The Rangers are making some modifications behind the bench. The crew has dismissed head coach Peter Laviolette and affiliate head coach Phil Housley, per a crew announcement. GM Chris Drury launched the next assertion:
“Right now I knowledgeable Peter Laviolette and Phil Housley that we’re making a training change. I wish to thank them each and want them and their households all the most effective going ahead. Peter is first-class 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 file within the NHL a 12 months in the past and making a visit to the Jap 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 so as to give us the most effective probability to realize our objectives as a company. Our seek for a brand new head coach will start instantly.”
Laviolette departs the Rangers after simply two seasons with the crew, one which went fairly nicely 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 crew placing up 114 factors. They’d a strong postseason run to again that up earlier than in the end falling to Florida within the Jap 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 have been additionally in commerce hypothesis at occasions through the season. They by no means might get issues on monitor, resulting in them promoting on the commerce deadline and in the end lacking the playoffs. The tip 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 occasions. Over his 23-year teaching profession, the 60-year-old has a 894-562-186 file, good for a .589 factors proportion. His 1,594 video games as a head coach rank ninth in NHL historical past and it’s doable that he’ll have an opportunity so as to add to that complete with Anaheim presently 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 nicely 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 Publish reports that they are going to have a chance to stay on the workers of the brand new head coach so for now a minimum of, they continue to be with the crew.
The Rangers enter the summer season with lower than $10M in cap house, per PuckPedia, and several other gamers in want of latest contracts together with defenseman K’Andre Miller and winger Will Cuylle. In consequence, shaking up the roster may very well be a problem for Drury which can make his subsequent teaching rent that rather more necessary as the brand new bench boss will probably be tasked with getting rather more out of this veteran group than Laviolette was capable of this season.
