2002–03 New York Rangers season

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2002–03 New York Rangers
Division4th Atlantic
Conference9th Eastern
2002–03 record32–36–10–4
Goals for210
Goals against231
Team information
General managerGlen Sather
CoachBryan Trottier
Glen Sather (interim)
CaptainMark Messier
ArenaMadison Square Garden
Average attendance18,148 (99.7%)
Team leaders
GoalsPetr Nedved (27)
AssistsTom Poti (37)
PointsPetr Nedved (58)
Penalty minutesDale Purinton (161)
WinsMike Dunham (19)
Goals against averageMike Dunham (2.29)

The 2002–03 New York Rangers season was the 77th season for the team in the National Hockey League (NHL).[1] In the regular season, the Rangers posted a 32–36–10–4 record, finishing fourth in the Atlantic Division.[2] The Rangers' ninth-place finish in the Eastern Conference left them out of the Stanley Cup playoffs for the sixth straight season.[3]

The Rangers entered the season under the supervision of former Colorado Avalanche assistant coach and New York Islanders star Bryan Trottier in his first head coaching role.[4] With the team on the outside of the playoff picture, he was fired after 54 games and replaced with general manager Glen Sather.[5][6]

The Rangers saw a major milestone reached as goaltender Mike Richter won his 300th game with the team.[7] Shortly thereafter, he suffered a concussion against the Edmonton Oilers when Todd Marchant accidentally struck his head with his knee. Combined with a skull fracture Richter suffered toward the end of the previous season when hit in the face with a slap shot, it was the second such injury he suffered in the previous eight months and caused him to miss the rest of the season. Richter retired before the start of the next season.[8]

Regular season[]

Final standings[]

Atlantic Division
No. CR GP W L T OTL GF GA Pts
1 2 New Jersey Devils 82 46 20 10 6 216 166 108
2 4 Philadelphia Flyers 82 45 20 13 4 211 166 107
3 8 New York Islanders 82 35 34 11 2 224 231 83
4 9 New York Rangers 82 32 36 10 4 210 231 78
5 14 Pittsburgh Penguins 82 27 44 6 5 189 255 65

[9]

Note: CR = Conference rank; GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL = Overtime loss; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points
         Bolded teams qualified for the playoffs.


Eastern Conference[10]
R Div GP W L T OTL GF GA Pts
1 P- Ottawa Senators NE 82 52 21 8 1 263 182 113
2 Y- New Jersey Devils AT 82 46 20 10 6 216 166 108
3 Y- Tampa Bay Lightning SE 82 36 25 16 5 219 210 93
4 X- Philadelphia Flyers AT 82 45 20 13 4 211 166 107
5 X- Toronto Maple Leafs NE 82 44 28 7 3 236 208 98
6 X- Washington Capitals SE 82 39 29 8 6 224 220 92
7 X- Boston Bruins NE 82 36 31 11 4 245 237 87
8 X- New York Islanders AT 82 35 34 11 2 224 231 83
8.5
9 New York Rangers AT 82 32 36 10 4 210 231 78
10 Montreal Canadiens NE 82 30 35 8 9 206 234 77
11 Atlanta Thrashers SE 82 31 39 7 5 226 284 74
12 Buffalo Sabres NE 82 27 37 10 8 190 219 72
13 Florida Panthers SE 82 24 36 13 9 176 237 70
14 Pittsburgh Penguins AT 82 27 44 6 5 189 255 65
15 Carolina Hurricanes SE 82 22 43 11 6 171 240 61

Divisions: AT – Atlantic, NE – Northeast, SE – Southeast

P – Clinched Presidents Trophy; Y – Clinched Division; X – Clinched Playoff spot


Schedule and results[]

