The New York Rangers have a lot of work to do this offseason as they try and make a push back to the playoffs, and a key component of that includes improving development. The latest news from Elliotte Friedman would be a positive start, and would systematically make sense given the prospective candidate's ties to Mike Sullivan.
Elliotte Friedman name drops Jay Leach on 32 Thoughts
On the latest edition of 32 Thoughts, Friedman mentioned " I also heard Hartford has an opening and Jay Leach, the assistant in Boston, I'm told has an excellent shot at that job." Leach has a decent resume of experience that goes back to working with Sullivan in 2015 with the WB-Scranton Penguins as an assistant.
He then moved on to the Providence Bruins as an assistant, served as their head coach for four seasons, made the jump to the NHL as an assistant coach with the Seattle Kraken for three years, and he spent the last two years in the same role with the Boston Bruins.
Leach is 46 years old, and the Syracuse, NY native spent 70 games in the NHL across five seasons. He is a defense-first coach, a natural trait given it was the position he played. Leach spent 11 seasons and 499 games in the AHL as a player, and 180 games across four seasons in the ECHL. That is valuable experience to bring to the table, as he understands what it is like to grind out in the minors, and what it takes to be successful. That level of relatability would be an asset to the organization, on top of the real world coaching experience Leach already has.
Wolf Pack coaching staff was fired after string of disappointing seasons
Earlier this month Grant Potulny was relieved of his duties as head coach along with assistants Jamie Tardif and former Blueshirt Paul Mara. Potulny entered the picture as head coach in Hartford fresh off seven seasons leading Northern Michigan University. A 2000 draft pick by the Ottawa Senators, Potulny had a short pro career before entering the coaching ranks, where he built a reputation as a winner. As a player, he was the captain of the University of Minnesota’s Golden Gophers, winning back-to-back National Championships in 2002 and 2003.
For whatever reason, that championship pedigree didn't translate to the AHL. Potulny had the unenviable task of following Kris Knoblauch, who left the organization to lead the Edmonton Oilers. In his first year, the Wolf Pack went 30-33-7-2. This year, the team regressed significantly, finishing with a 26-38-5-3 record and just 60 points, landing them in last place in the Atlantic Division.
Wolf Pack need some stability
The organization needs to find a staff that views the AHL as a place to teach and develop, rather than a mere launching pad to a better job elsewhere. Leach has been at the NHL already, and it is possible that joining Hartford could be an opportunity to raise his stock as he attempts to become an NHL head coach one day. With the 2026 NHL Draft approaching and a top-five pick on the way, the opening in Hartford is a vital one. The hope is that whoever joins next can get more out of the existing roster and properly prepare the next wave of prospects for the bright lights of Broadway. There's a lot to like about Leach, at it remains to be seen if this rumor will come to fruition.
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