The New York Rangers went out and did it. General Manager Chris Drury hired Peter Laviolette, making him the 37th coach in franchise history. According to The Athletic, Laviolette received a three-year contract worth slightly less than $5 million a year. After the departure of Gerard Gallant, who was fired following the Blueshirts first round defeat to the Devils, there was no question that Laviolette was the favorite to succeed him.
In their exit interviews, several Rangers players requested a sense of direction and motivation. They felt Gallant wasn’t giving it to them. Laviolette is the polar opposite of him.
He’s a “Barker” who isn’t afraid to lay into his players. Gallant takes a hands-off approach and lets the veterans do the talking.
True, it’s hard to get excited about a coach who hasn’t seen the second round in six seasons. It’s fair to be skeptical about the coach who was just let go by the Washington Capitals after failing to qualify for the playoffs. It’s understandable if you don’t like him because he’s a retread. But the facts are the facts whether you like it or not. There’s no such thing as a perfect coach. There was never going to be one for Drury to select. He scanned the market and picked the best one available.
Laviolette has an impressive track record. He has coached three organizations to the Stanley Cup Final, winning it with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2005-06. He has 22 years of coaching experience in the NHL. Laviolette is known for making strategic in-game adjustments, which should help him adapt to the Rangers’ roster.
It will be the fifth Metropolitan Division team, and the sixth team Laviolette has coached throughout his career. However, with great power comes great responsibility. Throughout his search, one of Drury’s questions to aspiring candidates was “How do you plan to handle the ruthless New York Media?”
According to Larry Brooks, that’s when Jay Leach, current Seattle Kraken assistant coach, bowed out of the race. He didn’t want to risk having an apple-sized black stain on his career if he succumbed to the pressure. That was never a question with Laviolette, who previously coached the New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers.
Interestingly, the Rangers are the only NHL team that Laviolette ever played for when he was a left-handed defenseman in 1988-89. He didn’t do much in his twelve-game stint. But it counts, right? Laviolette knows what it’s like to be in the Metro area. He knows what hard-nosed hockey is all about.
Yet, the five-week search boiled down to ex-Nashville Predators and New Jersey Devils coach John Hynes’s ability to get the most out of his young players and Laviolette’s experience. Drury and owner James Dolan wisely chose the latter. It’s arguably the most win-now club he’s ever inherited.
There’s no doubt Laviolette will have his hands full, as this is a tough group to coach. They have young players who desperately want more playing time and established all-stars itching to be the driving force to a coveted Stanley Cup. But if there’s anyone equipped to handle it, it’s him. His 752-503-25-150 record(Wins, losses, overtime losses, ties) makes him the eighth-winningest coach in NHL history, first amongst his fellow Americans.
Things are about to look drastically different both on and off the ice. Seeing a new face like Kris Knoblauch or Mark Messier running the show would’ve been refreshing. But sometimes, the right choice isn’t always the most desired one. It had to be done. The Rangers were the ultimate losers of this year’s playoffs(They lost to the Devils, who lost to the Hurricanes, who lost to the Panthers, who lost to the championed Golden Knights). Laviolette is here to make them the ultimate winner. Let’s dive into what steps he and the team need to take.