Rangers coach Gerard Gallant is out after two seasons, playoff flop
Gerard Gallant was hired as New York Rangers head coach in 2021 after an organizational housecleaning directed at winning now.
Two seasons into the job, the Rangers have mutually agreed to part ways with Gallant, the coach who oversaw a run to the Eastern Conference final last season and a disappointing first-round exit in these playoffs.
Despite entering the postseason as the third-place finisher in the Metropolitan Division, the 107-point Rangers faced sky-high expectations because of their all-in moves around the trade deadline.
New York acquired top-line winger Vladimir Tarasenko and depth defenseman Niko Mikkola from the St. Louis Blues and fourth-line forward Tyler Motte from the Ottawa Senators, but general manager Chris Drury also swung big for future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane after the former Chicago Blackhawks star essentially used the leverage of a no-movement clause to dictate a trade to Broadway. With that came a unique set of roster management maneuvers in the name of creating cap space: scratching players to ice less than the maximum amount and then having to play short again when dealing with injuries because they didn't have enough cap space to recall anyone.
NHL AWARDS: Which finalists have been named for regular-season honors?
Gallant finishes his Rangers tenure with a 99-46-19 record in the regular season, but ultimately, it's the Game 7 ouster to the New Jersey Devils, a 4-0 loss, that hastened his exit.
What's next for the Rangers?
It's clear owner James Dolan wants to win and do it now, with the Rangers not having hoisted the Stanley Cup since 1994. Dolan fired then-president John Davidson and GM Jeff Gorton — both conducting a rebuild that was by all intents and purposes going well — in May 2021. He named Drury, formerly the assistant GM, the general manager and president.
That Gallant, a veteran coach with a Stanley Cup Final appearance on his résumé, is out after two seasons shows how much results matter. Their next coach will be tasked with getting the most out of a talented roster and will likely be someone with that track record. The Rangers have been linked to Joel Quenneville, a three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Blackhawks, a team he coached from 2008-19. He resigned as Florida Panthers coach in October 2021 following revelations that former Blackhawks assistant video coach Brad Aldrich allegedly sexually assaulted prospect Kyle Beach in May 2010. Quenneville requires approval from the commissioner's office to work again.
What did Drury say Saturday?
On Gallant: "I have a ton of respect for Gerard as both a coach and person and truly appreciate everything he did for us on and off the ice these last two seasons. After my evaluation of the season and discussions with Gerard, we mutually came to the conclusion that a change would be beneficial for both parties."
On the team's first-round loss: "We win as a team and lose as a team. We're all disappointed we're not still playing. I think if I could reference the exit meetings, the good thing is, no one wants to be left off the hook. Everyone throughout this last week was taking a long, hard look in the mirror and using it as motivation and a learning experience."
On the search for a new coach: "It's obviously pretty early in the process, but we're looking at a lot of different things. We're still going to evaluate what went on this season and what I think we need to work on and to get better at. Hopefully, we’ll have a good, long, robust list of candidates to interview."
Rangers roster
With stars under contract at key positions, the Rangers have a roster that could elevate them to the playoffs again next season.
According to Cap Friendly, the Rangers have about $10 million in projected cap space with five unrestricted free agents (Tarasenko, Kane, Motte, Mikkola and goalie Jaroslav Halak) and three restricted free agents (forward Alexis Lafrenière and defensemen K'Andre Miller and Libor Hajek).
They will not have a lot of cap room to revamp the roster in a major way and any significant moves will likely have to come via trades. Could Lafrenière, 21, the Rangers' No. 1 pick from 2020, be dangled? Would Drury part with Barclay Goodrow and his $3.6 million cap hit through 2026-27 to create cap space?
Forward prospect Brennan Othmann, the No. 16 pick in the 2021 draft, has a good chance of making the roster.
Contributing: Vincent Z. Mercogliano, lohud.com
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Gerard Gallant out as Rangers coach after NHL playoffs flop
