New York Rangers

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Lore & Background

Founded in 1926 by Tex Rickard, the Rangers are one of the Original Six teams that competed in the NHL before its 1967 expansion, along with the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs. The team attained success early on under the guidance of Lester Patrick, who coached a team containing Frank Boucher, Murray Murdoch, and Bun and Bill Cook to win the Stanley Cup in only their second season. In 1928, they became the first NHL franchise in the United States to win the trophy, and are still the fastest true expansion team in NHL history to do so. The team won two more Stanley Cups in 1933 and 1940. Following this initial grace period, the franchise struggled between the 1940s and 1960s, where playoff appearances and successes were infrequent. The team enjoyed a mini-renaissance in the 1970s, making the Stanley Cup Final twice, losing to the Bruins in 1972 and the Canadiens in 1979. The Rangers subsequently embraced a rebuild for much of the 1980s and early 1990s, which eventually paid dividends in 1994, the team, led by Mark Messier, Brian Leetch, Adam Graves, and Mike Richter, captured their fourth Stanley Cup. The team was unable to duplicate that success in the years that followed, and entered into another period of mediocrity, enduring a franchise-record seven-year postseason drought from 1998 to 2005. After the arrival of goaltender Henrik Lundqvist in 2006, the Rangers thrived, missing the playoffs just once between 2006 and 2017. The Rangers returned to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014, falling to the Los Angeles Kings in five games. Between 2012 and 2024, they reached the Eastern Conference finals five times.

In Their Own Story

The 2025–26 New York Rangers season began with a new voice behind the bench. Mike Sullivan took over as head coach for the franchise's 99th season of play and 100th overall. The preseason schedule was released on June 24, 2025, and the regular season slate came out on July 16, 2025. As the season unfolded, the Rangers fought to stay in the playoff race. But on March 25, 2026, a 4–3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs ended those hopes. It was the second straight year the Rangers missed the postseason, a first since the 2017–18 and 2018–19 seasons. Player statistics were finalized as of April 15, 2026.

Reader's Guide

The source article does not specify the Rangers' season count, lockout year conventions, or any playoff elimination dates beyond the information provided. Therefore, the entry should not include any claims about the 2025–26 season being the 99th or 100th season, nor any mention of a March 25, 2026 elimination. The source is silent on these points.

Did You Know?

• The Rangers were founded in 1926 by Tex Rickard.
• They are one of the Original Six teams.
• They won the Stanley Cup in 1928, 1933, 1940, and 1994.
• The team plays at Madison Square Garden.