# 1979–80 New York Rangers season

The 1979–80 New York Rangers season was the franchise's 54th season. Fresh off a Stanley Cup Final loss in the first year of Fred Shero as coach, the Rangers qualified for the playoffs once again, but bowed out in the second round to Shero's old team, the Philadelphia Flyers. The team's on- and off-ice activities during this campaign was the subject of Larry Sloman's 1982 book Thin Ice: A Season in Hell with the New York Rangers.

## Regular season
### Season standings

Patrick Division :
| | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 80 | 48 | 12 | 20 | 327 | 254 | 116 |
| New York Islanders | 80 | 39 | 28 | 13 | 281 | 247 | 91 |
| New York Rangers | 80 | 38 | 32 | 10 | 308 | 284 | 86 |
| Atlanta Flames | 80 | 35 | 32 | 13 | 282 | 269 | 83 |
| Washington Capitals | 80 | 27 | 40 | 13 | 261 | 293 | 67 |
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.
League standings :
| R | | Div | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts |
| 1 | p – Philadelphia Flyers | PTK | 80 | 48 | 12 | 20 | 327 | 254 | 116 |
| 2 | y – Buffalo Sabres | ADM | 80 | 47 | 17 | 16 | 318 | 201 | 110 |
| 3 | x – Montreal Canadiens | NRS | 80 | 47 | 20 | 13 | 328 | 240 | 107 |
| 4 | Boston Bruins | ADM | 80 | 46 | 21 | 13 | 310 | 234 | 105 |
| 5 | New York Islanders | PTK | 80 | 39 | 28 | 13 | 281 | 247 | 91 |
| 6 | Minnesota North Stars | ADM | 80 | 36 | 28 | 16 | 311 | 253 | 88 |
| 7 | x – Chicago Black Hawks | SMY | 80 | 34 | 27 | 19 | 241 | 250 | 87 |
| 8 | New York Rangers | PTK | 80 | 38 | 32 | 10 | 308 | 284 | 86 |
| 9 | Atlanta Flames | PTK | 80 | 35 | 32 | 13 | 282 | 269 | 83 |
| 10 | St. Louis Blues | SMY | 80 | 34 | 34 | 12 | 266 | 278 | 80 |
| 11 | Toronto Maple Leafs | ADM | 80 | 35 | 40 | 5 | 304 | 327 | 75 |
| 12 | Los Angeles Kings | NRS | 80 | 30 | 36 | 14 | 290 | 313 | 74 |
| 13 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NRS | 80 | 30 | 37 | 13 | 251 | 303 | 73 |
| 14 | Hartford Whalers | NRS | 80 | 27 | 34 | 19 | 303 | 312 | 73 |
| 15 | Vancouver Canucks | SMY | 80 | 27 | 37 | 16 | 256 | 281 | 70 |
| 16 | Edmonton Oilers | SMY | 80 | 28 | 39 | 13 | 301 | 322 | 69 |
| 17 | Washington Capitals | PTK | 80 | 27 | 40 | 13 | 261 | 293 | 67 |
| 18 | Detroit Red Wings | NRS | 80 | 26 | 43 | 11 | 268 | 306 | 63 |
| 19 | Quebec Nordiques | ADM | 80 | 25 | 44 | 11 | 248 | 313 | 61 |
| 20 | Winnipeg Jets | SMY | 80 | 20 | 49 | 11 | 214 | 314 | 51 |
| 21 | Colorado Rockies | SMY | 80 | 19 | 48 | 13 | 234 | 308 | 51 |
Divisions: ADM – Adams, NRS – Norris, PTK – Patrick, SMY – Smythe
bold – The top 16 teams in the league qualified for the playoffs, regardless of division or conference. x – Won division; y – Won Conference (and division); p – Won Presidents' Trophy (and conference and division)

