The 2014–15 New York Rangers season was the franchise's
88th season of play and their 89th season overall.
The Rangers clinched their third
Presidents' Trophy and eighth division title by finishing with the best record in the NHL at 53–22–7. The 53 wins and 113 points both set franchise records (which were both surpassed by the
2023–24 team). The 113 points marked the eighth time in franchise history that the team had reached the 100-point plateau. The division title was the Rangers' first in the
Metropolitan Division, which was created during the NHL's realignment in the 2013 offseason. The team won 28 road games in the regular season, breaking the franchise record set the previous season.
The Rangers faced the
Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round, winning the series in 5 games following an overtime winner from
Carl Hagelin. In the second round, the Rangers would take on the
Washington Capitals, winning the series in 7 games after initially trailing 3-1 throughout the series. The season marked the third time in four years that the Rangers reached the Eastern Conference Finals. They would face the
Tampa Bay Lightning, but their season ended in 7 games. As of 2023, the Rangers are the most recent Presidents' Trophy winners to advance past the second round of the playoffs.
Off-season
The Rangers used their second compliance buyout on center
Brad Richards on June 20, 2014.[2]
Training camp
On September 24, center
Derek Stepan suffered a fractured fibula during on-ice fitness testing, meaning the Rangers would need to start the season without their number one center for four-to-six weeks.[3]
At the conclusion of training camp,
Anthony Duclair was named the 2014 winner of the
Lars-Erik Sjoberg Award for being the best Rangers rookie in training camp. Duclair, a third round draft pick in 2013, turned heads in camp by scoring in three-straight pre-season games. Duclair was also the only teenager to score five points or more during the pre-season.[4]
On October 14, 2014, in a loss to the
New York Islanders,
Rick Nash established a franchise record by scoring a goal in each of the team's first four games of a season.[6]
On December 27, the Rangers beat the
New Jersey Devils 3–1 to extend their winning streak to eight in a row, which was the longest win streak by the Rangers since the
1974–75 season.[7]
The Rangers became the first team to clinch a playoff spot on March 26 with a 5–1 win over the
Ottawa Senators with 101 points.[8] It is the eighth time in franchise history the team has reached the 100-point mark.
On April 2, 2015, the Rangers clinched the Metropolitan Division title with a win over the
Minnesota Wild, 3–2. This win also made it their 26th road win of the season, a franchise record.
On April 4, 2015, the Rangers defeated the New Jersey Devils 6–1 for their 50th win of the season. This was the fourth time in franchise history that the Rangers achieved a 50-win season.
On April 7, 2015, the Rangers defeated the New Jersey Devils 4–2 to clinch the
Presidents' Trophy, the third in franchise history. This win also made it their 27th league-leading road win.[9]
On April 11, 2015, the Rangers beat the
Washington Capitals 4–2 to win their 53rd game with 113 points. This was their most wins and points scored in franchise history, which were both surpassed by the
2023–24 team.[10]
In the first round of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, the Rangers played the
Pittsburgh Penguins and won the series in five games. The series winner occurred in Game 5 in overtime from
Carl Hagelin.[11]
In the second round of the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, the Rangers played the
Washington Capitals and won the series in seven games. In Game 5,
Chris Kreider tied the game with 1:41 left in regulation, and
Ryan McDonagh won it in overtime. In Game 7,
Derek Stepan scored an overtime winner, making him the second Ranger to score a Game 7 overtime winner after
Stéphane Matteau did so in Game 7 against the
New Jersey Devils.[12] During the second round, the Rangers set an NHL record in which 14-straight playoff games were decided by one goal. They also became the first team in NHL history to battle back from a 3–1 deficit in back-to-back seasons.[13]
In the third round, the Rangers played the
Tampa Bay Lightning, but lost the series in seven games including two shutouts at home. With the Game 7 loss, it was the first time the Rangers have lost a playoff Game 7 at
Madison Square Garden.[14]
After the playoff loss, head coach
Alain Vigneault revealed that McDonagh was playing with a broken foot throughout the playoffs.[15] Additionally,
Mats Zuccarello also suffered a serious brain contusion and concussion after taking a hit in the head from a shot by McDonagh.[16]
†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Rangers. Stats reflect time with the Rangers only.
‡Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Rangers only.
Bold/italics denotes franchise record.
Illegal check to the head of
Minnesota Wild forward
Erik Haula during NHL Game No. 122 in New York on Monday, October 27, 2014, at 7:12 of the second period.