2002-03 Game Log
October: 4-6-2-0 (Home: 2-4-1-0; Road: 2-2-1-0)
Game October Opponent Score Record
1 9 @ Carolina Hurricanes 4 - 1 1-0-0-0
2 11 Montreal Canadiens 4 - 1 1-1-0-0
3 12 @ Pittsburgh Penguins 6 - 0 1-2-0-0
4 15 Toronto Maple Leafs 5 - 4 2-2-0-0
5 17 @ Buffalo Sabres 4 - 4 OT 2-2-1-0
6 19 Nashville Predators 2 - 2 OT 2-2-2-0
7 21 Tampa Bay Lightning 4 - 2 2-3-2-0
8 23 Washington Capitals 2 - 1 2-4-2-0
9 25 Los Angeles Kings 6 - 2 2-5-2-0
10 26 @ Toronto Maple Leafs 4 - 3 3-5-2-0
11 28 Phoenix Coyotes 3 - 2 OT 4-5-2-0
12 30 @ Tampa Bay Lightning 3 - 0 4-6-2-0
November: 6-6-2-0 (Home: 4-2-0-0; Road: 2-4-2-0)
Game November Opponent Score Record
13 2 @ Boston Bruins 3 - 2 4-7-2-0
14 3 St. Louis Blues 3 - 2 4-8-2-0
15 5 Edmonton Oilers 5 - 2 5-8-2-0
16 7 Calgary Flames 1 - 0 OT 6-8-2-0
17 9 @ Columbus Blue Jackets 6 - 3 6-9-2-0
18 11 @ San Jose Sharks 5 - 4 7-9-2-0
19 14 @ Calgary Flames 2 - 1 8-9-2-0
20 16 @ Vancouver Canucks 3 - 1 8-10-2-0
21 19 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim 3 - 2 OT 9-10-2-0
22 21 @ New Jersey Devils 4 - 4 OT 9-10-3-0
23 23 New York Islanders 3 - 1 9-11-3-0
24 25 Carolina Hurricanes 3 - 1 10-11-3-0
25 28 @ Atlanta Thrashers 7 - 4 10-12-3-0
26 29 @ Dallas Stars 3 - 3 OT 10-12-4-0
December: 5-8-1-1 (Home: 3-5-1-0; Road: 2-3-0-1)
Game December Opponent Score Record
27 1 Tampa Bay Lightning 4 - 3 11-12-4-0
28 3 Columbus Blue Jackets 5 - 3 12-12-4-0
29 5 @ Philadelphia Flyers 3 - 2 OT 12-12-4-1
30 6 Buffalo Sabres 4 - 1 12-13-4-1
31 8 Boston Bruins 4 - 1 12-14-4-1
32 11 Chicago Blackhawks 4 - 3 12-15-4-1
33 14 @ Toronto Maple Leafs 4 - 1 12-16-4-1
34 16 San Jose Sharks 2 - 1 OT 13-16-4-1
35 19 Montreal Canadiens 3 - 1 13-17-4-1
36 21 @ Detroit Red Wings 3 - 2 13-18-4-1
37 23 New Jersey Devils 2 - 2 OT 13-18-5-1
38 26 Pittsburgh Penguins 6 - 1 13-19-5-1
39 28 @ Florida Panthers 2 - 1 OT 14-19-5-1
40 29 @ Tampa Bay Lightning 5 - 3 14-20-5-1
41 31 @ Carolina Hurricanes 2 - 0 15-20-5-1
January: 6-6-1-1 (Home: 2-3-1-1; Road: 4-3-0-0)
Game January Opponent Score Record
42 4 Washington Capitals 2 - 2 OT 15-20-6-1
43 6 Ottawa Senators 5 - 2 15-21-6-1
44 8 Carolina Hurricanes 5 - 1 16-21-6-1
45 9 @ Montreal Canadiens 3 - 2 16-22-6-1
46 11 @ Pittsburgh Penguins 3 - 1 17-22-6-1
47 13 Toronto Maple Leafs 5 - 1 18-22-6-1
48 15 @ Washington Capitals 2 - 1 OT 19-22-6-1
49 19 Philadelphia Flyers 4 - 2 19-23-6-1
50 21 @ New York Islanders 5 - 0 20-23-6-1
51 23 @ Nashville Predators 4 - 2 21-23-6-1
52 25 Atlanta Thrashers 4 - 1 21-24-6-1
53 26 @ Washington Capitals 7 - 2 21-25-6-1
54 28 @ Atlanta Thrashers 5 - 2 21-26-6-1
55 30 Colorado Avalanche 4 - 3 OT 21-26-6-2
February: 5-5-2-0 (Home: 2-1-0-0; Road: 3-4-2-0)
Game February Opponent Score Record
56 5 Ottawa Senators 5 - 3 21-27-6-2
57 6 @ St. Louis Blues 4 - 4 OT 21-27-7-2
58 8 @ Philadelphia Flyers 2 - 1 21-28-7-2
59 12 @ Florida Panthers 3 - 1 22-28-7-2
60 14 Pittsburgh Penguins 1 - 0 23-28-7-2
61 15 @ Buffalo Sabres 5 - 4 23-29-7-2
62 17 @ Ottawa Senators 3 - 2 23-30-7-2
63 19 @ Minnesota Wild 4 - 2 24-30-7-2
64 21 @ Mighty Ducks of Anaheim 6 - 2 25-30-7-2
65 23 @ Colorado Avalanche 4 - 1 25-31-7-2
66 25 @ New Jersey Devils 3 - 3 OT 25-31-8-2
67 27 Boston Bruins 4 - 1 26-31-8-2
March: 6-3-1-2 (Home: 4-2-1-1; Road: 2-1-0-1)
Game March Opponent Score Record
68 1 Florida Panthers 5 - 2 27-31-8-2
69 3 New York Islanders 1 - 1 OT 27-31-9-2
70 7 Philadelphia Flyers 5 - 1 28-31-9-2
71 10 Florida Panthers 2 - 1 28-32-9-2
72 13 @ Ottawa Senators 3 - 2 OT 28-32-9-3
73 15 @ New Jersey Devils 3 - 1 28-33-9-3
74 17 New York Islanders 1 - 0 29-33-9-3
75 19 Buffalo Sabres 3 - 0 30-33-9-3
76 22 @ Philadelphia Flyers 2 - 1 31-33-9-3
77 26 Pittsburgh Penguins 3 - 1 31-34-9-3
78 29 @ Boston Bruins 3 - 1 32-34-9-3
79 31 Atlanta Thrashers 4 - 3 OT 32-34-9-4
April: 0-2-1-0 (Home: 0-1-0-0; Road: 0-1-1-0)
Game April Opponent Score Record
80 1 @ New York Islanders 2 - 2 OT 32-34-10-4
81 4 New Jersey Devils 2 - 1 32-35-10-4
82 5 @ Montreal Canadiens 5 - 4 32-36-10-4

