The New York Rangers are a National Hockey League (NHL) team playing in Manhattan, New York. They were founded in 1926 and since then have won four Stanley Cup titles and established themselves as an iconic power in the league. The Rangers have an illustrious history and have become known as one of the most successful teams to ever grace the ice.
The Rangers play in the NHL’s Eastern Conference and are considered one of the original ‘Original Six’, along with the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings, and Toronto Maple Leafs. They have a competitive rivalry with the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils, and regularly play against all of the other Eastern Conference teams.
The team is led by General Manager (GM) Jeff Gorton, who was appointed in 2015. The team’s Head Coach is Alain Vigneault, who was appointed in 2013. The Rangers have a strong commitment to attracting talent, and aim to build long-term success in the NHL.
This article will look at the New York Rangers, exploring their background and success in the NHL, their current team make-up, and how they strive to achieve success.
The History of the New York Rangers
The New York Rangers can trace their origins back to 1926 when the team was first presented to the public in a ceremony at Madison Square Garden. Prior to this, the team’s creator and owner was George Lewis “Tex” Rickard, who utilised the arena to create an environment for American hockey fans. The newly formed team was a success and three weeks later, they played their first game against their historic rivals, the Montreal Maroons.
The Rangers went on to become one of the most successful teams in the league, winning an unmatched number of four Stanley Cup titles in 1928, 1933, 1940 and 1994. They have been runners-up an impressive eight times in the NHL championship finals, most recently in 2014.
The Rangers have a long standing and highly competitive rivalry against the New York Islanders. Both teams play in the NHL’s East Division, holding six meetings every NHL season.
Success in the NHL
The New York Rangers have a proud history in the National Hockey League, with a proud legacy of success and glory. During the 2014-15 NHL season they finished second in the Eastern Conference and reached the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1994. The team was led by Henrik Lundqvist, the all-time wins leader for the New York Rangers, who proved to be an inspirational leader in the playoffs.
Despite the fact that the Rangers lost 4–1 to the eventual Stanley Cup champion, the Los Angeles Kings, the team was still proud of their accomplishments and this galvanised the Rangers even more.
In the following season, the Rangers achieved an impressive record and went on to reach the playoffs for the seventh time in eight years. However, the team again failed to win the Stanley Cup, and were eliminated by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the opening round of the playoffs.
Over the next few seasons, the Rangers continued to build their team, making a number of notable trades that enabled them to build a strong roster. The team achieved their first ever Presidents’ Trophy in 2015-16, and reached the first round of the playoffs before falling to the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins.
In 2017-18, the Rangers achieved their best regular season record since their Stanley Cup-winning season of 1994 and qualified for the playoffs for the 10th time out of 11 seasons in the NHL. The team went on to be eliminated in the opening round of the playoffs, however this was still a fantastic accomplishment for the franchise and was testament to the hard work the players, coaches and management had put in to rebuild the team.
Current Team Make-up
The New York Rangers have a strong roster filled with talented players from a variety of countries. Henrik Lundqvist is the team’s long-standing goalie and has been a source of inspiration for years. The team’s roster also includes Chris Kreider, Kevin Hayes, Brady Skjei, Ryan Spooner, and Pavel Buchnevich, all of whom are core offensive players.
The defensive core is led by captain Ryan McDonagh and includes Marc Staal, Brendan Smith, and Neal Pionk. These players are committed to supporting the team’s offensive players and making sure they are able to score goals and win games.
Furthermore, the team is filled with a variety of players from all over the world, reflecting the changing dynamics of the sport. There are players from the USA, Canada, Austria, Sweden, and Russia on the team’s roster, bringing a diverse set of skills, backgrounds, and experiences to the team.
Striving for Success
The New York Rangers are always striving to achieve success in the NHL and progress further in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Under the leadership of GM Jeff Gorton and Head Coach Alain Vigneault, the team is committed to making all possible improvements to attain their targets.
For example, the team have made a number of major trades in recent seasons in order to acquire players with high potential and a commitment to playing for the team. The likes of Jaroslava Halak and Kevin Hayes were brought in to strengthen the team, and the Rangers are always looking to build and strengthen their roster.
Furthermore, the team are fully aware of their position in the game and of the opportunity to add success to their illustrious history. This sense of ambition is evident with each addition to the team, and they are constantly trying to make improvements in order to climb the rankings and go further in the playoffs.
The New York Rangers are an iconic American team and have established themselves as one of the most successful teams in the National Hockey League. With four Stanley Cup titles and a proud history, they have something to be proud of and are never shy of asserting their dominance on the ice.
The team are constantly striving to make improvements to go further in the playoffs and have made a number of major additions to the team to reflect this ambition. With a strong roster, coaching staff, and management team, the Rangers are always looking to take their game to the next level.
