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New York Rangers’ front office looks good with quick Vigneault firing

By John Williams

VANCOUVER, BC - DECEMBER 9: Head coach Alain Vigneault of the New York Rangers shouts instructions from the bench against the Vancouver Canucks during their NHL game at Rogers Arena December 9, 2015 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)
VANCOUVER, BC - DECEMBER 9: Head coach Alain Vigneault of the New York Rangers shouts instructions from the bench against the Vancouver Canucks during their NHL game at Rogers Arena December 9, 2015 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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The New York Rangers fired Alain Vigneault on Saturday night. It is safe to say you can trust Jeff Gorton and the rest of the team’s front office.

Jeff Gorton and the New York Rangers’ front office wasted no time kicking Alain Vigneault to the curb on Saturday night. The Rangers’ coach of five seasons overstayed his welcome on Broadway after going to back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals in 13-14 and 14-15.

It was a bold move by the front office, not because of what they did, but because of the timing of which they did it. When the team fired John Tortorella after the 12-13 season, they waited four days after the season to make their decision.

Ironically, after Alain Vigneault told his accomplishment story at his post game press conference after the team’s embarrassing defeat to the Philadelphia Flyers, he was sent packing just six hours later.

This means Vigneault, who did release a statement through the Rangers’ organization Sunday night, won’t have a chance to talk at the team’s breakup day at their Tarrytown, New York practice facility on Tuesday. It also means that the front office didn’t need to talk to him. They knew what they wanted, and they didn’t waste his time or theirs.

In case you missed it: Rangers fire Alain Vigneault

For the first time in what seems like a very long time, it looks as if the Rangers have a front office that is a few steps ahead of the game. That has to instill confidence in you as a fan.

We don’t know just yet what the rest of the coaching staff’s fate is. Jeff Gorton will likely touch on it during his press conference on Monday afternoon. Don’t expect any of them, except for their goalie aficionado Benoit Allaire, to be back next season although the front office may give them an opportunity to interview for the now vacated position.

But above all else, the quick pull of the proverbial trigger here shows what many of us suspected all along: Vigneault was nothing more than a lame duck behind the bench this season.

That’s why it made no sense to fire him mid-season. They didn’t believe in their assistant coaches as anything more than stop gaps and they thought (and were probably right) that nothing would’ve changed this season with all the moving parts they had to deal with whether it was Vigneault, Scott Arniel or Lindy Ruff behind the bench.

Next: What went wrong with NYR: Window closing

In an offseason where the front office is going to have to leave their mark, their quickness and decisiveness bodes well for what’s to come. While they need to draft well and make some smart trades and signings this offseason, the hiring of their next head coach is the most crucial thing they can do. Let’s see what they can do with it.

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