The 1998–99 New York Rangers season was the franchise's 73rd season. The Rangers missed the playoffs for a second consecutive season in what was Wayne Gretzky's final season in the National Hockey League.
Regular season
Final standings
The Great One retires
Wayne Gretzky's last NHL game in Canada was on April 16, 1999, in a 2–2 tie with the Ottawa Senators. His 1,487th and final game was a 2–1 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins which had Jaromir Jagr, a future Ranger captain, scoring the game-winning goal on April 18, 1999, at Madison Square Garden. The national anthems in that game were adjusted to accommodate Gretzky's departure. In place of "O Canada, we stand on guard for thee," Bryan Adams sang "We're going to miss you Wayne Gretzky." John Amirante changed lyrics in "The Star-Spangled Banner" from "the land of the free" to "the land of Wayne Gretzky." He scored his final point in this game, assisting on the lone New York goal scored by team captain Brian Leetch. Gretzky was named as the first, second and third star of both games; only Maurice Richard had such an honour previously, for his performance in a 1944 playoff game.
At the time of his retirement, Gretzky was the second-to-last former WHA player still active in professional hockey, Mark Messier being the last. Messier, himself a former Ranger who would return to spend his final four playing years there, along with other representatives of the great Edmonton Oilers dynasty of the 1980s, attended the game. Gretzky's final game was considered a "national retirement party" in Canada, and Bryan Adams' rendition of "O Canada" was like a "lullaby." As the final seconds ticked away, the crowd at Madison Square Garden gave him a standing ovation, capping off "an entirely satisfying, weekend-long going-away party" in Canada, as there would be "No Regretzkys."
Gretzky told Scott Morrison that the final game of his career was his greatest day. He recounted:
Schedule and results
|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 1 || October 9, 1998 || Philadelphia Flyers || 1–0 || 0–1–0 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 2 || October 10, 1998 || @ Montreal Canadiens || 7–1 || 0–2–0 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 3 || October 12, 1998 || St. Louis Blues || 4–2 || 0–3–0 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 4 || October 16, 1998 || New Jersey Devils || 2–1 || 0–4–0 || |- align="center" bgcolor="white" | 5 || October 17, 1998 || @ Pittsburgh Penguins || 3–3 OT || 0–4–1 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 6 || October 20, 1998 || Edmonton Oilers || 3–2 || 1–4–1 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 7 || October 22, 1998 || New York Islanders || 3–2 || 2–4–1 || |- align="center" bgcolor="white" | 8 || October 24, 1998 || @ Philadelphia Flyers || 2–2 OT || 2–4–2 || |- align="center" bgcolor="white" | 9 || October 27, 1998 || Buffalo Sabres || 0–0 OT || 2–4–3 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 10 || October 30, 1998 || Carolina Hurricanes || 1–0 || 3–4–3 || |-
|- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 11 || November 3, 1998 || @ New Jersey Devils || 3–1 || 3–5–3 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 12 || November 4, 1998 || Montreal Canadiens || 4–1 || 3–6–3 || |- align="center" bgcolor="white" | 13 || November 7, 1998 || @ Toronto Maple Leafs || 6–6 OT || 3–6–4 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 14 || November 10, 1998 || @ Tampa Bay Lightning || 10–2 || 4–6–4 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 15 || November 11, 1998 || @ Florida Panthers || 4–1 || 4–7–4 || |- align="center" bgcolor="white" | 16 || November 13, 1998 || Boston Bruins || 3–3 OT || 4–7–5 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 17 || November 18, 1998 || @ Mighty Ducks of Anaheim || 3–1 || 4–8–5 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 18 || November 19, 1998 || @ Los Angeles Kings || 5–1 || 5–8–5 || |- align="center" bgcolor="white" | 19 || November 21, 1998 || @ San Jose Sharks || 2–2 OT || 5–8–6 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 20 || November 25, 1998 || @ Buffalo Sabres || 4–2 || 5–9–6 || |- align="center" bgcolor="white" | 21 || November 27, 1998 || @ Pittsburgh Penguins || 2–2 OT || 5–9–7 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 22 || November 29, 1998 || Nashville Predators || 5–1 || 6–9–7 || |-