The Rangers are headed for his or her fourth coach for the reason that 2020-21 season.
Peter Laviolette was relieved of his teaching duties on Saturday, the crew introduced, after the Rangers didn’t qualify for the playoffs in his second season on the helm.
The Blueshirts grew to become the sixth crew to rent and hearth the veteran coach, who finishes his New York tenure with a regular-season document of 94-59-11 and a 10-5-1 playoff document.
Affiliate head coach Phil Housley was additionally fired, whereas assistant coaches Dan Muse and Michael Peca may have the possibility to interview for the following teaching employees, in line with a supply.
“Today I informed Peter Laviolette and Phil Housley that we’re making a coaching change,” president and common supervisor Chris Drury mentioned within the press launch. “I want to thank them both and wish them and their families all the best going forward. Peter is first class all the way, both professionally and personally, and I am truly grateful for his passion and dedication to the Rangers in his time as head coach.”
That is the second consecutive Rangers coach to be fired after simply two campaigns, with Laviolette matching the timeline of his predecessor Gerard Gallant. Earlier than Gallant, David Quinn (2018-2021) was the final Rangers coach to last more than two seasons behind the Rangers bench.
Every little thing appeared to go proper in Laviolette’s first season with the Rangers.
Not solely did the Rangers set franchise information for wins (55) and factors (114) in a single season, however the membership gained the Presidents’ Trophy and got here two wins away from a Stanley Cup Remaining berth for the second time in three seasons in an Jap Convention Remaining loss to the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers.
The Rangers additionally led the complete NHL in comeback victories (28) beneath Laviolette in 2023-24.
Laviolette grew to become the primary head coach in NHL historical past to information six totally different groups to the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Every little thing appeared to go mistaken this season for the Rangers, who took an amazing step again in all sides of their sport as they missed the postseason for the primary time in 4 years.
Whereas there wasn’t a lot Laviolette might do concerning the exterior noise that hovered over the Rangers locker room for the reason that starting of the season, the 60-year-old didn’t precisely make drastic modifications to the lineup or system to successfully pull the Blueshirts out of their funk.
Laviolette usually caught by his veteran gamers and saved religion in what had labored prior to now regardless of little success with it. A majority of the blame for this disastrous season, nonetheless, doesn’t seem to fall on Laviolette’s shoulders.
That belongs to the roster building by president and common supervisor Chris Drury, in addition to inadequate efforts from marquee gamers.
