The 1998–99 New York Rangers season was the franchise's 73rd season. The Rangers missed the playoffs for a second consecutive season for the first time since the 1975–76 season and the 1976–77 season in what was Wayne Gretzky's final season in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Regular season
Final standings
The Great One retires
Wayne Gretzky's last NHL game in Canada was on April 15, 1999, in a 2–2 tie with the Ottawa Senators. His 1,487th and final game was a 2–1 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins which had Jaromir Jagr, a future Ranger captain, scoring the game-winning goal on April 18, 1999, at Madison Square Garden. The national anthems in that game were adjusted to accommodate Gretzky's departure. In place of "O Canada, we stand on guard for thee," Bryan Adams sang "We're going to miss you Wayne Gretzky." John Amirante changed lyrics in "The Star-Spangled Banner" from "the land of the free" to "the land of Wayne Gretzky." He scored his final point in this game, assisting on the lone New York goal scored by team captain Brian Leetch. Gretzky was named as the first, second and third star of both games; only Maurice Richard had such an honour previously, for his performance in a 1944 playoff game.
At the time of his retirement, Gretzky was the second-to-last former WHA player still active in professional hockey, Mark Messier being the last. Messier, himself a former Ranger who would return to spend his final four playing years there, along with other representatives of the great Edmonton Oilers dynasty of the 1980s, attended the game. Gretzky's final game was considered a "national retirement party" in Canada, and Bryan Adams' rendition of "O Canada" was like a "lullaby." As the final seconds ticked away, the crowd at Madison Square Garden gave him a standing ovation, capping off "an entirely satisfying, weekend-long going-away party" in Canada, as there would be "No Regretzkys."
Gretzky told Scott Morrison that the final game of his career was his greatest day. He recounted:
Schedule and results
| 1 || October 9, 1998 || Philadelphia Flyers || 1–0 || 0–1–0 ||
| 2 || October 10, 1998 || @ Montreal Canadiens || 7–1 || 0–2–0 ||
| 3 || October 12, 1998 || St. Louis Blues || 4–2 || 0–3–0 ||
| 4 || October 16, 1998 || New Jersey Devils || 2–1 || 0–4–0 ||
| 5 || October 17, 1998 || @ Pittsburgh Penguins || 3–3 OT || 0–4–1 ||
| 6 || October 20, 1998 || Edmonton Oilers || 3–2 || 1–4–1 ||
| 7 || October 22, 1998 || New York Islanders || 3–2 || 2–4–1 ||
| 8 || October 24, 1998 || @ Philadelphia Flyers || 2–2 OT || 2–4–2 ||
| 9 || October 27, 1998 || Buffalo Sabres || 0–0 OT || 2–4–3 ||
| 10 || October 30, 1998 || Carolina Hurricanes || 1–0 || 3–4–3 ||
| 11 || November 3, 1998 || @ New Jersey Devils || 3–1 || 3–5–3 ||
| 12 || November 4, 1998 || Montreal Canadiens || 4–1 || 3–6–3 ||
| 13 || November 7, 1998 || @ Toronto Maple Leafs || 6–6 OT || 3–6–4 ||
| 14 || November 10, 1998 || @ Tampa Bay Lightning || 10–2 || 4–6–4 ||
| 15 || November 11, 1998 || @ Florida Panthers || 4–1 || 4–7–4 ||
| 16 || November 13, 1998 || Boston Bruins || 3–3 OT || 4–7–5 ||
| 17 || November 18, 1998 || @ Mighty Ducks of Anaheim || 3–1 || 4–8–5 ||
| 18 || November 19, 1998 || @ Los Angeles Kings || 5–1 || 5–8–5 ||
| 19 || November 21, 1998 || @ San Jose Sharks || 2–2 OT || 5–8–6 ||
| 20 || November 25, 1998 || @ Buffalo Sabres || 4–2 || 5–9–6 ||
