The Rangers are making some adjustments behind the bench. The group has dismissed head coach Peter Laviolette and affiliate head coach Phil Housley, per a group announcement. GM Chris Drury launched the next assertion:
“In the present day I knowledgeable Peter Laviolette and Phil Housley that we’re making a training change. I wish to thank them each and need them and their households all the most effective going ahead. Peter is top notch all the best way, each professionally and personally, and I’m really grateful for his ardour and dedication to the Rangers in his time as head coach.
“After ending with the most effective common season report within the NHL a 12 months in the past and making a visit to the Japanese Convention Last, we got here into this season with excessive expectations for ourselves. Fairly merely, we failed to satisfy these expectations. We should all do higher — myself included. As we head into subsequent season and past, I felt {that a} change was vital with a view to give us the most effective probability to attain our targets as a corporation. Our seek for a brand new head coach will start instantly.”
Laviolette departs the Rangers after simply two seasons with the group, one which went fairly effectively and one which was something however. In his first season behind the bench in New York, Laviolette helped information the Rangers to the Presidents’ Trophy, with the group placing up 114 factors. That they had a strong postseason run to again that up earlier than in the end falling to Florida within the Japanese Convention Last.
That had expectations quite high heading into this season, with the bulk of the core coming back. However, it was a struggle right out of the gate for New York, leading to Drury trying to shake up his roster. Jacob Trouba joined Barclay Goodrow as veteran leaders moved out whereas Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad had been additionally in commerce hypothesis at instances in the course of the season. They by no means may get issues on observe, resulting in them promoting on the commerce deadline and in the end lacking the playoffs. The top consequence was a 29-point dropoff, leaving them six behind New Jersey and Montreal for the ultimate spots within the Metropolitan Division and the Wild Card respectively.
Laviolette had one 12 months left on his contract, per Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic. He’s no stranger to being employed and fired as that has now occurred six completely different instances. Over his 23-year teaching profession, the 60-year-old has a 894-562-186 report, good for a .589 factors proportion. His 1,594 video games as a head coach rank ninth in NHL historical past and it’s potential that he’ll have an opportunity so as to add to that complete with Anaheim at present having a emptiness whereas a number of different organizations consider whether or not or to not make a change from the interim head coaches they completed with.
As for Housley, he departs the Rangers after two seasons as effectively having been added to the teaching workers when Laviolette was employed. The long-time blueliner has served as an assistant coach with New York, Arizona and Nashville whereas additionally having a quick stint with Buffalo as their head coach. The 61-year-old ought to garner some consideration for different assistant positions across the league this summer season.
Saturday’s announcement didn’t point out different assistants Dan Muse and Michael Peca. Mollie Walker of the New York Submit reports that they’ll have a possibility to stay on the workers of the brand new head coach so for now at the very least, they continue to be with the group.
The Rangers enter the summer season with lower than $10M in cap house, per PuckPedia, and a number of other gamers in want of latest contracts together with defenseman K’Andre Miller and winger Will Cuylle. In consequence, shaking up the roster might be a problem for Drury which can make his subsequent teaching rent that rather more necessary as the brand new bench boss shall be tasked with getting way more out of this veteran group than Laviolette was in a position to this season.