The Rangers' first-round pick went to the
Tampa Bay Lightning as the result of a trade on March 5, 2014, that sent
Martin St. Louis to New York in exchange for
Ryan Callahan, a first-round pick in
2015 and this pick (being conditional at the time of the trade).[74] The condition – Tampa Bay will receive a first-round pick in 2014 if the Rangers advance to the
2014 Eastern Conference Final – was converted on May 13, 2014.
a The
Anaheim Ducks' third-round pick went to the
New York Rangers as the result of a trade on June 27, 2014, that sent
Derek Dorsett to Vancouver in exchange for this pick.[75] Vancouver previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on June 27, 2014, that sent
Ryan Kesler and a third-round pick in
2015 to Anaheim in exchange for
Nick Bonino,
Luca Sbisa, a first-round pick in 2014 (24th overall) and this pick.[76]
The
New York Rangers' third-round pick went to the
Washington Capitals as the result of a trade on June 28, 2014, that sent a fourth-round pick in 2014 (104th overall) and Chicago's fourth-round pick in 2014 (118th overall) to New York in exchange for this pick.
b The
Washington Capitals' fourth-round pick went to the
New York Rangers as the result of a trade on June 28, 2014, that sent a third-round pick in 2014 (89th overall) to Washington in exchange for Chicago's fourth-round pick in 2014 (118th overall) and this pick.
c The
Chicago Blackhawks' fourth-round pick went to the
New York Rangers as the result of a trade on June 28, 2014, that sent a third-round pick in 2014 (89th overall) to Washington in exchange for a fourth-round pick in 2014 (104th overall) and this pick. Washington previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on May 1, 2014, that sent
Jaroslav Halak to the New York Islanders in exchange for this pick.[77] New York previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on February 6, 2014, that sent
Peter Regin and
Pierre-Marc Bouchard to Chicago in exchange for this pick.[78]
The
New York Rangers' fourth-round pick went to the
Tampa Bay Lightning as the result of a trade on June 28, 2014, that sent a fifth-round pick in 2014 (120th overall) and St. Louis' fifth-round pick in 2014 (142nd overall) to New York in exchange for this pick.
d The
Florida Panthers' fifth-round pick will go to the Rangers as the result of a trade on July 20, 2012, that sent
Casey Wellman to Florida in exchange for this pick.[79]
e The
Tampa Bay Lightning's fifth-round pick went to the
New York Rangers as the result of a trade on June 28, 2014, that sent a fourth-round pick in 2014 (119th overall) to Tampa Bay in exchange for St. Louis' fifth-round pick in 2014 (142nd overall) and this pick.
f The
St. Louis Blues' fifth-round pick went to the
New York Rangers as the result of a trade on June 28, 2014, that sent a fourth-round pick in 2014 (119th overall) to Tampa Bay in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2014 (140th overall) and this pick. Tampa Bay previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on July 10, 2012, that sent fourth-round picks in
2013 and 2014 to St. Louis in exchange for
B. J. Crombeen and this pick.[80]
The Rangers' fifth-round pick will go to the
San Jose Sharks as the result of a trade on April 2, 2013, that sent
Ryane Clowe to New York in exchange for a second-round pick in
2013, Florida's third-round pick in 2013 and this pick (being conditional at the time of the trade).[81] The condition – If Clowe does not re-sign with New York and the Rangers do not advance to the Eastern Conference Final, then San Jose will receive a fifth-round pick in 2014 – was converted on July 5, 2013.[82]
The
New York Rangers' sixth-round pick went to the
Chicago Blackhawks as the result of a trade on June 27, 2014, that sent a first-round pick and Florida's third-round pick both in 2014 (27th and 62nd overall) to San Jose in exchange for a first-round pick in 2014 (20th overall) and this pick.[83] San Jose previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on January 16, 2013, that sent
Brandon Mashinter to New York in exchange for
Tommy Grant and this pick (being conditional at the time of the trade).[84] The condition – San Jose will receive a sixth-round pick in 2014 if Mashinter was a signed player on the Rangers reserve list at some point during the
2013–14 NHL season.[85] – was converted on August 5, 2013, when Mashinter re-signed with the Rangers for the 2013–14 NHL season.
The Rangers' seventh-round pick will go to the
Los Angeles Kings as result of a trade on January 4, 2014, that sent
Daniel Carcillo to New York in exchange for this conditional pick.[86]