The New York Rangers are a professional North American ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL). The team plays in the Metropolitan division of the NHL’s Eastern Conference. The Rangers were founded in 1926, and they are one of the NHL’s Original Six franchises. The team had almost immediate success, and they became the first team in the United States to win a Stanley Cup championship when they did in 1928. In total, the team has four Stanley Cup championships but none since the 1993-1994 season. The Rangers have won seven division titles and three Presidents’ Trophies (awarded to the NHL team with the most points in the regular season).

The Rangers play their home games at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. Nicknamed “The Garden,” it is one of the most iconic sports venues in the entire world. The team shares the arena with the NBA’s New York Knicks, and it has one of the most impassioned fan bases in the country. The Rangers have had 52 former players inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame. Mark Messier is considered by many to be the most important player in Rangers history. He played for the Rangers from 1991-1997 and 2000-2004. He helped them to win their first Stanley Cup championship in 64 years when he did so in 1994. Messier’s number 11 is one of eight numbers retired by the Rangers.