2008 New York Rangers

The New York Rangers finished the 2007-2008 season a respectable 3rd place in the Atlantic Division and scored a playoff berth, though they were knocked out by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the semi-finals. In an effort to ensure that the Rangers are contenders for the 2009 Stanley Cup, General Manager Glen Sather has decided to switch the roster up a bit. To that end, captain Jaromir Jagr, defenseman Fedor Tyutin, veteran forward Brendan Shanahan and left winger Sean Avery are out and forwards Nikolai Zherdev, Markus Naslund and Dan Fritsche and defensemen Dmitri Kalinin and Wade Redden are in. The new additions join two of the best goalies in the league in Henrik Lundqvist and Stephen Valiquette, and that means that the Rangers are early favorites for a playoff berth at the very least. As one of the most popular teams in the NHL, tickets to see them on the ice at Madison Square Garden are always in demand. Get yours now and watch the New York Rangers dominate in the 2008-09 season!

Reaching the 2005-06, the 2006-07 and the 2007-08 NHL Playoffs, the New York Rangers could hearken back to a storied history of postseason playoffs. The franchise had previously made it into the tournament 48 times, dating back to 1926. They had won possession of the Stanley Cup four times, although the most recent year for that was 1993-94. Over the years, the Rangers have entertained fans with some of the most memorable moments in New York sporting history. One of the NHL's original six franchises, the Rangers entered the league during the 1926-27 season and quickly received top billing on Broadway. The Blueshirts captured their first Stanley Cup in only their second season (1927-28) and quickly became known as the "classiest team in hockey."

Dubbed Broadway's longest running hit, the Rangers have been selling out Madison Square Garden for over 75 years. Though the Rangers went 54 years between drinks from the Stanley Cup, their early success (missing the playoffs only once in 16 years) created a rabid fan base. The Rangers are known for their die-hard fans found in the upper levels of the Garden's blue seats.

Madison Square Garden is one of the world's greatest sporting venues. The building literally shakes whenever the rival New Jersey Devils or New York Islanders are in town. Even though they no longer share the same division with the Bruins, Canadiens, and Maple Leafs the long histories the Rangers share with each team make for memorable games.

New York is not only one of the greatest sports cities in the world, but also one of the greatest all-around cities. One could spend weeks there and still not see every cultural landmark. One would need to spend a year there to see each of their professional sports teams. In the summer, the Yankees (Yankee Stadium) and Mets (Shea Stadium) vie for the baseball loyalty of New Yorkers. The fall and winter means the Jets and Giants will be playing football in Giants Stadium while the Knicks (Madison Square Garden) and the Nets (Izod Center) shoot hoops.