The Game of Numbers is an exclusive THW series looking at upcoming milestones around the NHL. Each team will be looked at individually in three parts – individual player milestones, franchise player milestones, and players that rank in the top 100 in NHL history in any big statistical category.
As an Original Six franchise in the NHL, there’s a lot of historical numbers when you’re talking about the New York Rangers. They aren’t your average franchise in terms of history. In fact, they’ve quite often been the talk of the league playing the Big Apple and under the lights of Madison Square Garden.
Finally, they’ve start to put all of their pieces together. Henrik Lundqvist continues to back stop a strong team that seems to find younger talent through drafting and free agency. While they weren’t far off in 2013-14, it will take a little more from a club full of milestones to reach the ultimate goal.
New York Rangers Individual Milestones
A veteran core – with a small youth population – the New York Rangers are more than just an experienced team. It’s easy to say, but the individual milestones that some of these players have reached and continue to aim for are quite impressive.
Games Played:
- 900 games played: Rick Nash (860)
- 700 games played: Dominic Moore (681)
- 600 games played: Keith Yandle (575)
- 500 games played: Kevin Klein (498), Derick Brassard (479)
- 400 games played: James Sheppard (391), Derek Stepan (358)
- 300 games played: Carl Hagelin (262)
- 200 games played: Chris Kreider (165)
- 100 games played: Kevin Hayes (75), Mike Kostka (70), Jesper Fast (65), Chris Summers (65), Cam Talbot (56), Chris Mueller (53)
Goals:
- 400 goals: Martin St. Louis (390), Rick Nash (378)
- 200 goals: Dan Boyle (153)
- 100 goals: Derick Brassard (99), Derek Stepan (87), Dominic Moore (82), Keith Yandle (67), Carl Hagelin (57)
Assists:
- 300 assists: Keith Yandle (253)
- 200 assists: Derick Brassard (185), Derek Stepan (162), Dan Girardi (158)
- 100 assists: Marc Staal (98), Mats Zuccarello (97), Kevin Klein (88), Carl Hagelin (71), James Sheppard (68), Matt Hunwick (60)
Points:
- 700 points: Rick Nash (697)
- 600 points: Dan Boyle (580)
- 300 points: Derick Brassard (284)
- 200 points: Dan Girardi (197)
- 100 points: James Sheppard (90), Chris Kreider (84), Matt Hunwick (78), Tanner Glass (59)
Shutouts:
- 100 shutouts: Henrik Lundqvist (55)
New York Rangers Franchise Milestones
As was mentioned, the Rangers franchise is full of historical numbers. Guys like Mark Messier, Wayne Gretzky, Brian Leetch and Mike Richter were only some of the big names to sport the New York logo during their careers. But now it’s time for the current players to leave their marks in franchise history – to try and strive for the top in the team’s statistical categories. And some of them are making a name for themselves in New York.
Games Played:
- Dan Girardi (647) needs 1 game played to pass Ott Heller (647) for 16th on the team’s all-time list.
- Henrik Lundqvist (617) needs 50 games played to pass Mike Richter (666) for 1st on the team’s all-time goalie list.
Game-Winning Goals:
- Rick Nash (20) needs 1 game-winning goal to pass Sergei Nemchinov, Mike Gartner and Alex Kovalev (20) for 14th on the team’s all-time list.
Shutouts:
- Cam Talbot (8) needs 4 shutouts to pass Andy Aitkenhead (11) for 11th on the team’s all-time list.
‘Top 100’ Milestones
At only 5’8″ and signed as a free agent, no one could’ve ever expected Martin St. Louis to be as good as he’s been over his NHL career. A lethal set-up man, St. Louis has found a way to leave his mark not just on the team’s he’s played for, but on the NHL itself. In fact, the small forward ranks among the leagues best all-time in numerous statistical categories.
- St. Louis (639) needs 3 assists to pass Gary Suter (641) for 63rd on the NHL’s all-time list.
- St. Louis (1,029) needs 1 point to pass Alex Kovalev (1,029) for 72nd on the NHL’s all-time list.
- St. Louis (29) needs 1 shorthanded goal to pass Mike Modano (29) for 21st on the NHL’s all-time list.
- St. Louis (66) needs 1 game-winning goal to pass Alexander Mogilny (66) for 49th on the NHL’s all-time list.
Selected first overall in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, Rick Nash had the weight of an inexperienced Columbus team on his shoulders. However, he’s found a way to put up year after year of good numbers pushing his way into NHL history.
- Nash (21) needs 1 shorthanded goal to pass Scott Young (21) for 57th on the NHL’s all-time list.
- Nash (64) needs 1 game-winning goal to pass Jason Arnott and Michel Goulet (64) for 54th on the NHL’s all-time list.
As one of the league’s best active goaltenders, Henrik Lundqvist is a big part of the New York Rangers and has been for his entire career. Selected in the seventh round (205th overall) he’s been the cornerstone of success in New York for the past decade. Now, he finds himself among the best goaltenders of all-time in multiple statistical categories.
- Lundqvist (617) needs 7 games played to pass Miikka Kiprusoff (623) for 36th on the NHL’s all-time goalie list.
- Lundqvist (337) needs 17 wins to pass Evgeni Nabokov (353) for 18th on the NHL’s all-time list.
- Lundqvist (55) needs 4 shutouts to pass Clint Benedict and John Ross Roach (58) for 18th on the NHL’s all-time list.
More from the ‘Game of Numbers’ series:
Eastern Conference: BOS | BUF | CAR | CLB | DET | FLA | MTL | NJD | NYI | NYR | OTT | PHI | PIT | TBL | TOR | WSH
Western Conference: ANA | ARZ | CAL | CHI | COL | DAL | EDM | LAK | MIN | NSH | SJS | STL | VAN | WPG
NOTE: The ‘Game of Numbers’ series is subject to updates as the 2014-15 season progresses. Individual marks will only appear if the player is within 50 of the specific statistical milestone, while franchise marks only recognize the top 20 in club history.
For more, follow Andrew on Twitter at @AndrewGForbes or his THW column at @Tape2TapeTHW.