### Record vs. opponents

Patrick Division record vs. opponents :
Vs. Campbell Conference
Vs. Patrick Division
1979–80 NHL records
Team
ATL
NYI
NYR
PHI
WSH
Total
Atlanta
—1–33–0–12–23–0–19−5−2
N.Y. Islanders
3–1—2–22–22–29−7−0
N.Y. Rangers
0–3–12–2—1–2–12–25−9−2
Philadelphia
2–22–22–1–1—2–0–28−5−3
Washington
0–3–12–22–20–2–2—4−9−3
Vs. Smythe Division
1979–80 NHL records
Team
CHI
COL
EDM
STL
VAN
WIN
Total
Atlanta
0−2−24−02−1−13−12−24−015−6−3
N.Y. Islanders
2−1−13−11−2−13−11−2−12−0−212−7−5
N.Y. Rangers
1−2−11−1−23−14−04−02−215−6−3
Philadelphia
2–0–22–1–13–0−12−0−23−14−016−2−6
Washington
2−21−1−21−32−23−13−0−112−9−3
Vs. Wales Conference
Vs. Adams Division
1979–80 NHL records
Team
BOS
BUF
MIN
QUE
TOR
Total
Atlanta
0–40–3–11–1–23–0–11–35–11–4
N.Y. Islanders
1–31–2–10–2–24–03–19–8–3
N.Y. Rangers
2–21–2–11–2–12–1–12–28–9–3
Philadelphia
1–1–23–0–13–13–0–11–1–211–3–6
Washington
1–2–10–40–3–11–1–21–33–13–4
Vs. Norris Division
1979–80 NHL records
Team
DET
HFD
LAK
MTL
PIT
Total
Atlanta
2–1–11–32–1–10–3–11–2–16–10–4
N.Y. Islanders
1–33–12–1–13–0–10–1–39–6–5
N.Y. Rangers
3–12–1–13–10–3–12–210–8–2
Philadelphia
3–0–12–0–24–01–2–13–0–113–2–5
Washington
1–2–12–1–13–11–2–11–38–9–3 :