| 21 || November 27, 1998 || @ Pittsburgh Penguins || 2–2 OT || 5–9–7 ||
| 22 || November 29, 1998 || Nashville Predators || 5–1 || 6–9–7 ||
| 23 || December 1, 1998 || Florida Panthers || 5–4 OT || 7–9–7 ||
| 24 || December 2, 1998 || @ New York Islanders || 3–2 || 8–9–7 ||
| 25 || December 5, 1998 || @ Ottawa Senators || 2–1 || 9–9–7 ||
| 26 || December 7, 1998 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 6–2 || 10–9–7 ||
| 27 || December 9, 1998 || Colorado Avalanche || 2–1 || 10–10–7 ||
| 28 || December 11, 1998 || @ Buffalo Sabres || 2–0 || 10–11–7 ||
| 29 || December 14, 1998 || Calgary Flames || 5–2 || 11–11–7 ||
| 30 || December 16, 1998 || @ New Jersey Devils || 6–3 || 11–12–7 ||
| 31 || December 19, 1998 || @ Toronto Maple Leafs || 7–4 || 11–13–7 ||
| 32 || December 23, 1998 || Carolina Hurricanes || 1–0 || 11–14–7 ||
| 33 || December 26, 1998 || @ Carolina Hurricanes || 6–3 || 12–14–7 ||
| 34 || December 30, 1998 || @ Phoenix Coyotes || 3–1 || 12–15–7 ||
| 35 || December 31, 1998 || @ Colorado Avalanche || 6–3 || 13–15–7 ||
| 36 || January 2, 1999 || @ St. Louis Blues || 1–0 || 14–15–7 ||
| 37 || January 4, 1999 || San Jose Sharks || 4–3 || 15–15–7 ||
| 38 || January 6, 1999 || New Jersey Devils || 5–2 || 15–16–7 ||
| 39 || January 7, 1999 || @ Washington Capitals || 5–1 || 15–17–7 ||
| 40 || January 10, 1999 || Tampa Bay Lightning || 5–2 || 16–17–7 ||
| 41 || January 13, 1999 || New York Islanders || 4–3 OT || 17–17–7 ||
| 42 || January 15, 1999 || Chicago Blackhawks || 3–1 || 17–18–7 ||
| 43 || January 16, 1999 || @ Montreal Canadiens || 3–0 || 17–19–7 ||
| 44 || January 19, 1999 || Ottawa Senators || 2–1 || 17–20–7 ||
| 45 || January 21, 1999 || Florida Panthers || 2–1 || 17–21–7 ||
| 46 || January 26, 1999 || @ Washington Capitals || 4–1 || 18–21–7 ||
| 47 || January 28, 1999 || @ Carolina Hurricanes || 3–2 OT || 18–22–7 ||
| 48 || January 30, 1999 || @ Detroit Red Wings || 3–2 || 19–22–7 ||
| 49 || February 1, 1999 || Washington Capitals || 3–1 || 19–23–7 ||
| 50 || February 4, 1999 || Vancouver Canucks || 8–4 || 20–23–7 ||
| 51 || February 7, 1999 || @ Boston Bruins || 3–2 || 20–24–7 ||
| 52 || February 12, 1999 || Carolina Hurricanes || 3–1 || 20–25–7 ||
| 53 || February 14, 1999 || Detroit Red Wings || 4–2 || 20–26–7 ||
| 54 || February 15, 1999 || @ Nashville Predators || 7–4 || 21–26–7 ||
| 55 || February 17, 1999 || Montreal Canadiens || 6–3 || 21–27–7 ||
| 56 || February 19, 1999 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 6–1 || 22–27–7 ||
| 57 || February 21, 1999 || @ Edmonton Oilers || 2–1 OT || 23–27–7 ||
| 58 || February 22, 1999 || @ Calgary Flames || 6–2 || 23–28–7 ||
| 59 || February 26, 1999 || Phoenix Coyotes || 3–0 || 24–28–7 ||
| 60 || February 28, 1999 || Philadelphia Flyers || 6–5 || 25–28–7 ||
| 61 || March 2, 1999 || Dallas Stars || 2–2 OT || 25–28–8 ||
| 62 || March 4, 1999 || @ Washington Capitals || 4–2 || 26–28–8 ||
| 63 || March 7, 1999 || @ Boston Bruins || 3–1 || 27–28–8 ||
| 64 || March 8, 1999 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 3–2 OT || 28–28–8 ||
| 65 || March 10, 1999 || Ottawa Senators || 3–0 || 28–29–8 ||
| 66 || March 12, 1999 || Boston Bruins || 5–4 || 28–30–8 ||
| 67 || March 14, 1999 || @ New York Islanders || 3–2 OT || 29–30–8 ||
| 68 || March 15, 1999 || Washington Capitals || 1–1 OT || 29–30–9 ||
| 69 || March 19, 1999 || Buffalo Sabres || 3–2 OT || 29–31–9 ||
| 70 || March 21, 1999 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 2–2 OT || 29–31–10 ||
