2002–03 New York Rangers season

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]

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 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
12New Jersey Devils824620106216166108
24Philadelphia Flyers824520134211166107
38New York Islanders82353411222423183
49New York Rangers82323610421023178
514Pittsburgh Penguins8227446518925565

[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 SenatorsNE82522181263182113
2 Y- New Jersey DevilsAT824620106216166108
3 Y- Tampa Bay LightningSE82362516521921093
4 X- Philadelphia FlyersAT824520134211166107
5 X- Toronto Maple LeafsNE8244287323620898
6 X- Washington CapitalsSE8239298622422092
7 X- Boston BruinsNE82363111424523787
8 X- New York IslandersAT82353411222423183
8.5
9 New York RangersAT82323610421023178
10 Montreal CanadiensNE8230358920623477
11 Atlanta ThrashersSE8231397522628474
12 Buffalo SabresNE82273710819021972
13 Florida PanthersSE82243613917623770
14 Pittsburgh PenguinsAT8227446518925565
15 Carolina HurricanesSE82224311617124061

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

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 Dunham43246719175942.291229.9245
Dan Blackburn3217628164933.17842.8901
Mike Richter13694561342.94329.8970
Johan Holmqvist13901023.0818.8890

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 Marcus Jonasen 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. "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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