New York Rangers tab Peter Laviolette as NHL team's 37th head coach
The New York Rangers have decided on the 37th head coach in franchise history.
Peter Laviolette was announced Tuesday as the next man in charge, ending a search that lasted well over a month. He'll take over for Gerard Gallant, who was let go after just two seasons following this spring's disappointing first-round playoff exit.
This will be the well-traveled Laviolette's sixth team − and fifth in the Metro Division. He's compiled a career record of 752-503-25-150, with his win total ranking eighth all-time among NHL coaches. His teams have qualified for the playoffs 13 times in 21 seasons, including three trips to the Stanley Cup Finals and one championship with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006.
The 58-year-old most recently coached the Washington Capitals, where he spent three seasons before the two sides agreed to part ways in April. This past season marked only the third losing campaign of his career.
The hope is that Laviolette's aggressive system − which harps on a buzzing forecheck, hunts for rush opportunities and encourages defensemen to activate in the offensive zone − will spark a Rangers' attack that too often lagged behind at five-on-five. Over the past three seasons, his Capitals ranked seventh in the league with 484 goals at 5v5. By comparison, New York ranked 15th with 456. Washington also had a 2.47-2.33 advantage in xGF/60 (expected goals per 60 minutes) over that span, according to Natural Stat Trick.
He'll come to Broadway facing sky-high expectations. The 2022-23 season will mark 30 years since the Blueshirts last won the Stanley Cup, adding to the pressure to end that drought. That influenced team president Chris Drury's decision to choose a seasoned, fiery leader, rather than rolling the dice on an unproven candidate with a softer touch and fresher ideas.
Drury took his time in making a final decision, with multiple sources indicating he was waiting to see if other intriguing candidates became available. John Hynes drew some interest after being fired by the Nashville Predators on May 30, but the Rangers' preferred options − a list many believe is topped by Pittsburgh's Mike Sullivan − remain employed by other franchises.
That left Laviolette as a fairly obvious choice among the free-agent coaches with experience. Details were finalized during a meeting with Rangers' higher-ups on Friday, one person with knowledge of the situation told lohud.com, part of the Paste BN Network.
He'll inherit a win-now roster that's loaded with high-paid veterans and highly drafted youths, with his mission to quickly turn their potential into results.
Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the Paste BN Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.