The New York Rangers announced a statement on Tuesday that they have hired veteran coach Peter Laviolette to replace Gerard Gallant as the team’s next head coach. Gallant spent two seasons with New York, leading the team to the Eastern Conference final last year. He and the Rangers mutually parted ways after their first-round playoff exit.
General manager Chris Drury said of Laviolette: “With Peter’s extensive experience as a head coach in the National Hockey League, as well as the success his teams have had at several levels throughout his career, we are excited about what the future holds with him leading our team.” Rangers owner James Dolan is looking for the organization’s first championship since 1994, and source say he felt that Laviolette, 58, fit the bill with the experience to do just that. Said Dolan: “Peter’s impressive resume, which includes winning a Stanley Cup and advancing to the final with three different teams, has made him one of the most respected coaches in the league. As we move forward in our goal to consistently contend for the Stanley Cup, I am confident that Peter is the right head coach to lead our team.”
He coached Carolina to the Stanley Cup in 2006, and took Philadelphia (in 2010) and Nashville (in 2017) to the final. Laviolette has presided over 752 regular-season victories, and in addition to winning the most games among American coaches, Laviolette is third among active coaches. Laviolette spent the past three seasons coaching the Washington Capitals, who made the playoffs in his first two seasons but lost in the first round of each. The Capitals didn’t make it to the playoffs this year, and Laviolette and the team decided to go their separate ways.
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