The 1979–80 New York Rangers season was the franchise's 54th season. The Rangers qualified for the playoffs but bowed out in the second round to Shero's old team, the Philadelphia Flyers. The team's on- and off-ice activities during this campaign was the subject of Larry Sloman's 1982 book Thin Ice: A Season in Hell with the New York Rangers.
Regular season
Season Standings
Record vs. opponents
Schedule and results
|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 1 || 10 || @ Toronto Maple Leafs || 6 - 3 || 1-0-0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 2 || 14 || Washington Capitals || 5 - 3 || 1-1-0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 3 || 18 || Vancouver Canucks || 6 - 3 || 2-1-0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 4 || 20 || @ Montreal Canadiens || 5 - 4 || 2-2-0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 5 || 21 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 6 - 3 || 3-2-0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 6 || 24 || Edmonton Oilers || 10 - 2 || 4-2-0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 7 || 25 || @ Philadelphia Flyers || 5 - 2 || 4-3-0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 8 || 27 || @ Minnesota North Stars || 7 - 2 || 4-4-0 |- align="center" bgcolor="white" | 9 || 28 || Hartford Whalers || 2 - 2 || 4-4-1 |-
|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 10 || 1 || @ Los Angeles Kings || 4 - 2 || 4-5-1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 11 || 3 || @ Colorado Rockies || 7 - 2 || 4-6-1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 12 || 4 || @ Vancouver Canucks || 4 - 2 || 5-6-1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 13 || 7 || Los Angeles Kings || 8 - 4 || 6-6-1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 14 || 10 || Quebec Nordiques || 5 - 4 || 7-6-1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 15 || 11 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 4 - 1 || 7-7-1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 16 || 13 || @ New York Islanders || 10 - 5 || 7-8-1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 17 || 14 || Detroit Red Wings || 3 - 2 || 8-8-1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 18 || 16 || @ Atlanta Flames || 4 - 2 || 8-9-1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 19 || 18 || St. Louis Blues || 5 - 3 || 9-9-1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 20 || 21 || Winnipeg Jets || 6 - 4 || 9-10-1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 21 || 24 || @ Pittsburgh Penguins || 5 - 3 || 9-11-1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 22 || 25 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 4 - 3 || 9-12-1 |- align="center" bgcolor="white" | 23 || 28 || Minnesota North Stars || 4 - 4 || 9-12-2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 24 || 29 || @ Buffalo Sabres || 2 - 1 || 9-13-2 |-
|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 25 || 1 || @ St. Louis Blues || 2 - 0 || 10-13-2 |- align="center" bgcolor="white" | 26 || 3 || Montreal Canadiens || 3 - 3 || 10-13-3 |- align="center" bgcolor="white" | 27 || 5 || Chicago Black Hawks || 3 - 3 || 10-13-4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 28 || 7 || @ Hartford Whalers || 7 - 4 || 11-13-4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 29 || 9 || New York Islanders || 5 - 4 || 12-13-4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 30 || 11 || @ Detroit Red Wings || 2 - 1 || 13-13-4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 31 || 12 || @ Chicago Black Hawks || 5 - 2 || 14-13-4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 32 || 15 || @ Washington Capitals || 5 - 4 || 14-14-4 |- align="center" bgcolor="white" | 33 || 16 || Philadelphia Flyers || 1 - 1 || 14-14-5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 34 || 19 || Vancouver Canucks || 5 - 3 || 15-14-5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 35 || 22 || @ Pittsburgh Penguins || 4 - 3 || 16-14-5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 36 || 23 || Boston Bruins || 4 - 3 || 16-15-5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 37 || 30 || Washington Capitals || 5 - 2 || 17-15-5 |-