2011–12 New York Rangers season
Encyclopedia
The 2011–12
2011–12 NHL season
The 2011–12 NHL season is the 95th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It is the fifth consecutive season that opens in Europe with NHL Premiere games. As with the previous season, three events are scheduled: two games will be held in Stockholm, Sweden; one game in Helsinki,...

 New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...

 season
Season (sports)
In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an...

will be the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...

 franchise's 85th
New York Rangers seasons
The New York Rangers are an American ice hockey franchise that compete in the National Hockey League . One of the NHL's "Original Six" teams, the Rangers play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Since 1968, the team has played its home games in Madison Square Garden...

 season of play and their 86th season overall.

Off-season

On April 11, 2011, it was announced that the Rangers will open the 2011-12 NHL season in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...

, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

 on October 7, 2011 against the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...

, and on October 8 against the Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...

 as part of the 2011 NHL Premiere
2011 NHL Premiere
The 2011 NHL Premiere was the National Hockey League's fifth European multi-game event to open the regular season, featuring the Anaheim Ducks, the Buffalo Sabres, the Los Angeles Kings, and the New York Rangers. It will take place on October 7–8, 2011, to open the 2011–12 NHL season...

.

On May 13, Rangers forward Derek Boogaard
Derek Boogaard
Derek Leendert Boogaard was a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played for the Minnesota Wild and the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League . He was of Flemish descent. Known primarily as a fighter and enforcer, his nicknames included "Boogeyman" and "The Mountie"...

 was found dead in his apartment. Boogaard had played in 22 games for the Rangers during the 2010-11 season after signing a four-year deal with the Rangers in the previous off-season.

On June 29, Rangers captain Chris Drury
Chris Drury
Christopher Drury is an American retired professional ice hockey player. Drury is a Hobey Baker Award-winner with Boston University, a Calder Trophy winner with the Colorado Avalanche, a Stanley Cup champion with the Avalanche, a two-time Olympic silver medalist with the United States, and a...

's contract was bought out.

On July 2, free agent Brad Richards
Brad Richards
Bradley Glenn Richards is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League .-Early career:Born and raised in Murray Harbour, Prince Edward Island...

 signed a nine-year contract worth almost $60 million with the Rangers. Richards had been considered to be the top free agent of 2011.

On August 4, Sean Avery
Sean Avery
Sean Christopher Avery is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League . He formerly played for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Dallas Stars and New York Rangers. Prior to the NHL, Avery played for the Owen Sound Platers and the...

 was arrested at his home in Hollywood Hills
Hollywood Hills
The Hollywood Hills is an affluent and exclusive neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, in the southeastern Santa Monica Mountains. It is bound by Laurel Canyon Boulevard to the west, Vermont Avenue to the east, Mulholland Drive to the north, and Sunset Boulevard to the south.-Hollywood Hills...

 for battery on a police officer after pushing an officer that was trying to break up a party at Avery's home.

On September 12, the Rangers announced that Ryan Callahan
Ryan Callahan
Ryan Callahan is an American ice hockey forward and captain of the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:Callahan played one year of high school hockey for Hilton High School...

 would be the 26th captain in New York Rangers history. Brad Richards
Brad Richards
Bradley Glenn Richards is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League .-Early career:Born and raised in Murray Harbour, Prince Edward Island...

 and Marc Staal
Marc Staal
Marc Staal is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and alternate captain for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League...

 were named as alternate captains.

On September 26, the NHL officially announced that the Rangers would face the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...

 on January 2, 2012 in the 2012 NHL Winter Classic
2012 NHL Winter Classic
The 2012 NHL Winter Classic will be played on Monday, January 2, 2012. The fifth annual outdoor regular season National Hockey League game will be played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies with the host Philadelphia Flyers playing against their...

 at Citizens Bank Park
Citizens Bank Park
Citizens Bank Park is a 43,647-seat baseball park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, and home of the Philadelphia Phillies. Citizens Bank Park opened on April 3, 2004, and hosted its first regular season baseball game on April 12 of the same year, with the...

, the home of the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

. As part of the Winter Classic festivities, the Rangers will be featured in HBO's 24/7 series. The throwback jerseys the Rangers will wear for the Winter Classic were unveiled at an event on November 28.

Pre-season


Regular season

{| class="toccolours" width=90% style="clear:both; margin:1.5em auto; text-align:center;"
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#0060A9; color: #FFFFFF;" | 2011-12 Game Log
|- valign="top"
|
The 2011–12
2011–12 NHL season
The 2011–12 NHL season is the 95th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It is the fifth consecutive season that opens in Europe with NHL Premiere games. As with the previous season, three events are scheduled: two games will be held in Stockholm, Sweden; one game in Helsinki,...

