Gerard Gallant (C), head coach of the New York Rangers, looks on during Game 7 of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, May 1, 2023. /CFP
The NHL's New York Rangers and their head coach Gerard Gallant have agreed to part ways, the team announced on Saturday.
"I want to first thank Gerard for his work and commitment to the Rangers during his time as head coach," the team's general manager Chris Drury said in a statement. "I have a ton of respect for Gerard as both a coach and person and truly appreciate everything he did for us on and off the ice these last two seasons. After my evaluation of the season and discussions with Gerard, we mutually came to the conclusion that a change would be beneficial for both parties. I wish he and his family all the best in the future. Our search for a new head coach will begin right away."
Having coached the Rangers for two seasons, Gallant had a 99-46-19 record. He led the team to the Eastern Conference finals last season before losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2. This season, the Rangers finished the regular season 47-22-13 and faced the New Jersey Devils in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. They blew a 2-0 lead before losing the series 4-3.
Timo Meier (L2) of the New Jersey Devils celebrates a goal scored by his teammate Erik Haula in Game 5 of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, April 27, 2023. /CFP
The Athletic revealed that the Rangers' front office and Gallant split on how to coach the team. Gallant is willing to let his players make the calls. Veterans prefer his style, but young players may not, especially when they needed to count on the coach for instructions, like they did in the series against the Devils.
"I would like to thank Mr. Dolan, Chris and the Rangers organization for giving me the opportunity to be their head coach these last two seasons," Gallant said in the statement. "The experience of coaching an Original Six franchise with such rich history and an incredibly passionate fanbase is something I will never forget. After conversations with my family and Chris, it became clear that this was the right decision for both myself and the Rangers at this time."