For the New York Rangers' 2024-25 season, it seemed like the effort wasn't all that there but the execution was absolutely nowhere to be found as a result.
Or at least, that's what defenseman Adam Fox had to say in particular reference to now-fired Head Coach Peter Laviolette at the Rangers 2025 breakup day. "Breakup day" is also being called exit day by the Blueshirts. It serves as a final gathering for the team to reflect on the season and discuss upcoming plans. At the Rangers' breakup day, 24 players spoke to the media. And for the Rangers, their "exit day" was exactly two days after Laviolette and the Rangers parted ways.
The media availabilities from breakup/exit day videos are also available for fans convenience on the New York Rangers YouTube channel for viewing.
Fox said that the current Blueshirt roster has hopes that a coach will outlast players — instead of the other way around — due to success.
"It’s hard not to look at us as players and say, ‘Why is that happening?’ We seem to have a lot of success and then I don’t know, it turns. I don’t think us as players at any point didn’t like Lavi[olette] or thought his message wasn’t getting through. It just seemed the execution of it was not there. I think we want to be able to come in with a coach that’s here for as long as we’re all here. Even outlast us as players because that means we’re having a lot of success."Defenseman Adam Fox
This quote from Fox holds powerful and is quite telling. The New York native was the fourth leading-scorer on the roster (61 points - 10 goals, 51 assists). And honestly, all of these quotes from the top players of this team just confirm what every fan has been thinking for months about Laviolette.
The Rangers began the season with a promising 12-4-1 start but have since spiraled to missing the postseason the year after winning the Presidents' Trophy and a disastrous 4-15-0 record tallied in November and December under Laviolette's charge. The now-former coach had completed two seasons on the job and had one year remaining in his contract.