 New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...

 season
Season (sports)
In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an...

will be the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...

 franchise's 85th
New York Rangers seasons
The New York Rangers are an American ice hockey franchise that compete in the National Hockey League . One of the NHL's "Original Six" teams, the Rangers play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Since 1968, the team has played its home games in Madison Square Garden...

 season of play and their 86th season overall.

Off-season

On April 11, 2011, it was announced that the Rangers will open the 2011-12 NHL season in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...

, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

 on October 7, 2011 against the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...

, and on October 8 against the Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...

 as part of the 2011 NHL Premiere
2011 NHL Premiere
The 2011 NHL Premiere was the National Hockey League's fifth European multi-game event to open the regular season, featuring the Anaheim Ducks, the Buffalo Sabres, the Los Angeles Kings, and the New York Rangers. It will take place on October 7–8, 2011, to open the 2011–12 NHL season...

.

On May 13, Rangers forward Derek Boogaard
Derek Boogaard
Derek Leendert Boogaard was a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played for the Minnesota Wild and the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League . He was of Flemish descent. Known primarily as a fighter and enforcer, his nicknames included "Boogeyman" and "The Mountie"...

 was found dead in his apartment. Boogaard had played in 22 games for the Rangers during the 2010-11 season after signing a four-year deal with the Rangers in the previous off-season.

On June 29, Rangers captain Chris Drury
Chris Drury
Christopher Drury is an American retired professional ice hockey player. Drury is a Hobey Baker Award-winner with Boston University, a Calder Trophy winner with the Colorado Avalanche, a Stanley Cup champion with the Avalanche, a two-time Olympic silver medalist with the United States, and a...

's contract was bought out.

On July 2, free agent Brad Richards
Brad Richards
Bradley Glenn Richards is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League .-Early career:Born and raised in Murray Harbour, Prince Edward Island...

 signed a nine-year contract worth almost $60 million with the Rangers. Richards had been considered to be the top free agent of 2011.

On August 4, Sean Avery
Sean Avery
Sean Christopher Avery is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League . He formerly played for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Dallas Stars and New York Rangers. Prior to the NHL, Avery played for the Owen Sound Platers and the...

 was arrested at his home in Hollywood Hills
Hollywood Hills
The Hollywood Hills is an affluent and exclusive neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, in the southeastern Santa Monica Mountains. It is bound by Laurel Canyon Boulevard to the west, Vermont Avenue to the east, Mulholland Drive to the north, and Sunset Boulevard to the south.-Hollywood Hills...

 for battery on a police officer after pushing an officer that was trying to break up a party at Avery's home.

On September 12, the Rangers announced that Ryan Callahan
Ryan Callahan
Ryan Callahan is an American ice hockey forward and captain of the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:Callahan played one year of high school hockey for Hilton High School...

 would be the 26th captain in New York Rangers history. Brad Richards
Brad Richards
Bradley Glenn Richards is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League .-Early career:Born and raised in Murray Harbour, Prince Edward Island...

 and Marc Staal
Marc Staal
Marc Staal is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and alternate captain for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League...

 were named as alternate captains.

On September 26, the NHL officially announced that the Rangers would face the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...

 on January 2, 2012 in the 2012 NHL Winter Classic
2012 NHL Winter Classic
The 2012 NHL Winter Classic will be played on Monday, January 2, 2012. The fifth annual outdoor regular season National Hockey League game will be played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies with the host Philadelphia Flyers playing against their...

 at Citizens Bank Park
Citizens Bank Park
Citizens Bank Park is a 43,647-seat baseball park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, and home of the Philadelphia Phillies. Citizens Bank Park opened on April 3, 2004, and hosted its first regular season baseball game on April 12 of the same year, with the...

, the home of the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

. As part of the Winter Classic festivities, the Rangers will be featured in HBO's 24/7 series. The throwback jerseys the Rangers will wear for the Winter Classic were unveiled at an event on November 28.

Pre-season

{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" width=90% style="clear:both; margin:1.5em auto; text-align:center"
|-
! colspan=11 style="background:#0060A9; color: #FFFFFF;" | 2011 pre-season game log: 4–2–1 (home: 0–0–1; road: 4–2–0)
|- align="center" bgcolor="#dddddd"
| # || Date || Opponent || Score || Decision || Record
|- align="center" bgcolor="white"
| 1 || September 21 (in Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...

) || New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...

 || 2 - 1 OT || Talbot || 0-0-1
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 2 || September 23 || @ New Jersey Devils || 4 - 3 || Johnson
Chad Johnson (ice hockey)
Chad Johnson is a Canadian ice hockey goaltender currently playing in the New York Rangers organization.-Playing career:...

 || 1-0-1
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
| 3 || September 26 || @ Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...

 || 5 - 3 || Lundqvist
Henrik Lundqvist
Henrik Lundqvist is a Swedish professional ice hockey goaltender for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League . He was nominated for the Vezina Trophy in his first three seasons in the NHL, finishing third all three times, and is the only goaltender in NHL history to record 30 wins in...

 || 1-1-1
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 4 || September 29 (in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...

, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....

) || @ HC Sparta Prague
HC Sparta Praha
HC Sparta Praha is a Prague based Czech ice hockey team playing in Czech Extraliga.-Team History:Founded in 1903 by Canadian expatriate Lyle P. O'Connor, HC Sparta Praha was among the first bandy teams to play on a semi-professional level in the Austro-Hungarian Empire...

 || 2 - 0 || Biron
Martin Biron
Martin Gaston Biron is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League . He has also played professionally for the Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers, and New York Islanders...

 || 2-1-1
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 5 || September 30 (in Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...

, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

) || @ Frolunda Indians
Frölunda HC
Frölunda Hockey Club, also known as the Frölunda Indians, are a Swedish professional ice hockey club based in Gothenburg. They are currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Elitserien, where they have played the majority of the seasons during its existence. The last time they played in the...

 || 4 - 2 || Lundqvist || 3-1-1
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 6 || October 2 (in Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...

, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...

) || @ HC Slovan
HC Slovan Bratislava
Hockey Club Slovan Bratislava is a professional ice hockey team in the Slovak Extraliga from the Slovak capital Bratislava. They play their home games at Samsung Arena....

 || 4 - 1 || Lundqvist || 4-1-1
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
| 7 || October 3 (in Zug
Zug
Zug , is a German-speaking city in Switzerland. The name ‘Zug’ originates from fishing vocabulary; in the Middle Ages it referred to the right to ‘pull up’ fishing nets and hence to the right to fish.The city of Zug is located in the Canton of Zug and is its capital...

, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

) || @ EV Zug
EV Zug
EV Zug is a professional men's ice hockey team from Zug, Switzerland. They are a current member of National League A and play their home games at Bossard Arena.-History:EV Zug won its lone championship in the 1997–98 season....

 || 8 - 4 || Biron || 4-2-1
|}

Regular season

{| class="toccolours" width=90% style="clear:both; margin:1.5em auto; text-align:center;"
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#0060A9; color: #FFFFFF;" | 2011-12 Game Log
|- valign="top"
|
The 2011–12
2011–12 NHL season
The 2011–12 NHL season is the 95th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It is the fifth consecutive season that opens in Europe with NHL Premiere games. As with the previous season, three events are scheduled: two games will be held in Stockholm, Sweden; one game in Helsinki,...

 New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...

 season
Season (sports)
In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an...

will be the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...

 franchise's 85th
New York Rangers seasons
The New York Rangers are an American ice hockey franchise that compete in the National Hockey League . One of the NHL's "Original Six" teams, the Rangers play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Since 1968, the team has played its home games in Madison Square Garden...

 season of play and their 86th season overall.

Off-season

On April 11, 2011, it was announced that the Rangers will open the 2011-12 NHL season in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...

, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

 on October 7, 2011 against the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...

, and on October 8 against the Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...

 as part of the 2011 NHL Premiere
2011 NHL Premiere
The 2011 NHL Premiere was the National Hockey League's fifth European multi-game event to open the regular season, featuring the Anaheim Ducks, the Buffalo Sabres, the Los Angeles Kings, and the New York Rangers. It will take place on October 7–8, 2011, to open the 2011–12 NHL season...

.

On May 13, Rangers forward Derek Boogaard
Derek Boogaard
Derek Leendert Boogaard was a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played for the Minnesota Wild and the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League . He was of Flemish descent. Known primarily as a fighter and enforcer, his nicknames included "Boogeyman" and "The Mountie"...

 was found dead in his apartment. Boogaard had played in 22 games for the Rangers during the 2010-11 season after signing a four-year deal with the Rangers in the previous off-season.

On June 29, Rangers captain Chris Drury
Chris Drury
Christopher Drury is an American retired professional ice hockey player. Drury is a Hobey Baker Award-winner with Boston University, a Calder Trophy winner with the Colorado Avalanche, a Stanley Cup champion with the Avalanche, a two-time Olympic silver medalist with the United States, and a...

's contract was bought out.

On July 2, free agent Brad Richards
Brad Richards
Bradley Glenn Richards is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League .-Early career:Born and raised in Murray Harbour, Prince Edward Island...

 signed a nine-year contract worth almost $60 million with the Rangers. Richards had been considered to be the top free agent of 2011.

