There was no reason to delay or to have a Gerald Gallant 2.0 situation.
After the second-year bench boss oversaw one of the most sudden downfalls in NHL history from season to season, there was no doubt that Peter Rabiolet had to be freed from the Rangers’ head coaching duties.
The Rangers became officially official on Saturday afternoon and faced surveillance by kicking out Rabiolet on Monday’s break-up day. This is unlike Gallant, which was canned three days later, after questions were asked three days later, following the team’s first round exit two years ago.
Now it’s as clear as it needed a fresh start.
There was no need to drag it.
That’s why the Rangers are looking for a fourth coach since the 2020-21 season. Laviolet has been kicked out the doors in the past four years by Gallant (2021-23) and David Quinn (2018-21).
Associate head coach Phil Hausley has also been fired, but assistant coaches Dan Muse and Michael Peka will have the opportunity to interview the next coaching staff, according to sources.
“Given the success of the past few years, we had high expectations all the way through the season. Very simply, we were in a complete shortage,” President and General Manager Chris Dolly said on Saturday’s conference call. “No one here discounts it. I know the fans are frustrated. They deserve a better season than this. It starts with me. I do a better job and give my staff and players the opportunity to succeed.
“And I finally made the decision, but everyone here — the players, management, staff — needs to take ownership of this season and have a direct and honest conversation towards next season, in order to move forward with summer expectations during Monday’s exit meeting.”
The Blues Shirt became the sixth team to hire and fire La Violet, finishing his tenure in New York with a regular season record of 94-59-11 and a playoff record of 10-5-1.
It seemed that everything was right in Rabiolet’s first season with the Rangers.
Not only did the team set a franchise record of victory (55) and points (114) in one season, but the club also won the presidential trophy, winning two wins from the Stanley Cup Finals Birth for the second time in three seasons, falling to the final Stanley Cup Champion Panthers in the Conference Finals.
The Rangers led the entire NHL with a comeback victory (28) under Rabiolet in 2023-24.
He became the first head coach in NHL history and led six different teams into the Stanley Cup playoffs.
After that, everything seemed wrong this season. The Rangers took a tremendous step in every aspect of the game, missing the postseason for the first time in four years.
Drury was asked whether the team has cultural issues, the number of players who expressed frustration this season, and what they think they need.
Despite answering all the questions mentioned above with a similar variation of response, he rates everything, Drury said he was making his way into this coaching search.
“I haven’t handled this beforehand,” he said. “It’s my first time coach, it’s the best, it’s great, as long as the team needs it, again, we’re trying to find the best thing as possible to do what we need.
As has become customary during Drury’s tenure, the Zoom call was cut off in 11 minutes, with some beatwriters still raising their virtual hands and asking questions.
Drury refused to reveal a private conversation with owner James Dolan about his work safety status, but ensured that the focus was on doing what he could to make the Rangers organization better.
His seat can only get hot from here, but it is expected that Drury will remain.
“We are clearly frustrated and disappointed how things have ended and not being in the playoffs,” Drury said. “My focus is to do everything I can to make sure I’m a playoff team next year.”
