The 2010–11 New York Rangers season was the franchise's 84th season of play and their 85th season overall.^[1] The Rangers celebrated 85 years since their establishment in 1926.

The New York Rangers 85th Anniversary logo

Pre-season

After an off-season of speculation and rumors, the Rangers waived veteran defenseman Wade Redden on September 25. By waiving Redden, the Rangers were able to rid themselves of his large salary and have more flexibility to sign players under the current salary cap.^[2]

Regular season

The Rangers won their first game of the season, on October 9 at Buffalo. Derek Stepan had a hat trick in the 6–3 win, becoming only the fourth player in NHL history to record a hat trick in his first career NHL game.^[3]

On November 12, 2010, the Rangers unveiled their 85th anniversary Heritage "third" jersey at an event at Rockefeller Center.^[4] The Rangers wore the jersey for a game for the first time on November 17 against the Boston Bruins.

Three Rangers participated in the 2011 NHL All-Star Game. Marc Staal and Henrik Lundqvist played in the main game, and rookie Derek Stepan took part in the SuperSkills Competition.

On April 4, 2011, the Rangers beat the Boston Bruins 5–3 after trailing in the game 3–0. According to the Versus broadcasters, this was the first time in franchise history that the Rangers were able to overcome a 3–0 deficit to the Bruins to win the game. The two teams had played each other 624 times since 1926.^[5]

The Rangers tied the Boston Bruins for the most shutouts for, with 11.^[6]

Standings

Schedule and results

Playoffs

For the second straight season, the Rangers playoff hopes came down to the final game of the regular season. The Rangers defeated the Devils 5-2 on the afternoon of April 9, 2011 and then had to wait for the result of the Carolina Hurricanes vs. Tampa Bay Lightning game that night. The Lightning defeated the Hurricanes, securing the Rangers spot in the playoffs. (Both the New York Islanders and the New Jersey Devils missed the 2011 playoffs; had the Rangers also failed to qualify, it would have marked the first time since 1966 that the Stanley Cup Playoffs did not feature a club from the New York metro area.)^[8] The Rangers qualified for the playoffs, after missing the playoffs last season for the first time since the lockout, as the #8 seed. They were defeated by the #1 seeded Washington Capitals in the first round.

Key:   Win   Loss

Player statistics

Skaters

Goaltenders

^†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.

Awards and records

Transactions

The Rangers have been involved in the following transactions during the 2010–11 season.