On August 4, Sean Avery
Sean Avery
Sean Christopher Avery is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League . He formerly played for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Dallas Stars and New York Rangers. Prior to the NHL, Avery played for the Owen Sound Platers and the...

 was arrested at his home in Hollywood Hills
Hollywood Hills
The Hollywood Hills is an affluent and exclusive neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, in the southeastern Santa Monica Mountains. It is bound by Laurel Canyon Boulevard to the west, Vermont Avenue to the east, Mulholland Drive to the north, and Sunset Boulevard to the south.-Hollywood Hills...

 for battery on a police officer after pushing an officer that was trying to break up a party at Avery's home.

On September 12, the Rangers announced that Ryan Callahan
Ryan Callahan
Ryan Callahan is an American ice hockey forward and captain of the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:Callahan played one year of high school hockey for Hilton High School...

 would be the 26th captain in New York Rangers history. Brad Richards
Brad Richards
Bradley Glenn Richards is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League .-Early career:Born and raised in Murray Harbour, Prince Edward Island...

 and Marc Staal
Marc Staal
Marc Staal is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and alternate captain for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League...

 were named as alternate captains.

On September 26, the NHL officially announced that the Rangers would face the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...

 on January 2, 2012 in the 2012 NHL Winter Classic
2012 NHL Winter Classic
The 2012 NHL Winter Classic will be played on Monday, January 2, 2012. The fifth annual outdoor regular season National Hockey League game will be played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies with the host Philadelphia Flyers playing against their...

 at Citizens Bank Park
Citizens Bank Park
Citizens Bank Park is a 43,647-seat baseball park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, and home of the Philadelphia Phillies. Citizens Bank Park opened on April 3, 2004, and hosted its first regular season baseball game on April 12 of the same year, with the...

, the home of the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

. As part of the Winter Classic festivities, the Rangers will be featured in HBO's 24/7 series. The throwback jerseys the Rangers will wear for the Winter Classic were unveiled at an event on November 28.

Pre-season

{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" width=90% style="clear:both; margin:1.5em auto; text-align:center"
|-
! colspan=11 style="background:#0060A9; color: #FFFFFF;" | 2011 pre-season game log: 4–2–1 (home: 0–0–1; road: 4–2–0)
|- align="center" bgcolor="#dddddd"
| # || Date || Opponent || Score || Decision || Record
|- align="center" bgcolor="white"
| 1 || September 21 (in Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...

) || New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...

 || 2 - 1 OT || Talbot || 0-0-1
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 2 || September 23 || @ New Jersey Devils || 4 - 3 || Johnson
Chad Johnson (ice hockey)
Chad Johnson is a Canadian ice hockey goaltender currently playing in the New York Rangers organization.-Playing career:...

 || 1-0-1
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
| 3 || September 26 || @ Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...

 || 5 - 3 || Lundqvist
Henrik Lundqvist
Henrik Lundqvist is a Swedish professional ice hockey goaltender for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League . He was nominated for the Vezina Trophy in his first three seasons in the NHL, finishing third all three times, and is the only goaltender in NHL history to record 30 wins in...

 || 1-1-1
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 4 || September 29 (in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...

, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....

) || @ HC Sparta Prague
HC Sparta Praha
HC Sparta Praha is a Prague based Czech ice hockey team playing in Czech Extraliga.-Team History:Founded in 1903 by Canadian expatriate Lyle P. O'Connor, HC Sparta Praha was among the first bandy teams to play on a semi-professional level in the Austro-Hungarian Empire...

 || 2 - 0 || Biron
Martin Biron
Martin Gaston Biron is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League . He has also played professionally for the Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers, and New York Islanders...

 || 2-1-1
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 5 || September 30 (in Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...

, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

) || @ Frolunda Indians
Frölunda HC
Frölunda Hockey Club, also known as the Frölunda Indians, are a Swedish professional ice hockey club based in Gothenburg. They are currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Elitserien, where they have played the majority of the seasons during its existence. The last time they played in the...

 || 4 - 2 || Lundqvist || 3-1-1
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 6 || October 2 (in Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...

, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...

) || @ HC Slovan
HC Slovan Bratislava
Hockey Club Slovan Bratislava is a professional ice hockey team in the Slovak Extraliga from the Slovak capital Bratislava. They play their home games at Samsung Arena....

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| 7 || October 3 (in Zug
Zug
Zug , is a German-speaking city in Switzerland. The name ‘Zug’ originates from fishing vocabulary; in the Middle Ages it referred to the right to ‘pull up’ fishing nets and hence to the right to fish.The city of Zug is located in the Canton of Zug and is its capital...

, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

) || @ EV Zug
EV Zug
EV Zug is a professional men's ice hockey team from Zug, Switzerland. They are a current member of National League A and play their home games at Bossard Arena.-History:EV Zug won its lone championship in the 1997–98 season....

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Regular season

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