The New York Rangers are steeped into nearly a century of tradition for the NHL.
As one of the league's Original Six franchises, the Rangers are storied in decades and decades of history. Along the way the Blueshirts have undoubtedly delivered many unforgettable moments where not only was history made — but where history was rewritten. Throughout the years, many players in a Rangers sweater accomplished record-breaking feats that helped to define the sport of hockey and give generations of Rangers fans milestones to rally around.
Here's a look back at three of the most iconic record-setting moments in history for the Rangers.
Top three record-breaking moments for the New York Rangers
Honorable Mention - Mark Messier's Game 6
Though not a record in the traditional sense, Rangers' legend and all-time great Mark Messier's hat trick in Game 6 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Final against the New Jersey Devils stands as one of the iconic ways to steal a game win, ever. His leadership throughout the game carried the Blueshirts to a Game 7 back at home, and eventually the Final against the Vancouver Canucks where they hoisted their first Stanley Cup in over five decades.
On this day in 2006 #NYR raised Mark Messier's #11 to the rafters @TheGarden. pic.twitter.com/z2xjiaDxOC
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) January 13, 2019
3. Jaromír Jágr's single-season point and goal record (2005-06)
In the very first year after the 2004-05 NHL lockout, the legendary right wing tallied 123 points and scored 54 goals — setting new franchise high for a single season.
Jágr broke Adam Graves’s previous mark of 52 goals that was set back in 1993–94. Jágr hit the milestone on April 8, 2006, against the Boston Bruins at Madison Square Garden, in a moment that brought the Garden crowd to its feet.
That same year he also surpassed Jean Ratelle’s 109-point record from 1971–72. His 123 points and 54 goals remain the highest total ever by a Ranger in a single season.
2. Brian Leetch's 102-point season
Brian Leetch set a standard for Rangers defensemen that has never been touched or replicated. His 102-point campaign in 1991–92 made him one of only a handful of defensemen in league history to eclipse the 100-point mark. Until Erik Karlsson accomplished the feat a few years ago, Leetch's 1991-92 season stood as the most recent time a defender had reached the 100-point plateau.
For this reason, Leetch left his mark in the league as one the most well-known and successful defenseman to have ever graced the ice.
1. Henrik Lundqvist becomes the fastest goalie to reach 400 wins (2017)
Perhaps no Ranger is more synonymous with excellence than netminder Henrik Lundqvist, making it practically impossible for one of his record-setting moments to not get the No. 1 spot on this list.
On Februrary 11, 2017, Lundqvist became the fastest goaltender in league history to reach 400 career wins at the time, doing so in just 727 games. He was also only the 12th ever between the pipes to hit the 400-win milestone, adding yet another layer of history.