The 2011-2012 schedule has been officially released and as
expected the Rangers will begin the season on a lengthy road trip. The January 2nd Winter Classic
matchup with the Philadelphia Flyers has also been officially confirmed. Here are some interesting tidbits and
thoughts on the schedule:
- The Rangers open the season with six road games, the first
two overseas against Los Angeles and Anaheim, and the next four against the Islanders, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton.
- Once Madison Square Garden
is re-opened, the Rangers will host their home opener on Thursday October 27th against Toronto. The Blueshirts will play five more home games
in a row after that against Ottawa, San Jose, Anaheim, Montreal and Winnipeg.
- The Rangers close out the season on April 7th at
home against Washington.
- The Rangers will play 14 back-to-backs next season,
including against the Kings and Ducks to open the season. The Blueshirts thrived in back-to-backs last
year, especially at the start of the season, but they’ll be playing
considerably fewer of them next year.
- The busiest month of the season will be March, which
features 17 games in all including a season-long seven-game home-stand from
March 11th through March 23rd.
- The Blueshirts don’t play the Devils until December 20th and won’t face New Jersey
at MSG until February 7th.
- The team will play 10 games in October, 11 in November, 15
in December, 12 in January, 13 in February, 17 in March and four in April.
- Looking for tough stretches? The Rangers play at Washington, home
against the Flyers, home against Pittsburgh, at Carolina and at Tampa
Bay in an eight day
stretch from November 25th through December 3rd.
- Starting on January 15th New York won’t have too many cupcakes
left. Check this slate out @Montreal,
vs. Nashville, vs. Pittsburgh,
@Boston, vs. Winnipeg, @NJ, @Buffalo, vs.
Philly, vs. NJ, vs. Tampa Bay, @Philly, vs. Washington, @Boston, vs. Chicago, vs. Columbus, @Pittsburgh, @Islanders, vs. Buffalo, vs. NJ,
@Carolina, @TB, vs. Boston, @NJ, @Ottawa, @Chicago, vs. Islanders, vs.
Hurricanes, vs. Pittsburgh, vs. Colorado, vs. NJ, vs. Detroit, vs. Buffalo,
@Toronto, @Minnesota, @Winnipeg, vs. Montreal, vs. Boston, @Philly,
@Pittsburgh, vs. Washington. Oof, it
would be nice to have some padding in the win column going into that
stretch. Those five games to close the
season are particularly brutal.
Season Review:
Breaking Down The Defense >
Breaking Down The Goalies >
Breaking Down The Offense >
Breaking Down The Prospects >
How Three Free Agent Signings In 2007 Have Shaped The Eastern Conference >
Spotlight On Glen Sather >
Spotlight On John Tortorella >
Rangers Land Tim Erixon: What Does It Mean?
More Erixon Trade Fallout >
What The Rangers Can Learn From The Bruins >
Rangers Will Face Stiff Competition In The East In 2011-2012 >
2011-2012 Schedule Analysis >
Player Reviews:
Spotlight On Mats Zuccarello >
Spotlight On Brian Boyle >
Spotlight On Matt Gilroy >
Spotlight On Ruslan Fedotenko >
Spotlight On Brandon Prust >
Spotlight On Bryan McCabe >
Spotlight On Alex Frolov >
Spotlight On Michael Del Zotto >
Spotlight On Martin Biron >
Spotlight On Brandon Dubinsky >
Spotlight On Marc Staal >
Spotlight On Steve Eminger >
Spotlight On Henrik Lundqvist >
Spotlight On Wojtek Wolski >
Spotlight On Sean Avery >
Spotlight On Dan Girardi >
Spotlight On Erik Christensen >
Spotlight On Ryan McDonagh >
Spotlight On Vinny Prospal >
Spotlight On Derek Stepan >
Spotlight On Marian Gaborik >
Spotlight On Chris Drury >
Spotlight On Artem Anisimov >
Spotlight On Mike Sauer >
Spotlight On Ryan Callahan >
Free Agency:
Plan A: Sign Brad Richards >
Plan B: Trade For A Top Center >
Plan C: Stick With The Status Quo At Center >
Plan D: Add An Offensive Winger >
Plan E: Sign An Impact Veteran UFA Defenseman >
