The 1976–77 New York Rangers season was the franchise's 51st season. The Rangers placed fourth in the Patrick Division and did not qualify for the playoffs. The Rangers had a better regular season record than two playoff teams and the league would change the rules in the following season to place the top twelve teams in the playoffs, regardless of division.
Regular season
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Schedule and results
|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 1 || 6 || Minnesota North Stars || 6–5 || 1–0–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 2 || 8 || @ Colorado Rockies || 5–3 || 2–0–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 3 || 9 || @ St. Louis Blues || 2–1 || 2–1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 4 || 12 || @ Minnesota North Stars || 10–4 || 3–1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 5 || 13 || Boston Bruins || 5–1 || 3–2–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 6 || 16 || @ Montreal Canadiens || 7–4 || 3–3–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 7 || 17 || Colorado Rockies || 4–3 || 4–3–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 8 || 20 || Los Angeles Kings || 4–2 || 4–4–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 9 || 24 || Vancouver Canucks || 5–4 || 4–5–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 10 || 26 || @ Cleveland Barons || 5–2 || 5–5–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 11 || 27 || Boston Bruins || 4–3 || 5–6–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="white" | 12 || 30 || @ Pittsburgh Penguins || 2–2 || 5–6–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 13 || 31 || Detroit Red Wings || 6–5 || 5–7–1 |-
|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 14 || 3 || @ Vancouver Canucks || 6–1 || 6–7–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="white" | 15 || 6 || @ Los Angeles Kings || 3–3 || 6–7–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 16 || 10 || Washington Capitals || 7–5 || 6–8–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 17 || 13 || Buffalo Sabres || 6–2 || 6–9–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 18 || 14 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 5–1 || 6–10–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 19 || 17 || Chicago Black Hawks || 3–2 || 7–10–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 20 || 20 || @ St. Louis Blues || 3–1 || 7–11–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 21 || 22 || @ Vancouver Canucks || 3–2 || 8–11–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="white" | 22 || 24 || @ Philadelphia Flyers || 2–2 || 8–11–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 23 || 27 || @ Detroit Red Wings || 5–0 || 9–11–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 24 || 28 || Minnesota North Stars || 4–1 || 10–11–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="white" | 25 || 30 || @ Atlanta Flames || 2–2 || 10–11–4 |-
|- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 26 || 1 || Washington Capitals || 4–1 || 11–11–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 27 || 4 || @ Minnesota North Stars || 11–4 || 12–11–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="white" | 28 || 5 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 5–5 || 12–11–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="white" | 29 || 8 || St. Louis Blues || 4–4 || 12–11–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 30 || 11 || @ Toronto Maple Leafs || 4–1 || 12–12–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 31 || 12 || Montreal Canadiens || 5–2 || 13–12–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="white" | 32 || 14 || @ New York Islanders || 4–4 || 13–12–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 33 || 16 || @ Buffalo Sabres || 7–2 || 13–13–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="white" | 34 || 18 || @ Chicago Black Hawks || 3–3 || 13–13–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 35 || 19 || Cleveland Barons || 3–2 || 14–13–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="white" | 36 || 22 || Philadelphia Flyers || 3–3 || 14–13–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="white" | 37 || 23 || @ Boston Bruins || 3–3 || 14–13–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 38 || 26 || New York Islanders || 2–1 || 14–14–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 39 || 28 || @ Washington Capitals || 5–2 || 15–14–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 40 || 31 || Atlanta Flames || 4–2 || 15–15–10 |-