 1, 1997
@ Detroit Red Wings
3–0
28–27–9
Recap
65
March 3, 1997
San Jose Sharks
5–4 OT
29–27–9
Recap
66
March 6, 1997
@ Los Angeles Kings
6–2
30–27–9
Recap
67
March 7, 1997
@ Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
5–2
30–28–9
Recap
68
March 9, 1997
@ San Jose Sharks
2–1
31–28–9
Recap
69
March 12, 1997
Washington Capitals
3–2
32–28–9
Recap
70
March 14, 1997
@ Ottawa Senators
4–3 OT
33–28–9
Recap
71
March 17, 1997
Ottawa Senators
4–3
33–29–9
Recap
72
March 19, 1997
Montreal Canadiens
5–4
33–30–9
Recap
73
March 21, 1997
Detroit Red Wings
3–1
34–30–9
Recap
74
March 24, 1997
Pittsburgh Penguins
3–0
35–30–9
Recap
75
March 27, 1997
@ New Jersey Devils
4–0
35–31–9
Recap
76
March 29, 1997
@ Hartford Whalers
2–1
35–32–9
Recap
April: 3–2–1 (home: 2–1–1; road: 1–1–0)
Legend :
Win (2 points)
Loss (0 points)
Tie (1 point)
Playoffs
1997 Stanley Cup playoffs[ 3]
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals vs. (4) Florida Panthers – Rangers win 4–1
Game
Date
Opponent
Score
Series
Recap
1
April 17, 1997
@ Florida Panthers
3–0
Panthers lead 1–0
Recap
2
April 20, 1997
@ Florida Panthers
3–0
Series tied 1–1
Recap
3
April 22, 1997
Florida Panthers
4–3 OT
Rangers lead 2–1
Recap
4
April 23, 1997
Florida Panthers
3–2
Rangers lead 3–1
Recap
5
April 25, 1997
@ Florida Panthers
3–2 OT
Rangers win 4–1
Recap
Eastern Conference Semifinals vs. (1) New Jersey Devils – Rangers win 4–1
Game
Date
Opponent
Score
Series
Recap
1
May 2, 1997
@ New Jersey Devils
2–0
Devils lead 1–0
Recap
2
May 4, 1997
@ New Jersey Devils
2–0
Series tied 1–1
Recap
3
May 6, 1997
New Jersey Devils
3–2
Rangers lead 2–1
Recap
4
May 8, 1997
New Jersey Devils
3–0
Rangers lead 3–1
Recap
5
May 11, 1997
@ New Jersey Devils
2–1 OT
Rangers win 4–1
Recap
Eastern Conference Finals vs. (3) Philadelphia Flyers – Flyers win 4–1
Game
Date
Opponent
Score
Series
Recap
1
May 16, 1997
@ Philadelphia Flyers
3–1
Flyers lead 1–0
Recap
2
May 18, 1997
@ Philadelphia Flyers
5–4
Series tied 1–1
Recap
3
May 20, 1997
Philadelphia Flyers
6–3
Flyers lead 2–1
Recap
4
May 23, 1997
Philadelphia Flyers
3–2
Flyers lead 3–1
Recap
5
May 25, 1997
@ Philadelphia Flyers
4–2
Flyers win 4–1
Recap
Legend :
Win
Loss
Player statistics
Scoring
Position abbreviations: C = Center ; D = Defense ; G = Goaltender ; LW = Left Wing ; RW = Right Wing
† = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Rangers only.
‡ = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Rangers only.
Goaltending
Awards and records
Awards
Milestones
Draft picks
New York's picks at the 1996 NHL entry draft in St. Louis , Missouri at the Kiel Center .[ 10]
Notes
^ Flatley wore number 26 on February 5.
^ Blouin wore number 32 in his first five games.
^ a b Gretzky and Leetch were voted to the starting lineup.[ 6]
References
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Northeast Atlantic Central Pacific See also