| 71 || March 22, 1999 || @ Tampa Bay Lightning || 6–3 || 29–32–10 ||
| 72 || March 24, 1999 || @ Florida Panthers || 2–1 || 30–32–10 ||
| 73 || March 27, 1999 || @ Philadelphia Flyers || 3–1 || 30–33–10 ||
| 74 || March 29, 1999 || New York Islanders || 3–1 || 31–33–10 ||
| 75 || April 2, 1999 || Mighty Ducks of Anaheim || 4–1 || 31–34–10 ||
| 76 || April 4, 1999 || @ New Jersey Devils || 4–1 || 31–35–10 ||
| 77 || April 5, 1999 || @ Philadelphia Flyers || 5–1 || 32–35–10 ||
| 78 || April 8, 1999 || @ Chicago Blackhawks || 6–2 || 32–36–10 ||
| 79 || April 9, 1999 || @ Dallas Stars || 3–1 || 32–37–10 ||
| 80 || April 12, 1999 || Tampa Bay Lightning || 2–1 || 33–37–10 ||
| 81 || April 15, 1999 || @ Ottawa Senators || 2–2 OT || 33–37–11 ||
| 82 || April 18, 1999 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 2–1 OT || 33–38–11 ||
Legend:
Player statistics
Scoring Position abbreviations: C = Center; D = Defense; G = Goaltender; LW = Left wing; RW = Right wing = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Rangers only. = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Rangers only. Player Regular season 99 C 70 9 53 62 −23 14 15 RW 82 28 27 55 5 46 2 D 82 13 42 55 −7 42 9 LW 82 38 15 53 −12 47 93 C 56 20 27 47 −6 50 33 C 70 9 36 45 −7 38 17 LW 81 23 20 43 −10 64 24 LW 81 13 30 43 −2 20 22 RW 82 15 20 35 −7 26 25 D 75 10 24 34 −19 71 20 RW 37 11 17 28 −1 72 6 C 73 8 8 16 −2 13 5 D 67 4 8 12 6 93 37 LW 67 4 6 10 −11 30 23 D 45 0 9 9 −2 60 27 RW 14 3 4 7 −6 12 21 RW 28 2 4 6 −12 14 4 D 52 1 5 6 −12 92 34 D 68 1 4 5 −12 40 12 D 24 1 3 4 −4 23 36 D 31 1 3 4 −2 46 28 LW 30 2 1 3 −5 4 32 C 14 0 3 3 −3 4 10 LW 32 0 3 3 −5 38 8 D 23 0 2 2 −5 8 25 D 2 1 0 1 1 0 18 C 3 0 0 0 0 0 39 G 22 0 0 0 2 14 C 6 0 0 0 0 0 26 D 2 0 0 0 −1 0 19 LW 44 0 0 0 −3 80 26 RW 4 0 0 0 −1 4 3 D 18 0 0 0 −1 8 35 G 68 0 0 0 0 14 D 4 0 0 0 −5 2 28 LW 5 0 0 0 −1 6 14 LW 4 0 0 0 0 0 32 C 5 0 0 0 −1 4
Goaltending Player Regular season 35 Mike Richter 68 27 30 8 1897 170 2.63 .910 4 3878 39 Dan Cloutier 22 6 8 3 570 49 2.68 .914 0 1097
Awards and honors
Awards TypeAward/honorRecipientRef League(annual) Lady Byng Memorial Trophy Wayne Gretzky League(in-season) NHL All-Star Game selection Wayne Gretzky NHL Player of the Week Wayne Gretzky (April 19) Team Ceil Saidel Memorial Award Adam Graves "Crumb Bum" Award Rod Gilbert Frank Boucher Trophy Mike Richter Good Guy Award Kevin Stevens Lars-Erik Sjoberg Award Manny Malhotra Players' Player Award Adam Graves Rangers MVP Brian Leetch Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award Adam Graves
Milestones MilestonePlayerDateRef First game Jan Mertzig October 9, 1998 Manny Malhotra October 10, 1998 Johan Witehall January 30, 1999 1,000th game played John MacLean November 11, 1998 Ulf Samuelsson January 13, 1999
Draft picks New York's picks at the 1998 NHL entry draft in Buffalo, New York at the Marine Midland Arena.
Round # Player Position Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League) 1 7 Manny Malhotra C Guelph Storm (OHL) 2 40 Randy Copley LW Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL) 3 66 Jason LaBarbera G Portland Winter Hawks (WHL) 4 114 Boyd Kane LW Regina Pats (WHL) 5 122 Pat Leahy RW Miami University (Ohio) (NCAA) 5 131 Tomas Kloucek D Slavia Prague (Czech Extraliga) 7 180 Stefan Lundqvist RW Brynas IF (SEL) 8 207 Johan Witehall LW Leksands IF (SEL) 9 235 Jan Mertzig D Lulea HF (SEL)
Notes
References