New York Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant - Danny Wild/USA TODAY Sports
On May 6th, the NY Rangers released a statement that the team will be parting ways with head coach Gerard Gallant. The news comes just a couple of days after New York lost to the New Jersey Devils in round one of playoffs. Here is a look into the NY Rangers parting ways with Gallant.
NY Rangers part ways with Gallant
Gallant has been coaching in the NHL for 11 years, spending the last two seasons with the Rangers. These last two years for New York have been really strong, but they fell short in playoffs. The disappointment truly came this past year. The Rangers were up 2-0 over the Devils and won by decent scores, but still could not get the job done.
Gallant by no means is a bad coach and did something special with the Rangers in the 2022 season. The team went all the way to the conference finals. That being said, this season they should have done just as well. The biggest issue this season has been the way Gallant lacked the ability to adapt.
The NY Rangers went 47-22-13 this past season. They ended in 3rd in the Metropolitan division behind the Devils and the Hurricanes. While the team still made playoffs, they should have ended higher than third.
Even with leaving the team, Gallant has pushed the NY Rangers to be in a position where they can continue to make playoffs. The next coach for the Rangers will need the ability to adapt. Hopefully, they can also bring in younger and faster talent.
NY Rangers Statements and Plans
When the team announced that they will be parting ways with Gallant, they did confirm they do not have a set time frame when it comes to finding a new coach. The plan, according to Chris Drury, is to be thorough and find the best person for the job.
While the full statement by Drury can be read here, on the New York Rangers’ Twitter, Drury primarily thanked Gallant for what he has done but thinks it is time to move on. The statement is full of thankfulness for Gallant. It is still clear the Rangers felt they did what they had to do.
There is no reason to believe that Gallant will not find a job elsewhere quickly. As for who the Rangers will higher, that is up in the air. The Rangers have the squad to win, but they need a coach who can keep them focused on the one overall goal.
