The New York Rangers are once again in the market for a new head coach. The club announced on Saturday the firing of Peter Laviolette.
Laviolette`s dismissal, with one year left on his contract, follows the Rangers` failure to reach the playoffs after a challenging season that concluded on Thursday. Last season, the team advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Along with Laviolette, associate coach Phil Housley has also been let go.
The Rangers are now looking for their fourth head coach since 2021. Laviolette joins David Quinn and Gerard Gallant on the list of recently fired coaches.
General manager Chris Drury stated, `Today I informed Peter Laviolette and Phil Housley of our decision to make a coaching change. I want to thank them both and extend my best wishes to them and their families. Peter is a true professional and a first-class person, and I am genuinely thankful for his dedication and passion for the Rangers during his time as head coach.`
Laviolette, who previously won a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2005-06, was appointed at the beginning of the 2023-24 season. He led the Rangers to a 55-win season, topping the NHL with 114 points. They progressed to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they were defeated by the Florida Panthers, who ultimately won the Stanley Cup, in six games.
Entering the recent season, the Rangers were expected to contend for the Stanley Cup again. They started strongly with a 12-4-1 record but then suffered five consecutive losses, beginning a period of inconsistency.
In December, it became apparent that the Rangers were open to making changes. They traded captain Jacob Trouba, who had one year remaining on his contract, to the Anaheim Ducks. Less than two weeks later, they traded former top prospect forward Kaapo Kakko to the Seattle Kraken for defenseman Will Borgen.
On January 31st, the Rangers signaled their playoff ambitions by re-acquiring J.T. Miller in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks. The team continued to adjust their roster as the trade deadline approached, trading defenseman Ryan Lindgren to the Colorado Avalanche and forward Reilly Smith back to the Vegas Golden Knights, while acquiring defenseman Carson Soucy from the Canucks.
Despite these changes, the Rangers experienced a four-game losing streak in early March and two further three-game losing streaks, hindering their ability to gain traction in the Eastern Conference wild-card race.
Sources have indicated that the Rangers are interested in interviewing several candidates from outside the organization, including John Tortorella, Joel Quenneville, Jay Woodcroft, Jay Leach, David Carle, as well as Mike Sullivan and Rick Tocchet, if they become available.
Laviolette`s firing comes shortly after the Anaheim Ducks announced the dismissal of Greg Cronin. This leaves five head coaching vacancies in the NHL, with the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, and Philadelphia Flyers having finished the regular season with interim coaches.
