The New York Rangers are apparently closing in on appointing a head coach based on the latest rumblings. Elliotte Friedman noted on Friday’s 32 Thoughts podcast that the Rangers and Columbus Blue Jackets could make a decision soon.
“I was asked the other day who might be the first,” Friedman began. “A lot of us thought it might be Columbus, but someone told me Rangers might get closer to that list.”
So who could be the next Rangers manager? Based on conversations with league sources, Peter Laviolette is the most logical person.
The New York Rangers are set to name a head coach
When the Rangers fired Gerard Gallant, the immediate favorite became Laviolette. The 58-year-old was fired by the Washington Capitals after missing the playoffs last season and is eager to get back behind an NHL bench.
Barring a shocking turn of events, like the Pittsburgh Penguins dropping Mike Sullivan or the Toronto Maple Leafs replacing Sheldon Keefe, Laviolette is most likely the Blueshirts’ next head coach.
Arthur Staple of Athleticism reported on May 19 that Laviolette had interviewed for the Rangers job. Mollie Walker from the New York Post also wrote that Drury had a connection to Laviolette after playing for him at the 2006 Olympics for Team USA.
While Laviolette seems the safest choice because he’s a veteran coach with a Stanley Cup ring won in 2006 with the Carolina Hurricanes, it’s been a while since he’s had real playoff success. playoffs. The last time he won a playoff series was in 2017-18 with the Nashville Predators, so it’s not an easy decision.
That being said, who is available to tick the boxes of having experience and winning a Cup?
Darryl Sutter has already been ruled out. The same can be said for Joel Quenneville and Mike Babcock. Although I mentioned Claude Julien, his name was not mentioned.
At the end of the day, it’s hard to see the Rangers handing over the reins to someone with little or no NHL head coaching experience. Not when they believe a Stanley Cup is at hand.
Laviolette has a coaching career of 752-503-25-150.
