The familiar Alain Vigneault will make a reappearance in the National Hockey League this upcoming season, jumping back into the Metropolitan Division no less. What can we expect to see from Vigneault and will it re-ignite the New York Rangers-Philadelphia Flyers rivalry?
The decision last spring to fire New York Rangers coach Alain Vigneault and hire Boston University coach David Quinn has delighted many fans. As we saw this past season, he has carried over his ability to work with young players while maintaining a penchant for holding every player accountable.
When Alain Vigneault was announced as the new head coach of the Philadelphia Flyer on April 15, the reaction was mixed. Flyer fans were reminded that he was the coach to led the Rangers and Canucks to the Stanley Cup Finals. Ranger fans were skeptical, recalling how his time in New York ended.
Despite how New York fans felt, the Rangers offense improved under Vigneault. However, his on-ice decisions led to decreased support from fans and resulted in temperate relationships with his players.
Vigneault in Vancouver
Vigneault was handed the Canucks’ head coach position in the 2006-07 season and remained a presence until 2012-13. In his seven years as head coach, the Canucks finished in first place six times, but lost in the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals to the Boston Bruins in seven games.
Offensively, the Canucks had scored 256 goals in the season prior to Vigneault’s arrival and had finished in fourth place. In his first season their total goals dropped to 222, but their goal differential improved from plus one to plus 21 and the Canucks won the Northwest Division. The next season the goals total dropped to 213 and the team had a minus goal differential. That led to a fourth-place finish.
The next four season the Canucks were one of the top goal scoring teams in the league and finished first each year.
In his seventh and final season with the Canucks, Vigneault and his team finished 18th overall in goals in the strike shortened season. Although they won their division, it is important to remember that they were the first team eliminated from the playoffs that year.
The Canucks’ repeatedly under performed in the playoffs, despite capturing six division championships in his seven years there. While the blame cannot be placed entirely on his shoulders, there are certain Vigneault-isms that led to repeated disappointment.
He was not capable of developing young players, a trait he exhibited in his earlier coaching stint in Montreal. Despite leading his team to the postseason on multiple occasions, Vigneault had his work basically handed to him and he used exactly what he had. He did not work with young players to ensure they would play an important role for the team down the road. He used the older guys and rode his goaltenders, Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider. His inability to grow younger players is a mistake that would later be replicated again in New York.