Trades Date Details May 25, 2010[13] To New York Islanders 6th-round pick in 2010 To New York Rangers Jyri Niemi June 26, 2010[14] To Carolina Hurricanes Bobby Sanguinetti To New York Rangers 6th-round pick in 2010 2nd-round pick in 2011 July 9, 2010[15] To Anaheim Ducks Aaron Voros Ryan Hillier To New York Rangers Steve Eminger July 19, 2010[16] To Anaheim Ducks Tomas Zaborsky To New York Rangers Matt McCue August 2, 2010[17] To Atlanta Thrashers Donald Brashear Patrick Rissmiller To New York Rangers Todd White November 11, 2010[18] To Columbus Blue Jackets Dane Byers To New York Rangers Chad Kolarik November 23, 2010[19] To Anaheim Ducks Nigel Williams To New York Rangers Stu Bickel January 10, 2011[20] To Phoenix Coyotes Michal Rozsíval To New York Rangers Wojtek Wolski February 26, 2011[21] To Florida Panthers Tim Kennedy 3rd-round pick in 2011 To New York Rangers Bryan McCabe February 28, 2011[22] To Toronto Maple Leafs 7th-round pick in 2012 To New York Rangers John Mitchell Free agents acquired Player Former team Contract terms Mats Zuccarello[23] Modo Hockey 2 years, $1.8 million Martin Biron[24] New York Islanders 2 years, $1.75 million Derek Boogaard[25] Minnesota Wild 4 years, $6.5 million Jeremy Williams[26] Grand Rapids Griffins 1 year, $515,000 Alexander Frolov[27] Los Angeles Kings 1 year, $3 million Tim Kennedy[28] Buffalo Sabres 1 year, $550,000 Ruslan Fedotenko[29] Pittsburgh Penguins 1 year, $1 million Jason Missiaen[30] Baie-Comeau Drakkar 3 years, $2.025 million entry-level contract Tommy Grant[31] University of Alaska Anchorage 2 years, $1.25 million Free agents lost Player New team Contract terms Ilkka Heikkinen[32] Sibir Novosibirsk 1 year P. A. Parenteau[33] New York Islanders 1 year, $600,000 Jody Shelley[34] Philadelphia Flyers 3 years, $3.3 million Alex Auld[35] Montreal Canadiens 1 year, $1 million Olli Jokinen[36] Calgary Flames 2 years, $6 million Corey Locke[37] Ottawa Senators 2 years, $1.1 million Corey Potter[38] Pittsburgh Penguins 1 year, $500,000 Steve Valiquette[39] CSKA Moscow 1 year Matt Zaba[40] Bolzano-Bozen Foxes undisclosed Enver Lisin[41] Magnitogorsk Metallurg 2 years Claimed via waivers Player Former team Date claimed off waivers Lost via waivers Player New team Date claimed off waivers Lost via retirement Player Player signings Player Contract terms Jyri Niemi[42] 3 years, $1.86 million entry-level contract Dane Byers[43] 1 year, $500,000 Kris Newbury[44] 2 years, $1.025 million Derek Stepan[45] 3 years, $2.4625 million entry-level contract Erik Christensen[46] 2 years, $1.85 million Vaclav Prospal[47] 1 year, $2.1 million Brandon Prust[48] 2 years, $1.6 million Ryan McDonagh[49] 3 years, $3.9 million entry-level contract Daniel Girardi[50] 4 years, $13.3 million Brodie Dupont[51] 1 year, $500,000 Michael Sauer[52] 1 year, $500,000 Marc Staal[53] 5 years, $19.875 million Ryan Bourque[54] 3 years, $1.97 million entry-level contract Dylan McIlrath[55] 3 years, $2.2 million entry-level contract Carl Hagelin[56] 2 years, $1.325 million entry-level contract Roman Horak[57] 3 years, $1.83 million entry-level contract Draft picks New York's picks at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft in Los Angeles, California. Round # Player Position Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League) 1 10 Dylan McIlrath D  Canada Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL) 2 40 Christian Thomas RW  Canada Oshawa Generals (OHL) 4 100 Andrew Yogan C/LW  United States Erie Otters (OHL) 5 130 Jason Wilson RW  Canada Owen Sound Attack (OHL) 6 157 (from Carolina) Jesper Fast RW  Sweden HV71 Jr. (J20 SuperElit) 7 190 Randy McNaught F  Canada Saskatoon Blades (WHL) See also 2010–11 NHL season Farm teams Hartford Wolf Pack / Connecticut Whale (AHL) The 2010–11 season will be the 14th season of AHL hockey for the franchise. The Hartford Wolf Pack became the Connecticut Whale on November 27, 2010. Greenville Road Warriors (ECHL) The 2010–11 season will be the 1st season of affiliation for the Rangers and the Road Warriors. References Game log: New York Rangers game log on espn.com Player stats: New York Rangers statistics on espn.com ↑ National Hockey League (2010). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book/2011. Triumph Books. p. 91. ISBN 978-1-60078-422-4. ↑ Rangers place Redden on waivers ↑ Stepan makes Rangers history in Buffalo ↑ Jersey unveiling a Rangers family affair ↑ "HFBoards - NHL Message Board and Forum for National Hockey League". Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved April 5, 2011. ↑ "2010-11 NHL Schedule and Results". ↑ "2010–11 Standings by Division". National Hockey League. ↑ Rangers returning to the Cup playoffs ↑ Ryan Miller tops 'Three Stars' of the week ↑ Prust rewarded with Extra Effort Award 1 2 3 Rangers announce annual team awards ↑ "Rangers cruise to victory No. 30 for their own No. 30". Archived from the original on March 25, 2011. Retrieved March 21, 2011. ↑ Rangers get blueliner Niemi from Isles ↑ Rangers get picks for Sanguinetti ↑ Rangers obtain Eminger from Ducks ↑ Rangers add defense prospect McCue ↑ Rangers add White in deal with Atlanta ↑ Rangers obtain Kolarik from Jackets ↑ Rangers obtain Bickel from Ducks ↑ Rangers obtain Wolski from Coyotes ↑ Rangers trade for defenseman McCabe ↑ Rangers add Mitchell at trade deadline ↑ Rangers land Norway's Zuccarello Aasen ↑ Rangers add veteran goalie Biron ↑ Rangers add free agent Boogaard ↑ Rangers add winger Jeremy Williams ↑ Rangers agree to terms with Frolov ↑ Rangers, Kennedy agree to terms ↑ Fedotenko agrees to terms on contract ↑ QMJHL goalie Missiaen agrees to terms ↑ Blueshirts, Grant agree to terms ↑ Heikkinen signs with Sibir Novosibirsk of the KHL ↑ ISLANDERS AGREE TO TERMS WITH PARENTEAU AND KONOPKA ↑ Shelley, Flyers agree on three-year contract Archived 2012-02-24 at the Wayback Machine ↑ Habs ink Alex Auld ↑ Flames sign Jokinen ↑ Bulletin: Senators sign forward Corey Locke to a two-year contract ↑ Penguins Sign Defenseman Potter ↑ Lundqvist's backup, select KHL ↑ Matt Zaba Goes To… Italy ↑ "Enver Lisin". hockeydb.com. Retrieved December 9, 2010. ↑ Rangers contract was worth Niemi's wait ↑ Byers returning with contract extension ↑ Newbury agrees to contract extension ↑ Rangers agree to terms with Stepan ↑ Christensen returning with new deal ↑ New contract keeps Vinny in Blueshirt ↑ Rangers, Prust agree to terms on deal ↑ McDonagh turning pro with Rangers ↑ Girardi agrees to terms on new contract ↑ Rangers agree to terms with Dupont ↑ Sauer returning with a new contract ↑ Rangers, Staal agree to terms ↑ Rangers, Bourque agree to terms ↑ McIlrath agrees to contract terms ↑ "Rangers Sign Carl Hagelin". Archived from the original on April 14, 2011. Retrieved April 12, 2011. ↑ Rangers, Horak agree to contract terms External links 2010–11 New York Rangers season at ESPN 2010–11 New York Rangers season at Hockey Reference