## Schedule and results

1979-80 Game Log :
October: 4-4-1 (Home: 3-1-1; Road: 1-3-0)
GameOctoberOpponentScoreRecord
110@ Toronto Maple Leafs6 – 31–0–0
214Washington Capitals5 – 31–1–0
318Vancouver Canucks6 – 32–1–0
420@ Montreal Canadiens5 – 42–2–0
521Pittsburgh Penguins6 – 33–2–0
624Edmonton Oilers10 – 24–2–0
725@ Philadelphia Flyers5 – 24–3–0
827@ Minnesota North Stars7 – 24–4–0
928Hartford Whalers2 – 24–4–1 :
November: 5-9-1 (Home: 4-3-1; Road: 1-6-0)
GameNovemberOpponentScoreRecord
101@ Los Angeles Kings4 – 24–5–1
113@ Colorado Rockies7 – 24–6–1
124@ Vancouver Canucks4 – 25–6–1
137Los Angeles Kings8 – 46–6–1
1410Quebec Nordiques5 – 47–6–1
1511Pittsburgh Penguins4 – 17–7–1
1613@ New York Islanders10 – 57–8–1
1714Detroit Red Wings3 – 28–8–1
1816@ Atlanta Flames4 – 28–9–1
1918St. Louis Blues5 – 39–9–1
2021Winnipeg Jets6 – 49–10–1
2124@ Pittsburgh Penguins5 – 39–11–1
2225Toronto Maple Leafs4 – 39–12–1
2328Minnesota North Stars4 – 49–12–2
2429@ Buffalo Sabres2 – 19–13–2 :
December: 8-2-3 (Home: 3-1-3; Road: 5-1-0)
GameDecemberOpponentScoreRecord
251@ St. Louis Blues2 – 010–13–2
263Montreal Canadiens3 – 310–13–3
275Chicago Black Hawks3 – 310–13–4
287@ Hartford Whalers7 – 411–13–4
299New York Islanders5 – 412–13–4
3011@ Detroit Red Wings2 – 113–13–4
3112@ Chicago Black Hawks5 – 214–13–4
3215@ Washington Capitals5 – 414–14–4
3316Philadelphia Flyers1 – 114–14–5
3419Vancouver Canucks5 – 315–14–5
3522@ Pittsburgh Penguins4 – 316–14–5
3623Boston Bruins4 – 316–15–5
3730Washington Capitals5 – 217–15–5 :
January: 6-5-4 (Home: 2-2-2; Road: 4-3-2)
GameJanuaryOpponentScoreRecord
382@ Quebec Nordiques3 – 317–15–6
394Philadelphia Flyers5 – 317–16–6
406Atlanta Flames5 – 517–16–7
417Hartford Whalers5 – 218–16–7
429@ Detroit Red Wings4 – 018–17–7
4311@ Edmonton Oilers6 – 219–17–7
4412@ Winnipeg Jets3 – 020–17–7
4514Colorado Rockies6 – 620–17–8
4616Winnipeg Jets4 – 121–17–8
4719@ Boston Bruins6 – 321–18–8
4820Chicago Black Hawks2 – 121–19–8
4922@ Los Angeles Kings5 – 422–19–8
5023@ Vancouver Canucks6 – 423–19–8
5127@ Colorado Rockies3 – 323–19–9
5231@ Buffalo Sabres6 – 223–20–9 :
February: 6-5-0 (Home: 4-1-0; Road: 2-4-0)
GameFebruaryOpponentScoreRecord
532@ Washington Capitals6 – 324–20–9
543@ Quebec Nordiques5 – 424–21–9
5510Quebec Nordiques3 – 125–21–9
5613@ Chicago Black Hawks3 – 125–22–9
5717Toronto Maple Leafs6 – 425–23–9
5818@ Hartford Whalers6 – 425–24–9
5920Edmonton Oilers4 – 126–24–9
6023@ Minnesota North Stars6 – 326–25–9
6124New York Islanders8 – 227–25–9
6227Los Angeles Kings5 – 428–25–9
6328@ Boston Bruins5 – 229–25–9 :
March: 8-5-1 (Home: 6-1-1; Road: 2-4-0)
GameMarchOpponentScoreRecord
642Boston Bruins2 – 130–25–9
655Buffalo Sabres4 – 231–25–9
668@ Montreal Canadiens5 – 231–26–9
679Minnesota North Stars4 – 232–26–9
6812Colorado Rockies6 – 033–26–9
6915@ Toronto Maple Leafs8 – 434–26–9
7016St. Louis Blues5 – 235–26–9
7119@ Edmonton Oilers4 – 235–27–9
7221@ Winnipeg Jets4 – 235–28–9
7323Montreal Canadiens6 – 135–29–9
7425Buffalo Sabres3 – 335–29–10
7528@ Atlanta Flames4 – 235–30–10
7629@ St. Louis Blues4 – 336–30–10
7731Detroit Red Wings7 – 537–30–10 :
April: 1-2-0 (Home: 0-1-0; Road: 1-1-0)
GameAprilOpponentScoreRecord
782Atlanta Flames7 – 337–31–10
795@ New York Islanders2 – 137–32–10
806@ Philadelphia Flyers8 – 338–32–10 :

## Playoffs

Key: Win Loss
1980 Stanley Cup playoffs :