Playoffs[]

The Rangers failed to qualify for the 2003 Stanley Cup playoffs, missing the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season.[3]

Player statistics[]

Skaters
Goaltenders
Regular Season
Player GP TOI W L T GA GAA SA SV% SO
Mike Dunham† 43 2467 19 17 5 94 2.29 1229 .924 5
Dan Blackburn 32 1762 8 16 4 93 3.17 842 .890 1
Mike Richter 13 694 5 6 1 34 2.94 329 .897 0
Johan Holmqvist 1 39 0 1 0 2 3.08 18 .889 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.

[11]

Draft picks[]

New York's picks at the 2002 NHL Entry Draft in Toronto, Ontario, at the Air Canada Centre.[12][13]

Round # Player Position Nationality College/Junior/Club Team (League)
2 33 Lee Falardeau C  United States Michigan State University (CCHA)
3 81 LW  Sweden VIK Västerås IK Jr. (Sweden)
4 127 Nate Guenin D  United States Green Bay Gamblers (USHL)
5 143 Mike Walsh LW  United States Detroit Compuware Ambassadors (NAHL)
6 177 Jake Taylor D  United States Green Bay Gamblers (USHL)
6 194 Kim Hirschovits C  Finland HIFK (FNL)
7 226 Joey Crabb RW  United States Green Bay Gamblers (USHL)
8 240 Petr Prucha LW  Czech Republic HC Pardubice (Czech Extraliga)
9 270 Rob Flynn RW  United States Harvard University (ECAC)

References[]

  1. ^ "New York Rangers". Hockey-Reference. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  2. ^ "2002–03 New York Rangers Roster and Statistics". Hockey-Reference. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  3. ^ a b "Canadiens top ousted Rangers". The Hour. Associated Press. April 4, 2003. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  4. ^ Caldwell, Dave (June 7, 2002). "Hockey – Rangers Find Their Answer in Trottier". The New York Times. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  5. ^ Graves, Gary (January 30, 2003). "Rangers fire Trottier after 54 games". USA Today. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  6. ^ "Sather to coach Rangers". United Press International. January 30, 2003. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  7. ^ "Rangers goalie gets 300th win". St. Petersburg Times. October 29, 2002. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  8. ^ Brooks, Larry (September 3, 2003). "It's Over For Richter; Concussion-Prone Goalie Will Hang 'Em Up". New York Post. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  9. ^ Dinger, Ralph, ed. (2009). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book/2010. Dan Diamond & Associates. p. 163.
  10. ^ "2002–2003 Standings by Conference". National Hockey League. Retrieved March 26, 2012.
  11. ^ "2002-03 New York Rangers". hockeydb.com. Retrieved 2010-08-02.
  12. ^ "2002 NHL Entry Draft". Hockey-Reference. Retrieved August 11, 2012.
  13. ^ "NHL Draft History". National Hockey League. Archived from the original on January 28, 2001. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
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