Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette ready to work for 'common goal'
As Peter Laviolette prepares to take over behind the bench for the Rangers, his return to the franchise comes 35 years after playing in New York in the only 12 games of his playing career.
“I’ve never really thought about my 12 games much in the NHL,” said Laviolette. “I think about my 11 years in the minor leagues and my 25 years of coaching. This is where my NHL journey started here in New York. It won’t truly reflect how proud and humble I am to be given a chance to come back to the city of New York and be able to coach this team.”
The Rangers officially introduced Laviolette as the team’s next head coach in a press conference on Tuesday. General manager Chris Drury also attended as New York moves closer to the 2023-2024 season.
“I’m thrilled to be here as the coach of the New York Rangers,” said Laviolette. “I understand the history and importance of being able to coach an Original Six team. We have a really good team and really good players. My staff and I will work tirelessly pushing towards a common goal of bringing the Stanley Cup to New York. This is one of the best franchises in sports in one of the best cities in the world. I’m appreciative and excited to be here.”
With five head coaching stops on his resume, Drury added that Laviolette’s profile fits the need in New York.
“He’s someone I wanted to talk to right away when the job opened up,” Drury said. “All his attributes as a coach and a person made sense for our team.”
Coming from a blue-collar family in Massachusetts, Laviolette preached the need for work ethic and competition as core values for his team moving forward.
“If you’re observant of it every day of what it takes to become a hard working person, you definitely need to embrace that,” Laviolette said. “When you watch the playoff games right now, it’s just a reminder that the compete inside the games is what makes teams great. It drives them to success. That’s not something you just ask for. You have to practice it on a daily basis. It has to become habit. It has to become your identity and part of the DNA of who you are.”
For a team coming off of a playoff appearance and a mix of veterans and young talent, the 58-year-old head coach discussed experiences in Carolina, Nashville and Philadelphia on how to balance team success and player development.
“I think it’s a really good balance and blend right now," Laviolette said. "Teams I have had success with in the past have had that balance. Those teams can find success. I do think that personnel is here that can find success.”
Laviolette also offered a collective message to the team and fan base with an eagerness to start the preparation process for the upcoming season.
“My message to everybody is let’s go to work,” Laviolette said. “Let’s get working. I think we have really good pieces in place. It’s that work ethic that drives things.”