## Player statistics
### Skaters

Regular Season :
| Player | GP | G | A | Pts | +/- | PIM |
| Phil Esposito | 80 | 34 | 44 | 78 | -13 | 73 |
| Don Maloney | 79 | 25 | 48 | 73 | -15 | 97 |
| Anders Hedberg | 80 | 32 | 39 | 71 | 13 | 21 |
| Steve Vickers | 75 | 29 | 33 | 62 | 20 | 38 |
| Barry Beck$^†$ | 61 | 14 | 45 | 59 | 16 | 98 |
| Ron Greschner | 76 | 21 | 37 | 58 | -11 | 103 |
| Ulf Nilsson | 50 | 14 | 44 | 58 | 15 | 20 |
| Ron Duguay | 73 | 28 | 22 | 50 | -6 | 37 |
| Don Murdoch$^‡$ | 56 | 23 | 19 | 42 | -11 | 16 |
| Walt Tkaczuk | 76 | 12 | 25 | 37 | 19 | 36 |
| Dave Maloney | 77 | 12 | 25 | 37 | 10 | 186 |
| Ed Johnstone | 78 | 14 | 21 | 35 | 3 | 60 |
| Mario Marois | 79 | 8 | 23 | 31 | 0 | 142 |
| Dean Talafous | 55 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 1 | 26 |
| Carol Vadnais | 66 | 3 | 20 | 23 | -1 | 118 |
| Warren Miller | 55 | 7 | 6 | 13 | -6 | 17 |
| Claude Larose | 25 | 4 | 7 | 11 | -5 | 2 |
| Doug Sulliman | 31 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 0 | 2 |
| Tim Bothwell | 45 | 4 | 6 | 10 | -3 | 20 |
| Mike McEwen$^‡$ | 9 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 8 |
| Jocelyn Guevremont | 20 | 2 | 5 | 7 | -12 | 6 |
| Pat Conacher | 17 | 0 | 5 | 5 | -10 | 4 |
| Lucien DeBlois$^‡$ | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | -1 | 7 |
| Pat Hickey$^‡$ | 7 | 2 | 2 | 4 | -1 | 10 |
| Cam Connor$^†$ | 12 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 37 |
| Ray Markham | 14 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -3 | 21 |
| Frank Beaton | 23 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -5 | 43 |
| Ed Hospodar | 20 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -2 | 76 |
| Andre Dore | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Dave Silk | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jim Mayer | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Bill Lochead | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -5 | 4 |
Playoffs :
| Player | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Ron Duguay | 9 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 11 |
| Ulf Nilsson | 9 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 2 |
| Ron Greschner | 9 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 10 |
| Phil Esposito | 9 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 8 |
| Barry Beck | 9 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Anders Hedberg | 9 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Steve Vickers | 9 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| Don Maloney | 9 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| Carol Vadnais | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| Dean Talafous | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 |
| Dave Maloney | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 |
| Mario Marois | 9 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| Ed Hospodar | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 42 |
| Ray Markham | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 24 |
| Pat Conacher | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Warren Miller | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ed Johnstone | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25 |
| Walt Tkaczuk | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Cam Connor | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Tim Bothwell | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |

### Goaltenders
#### Goaltenders

Regular Season :
| Player | GP | TOI | W | L | T | GA | GAA | SO |
| John Davidson | 41 | 2306 | 20 | 15 | 4 | 122 | 3.17 | 2 |
| Steve Baker | 27 | 1391 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 79 | 3.41 | 1 |
| Wayne Thomas | 12 | 668 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 44 | 3.95 | 0 |
| Doug Soetaert | 8 | 435 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 33 | 4.55 | 0 |
Playoffs :
| Player | GP | TOI | W | L | GA | GAA | SO |
| John Davidson | 9 | 541 | 4 | 5 | 21 | 2.33 | 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.
    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;

## Draft picks

New York's picks at the 1979 NHL Entry Draft in Montreal, Canada.
| Round | # | Player | Position | Nationality | College/Junior/Club team (League) |
| 1 | 13 | Doug Sulliman | LW | Canada | Kitchener Rangers (OHA) |
| 2 | 34 | Ed Hospodar | D | United States | Ottawa 67's (OHA) |
| 4 | 76 | Pat Conacher | C | Canada | Saskatoon Blades (WCHL) |
| 5 | 97 | Dan Makuch | RW | Canada | Clarkson University (NCAA) |
| 6 | 118 | Stan Adams | C | Canada | Niagara Falls Flyers (OHA) |