Mailbag: Who Is Going To Be the Best Fit As Head Coach for the New York Rangers?

It's been exactly a week since the New York Rangers were eliminated from the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs after losing to the New Jersey Devils in seven games. It appears that there will be many things within the organization that are going to shake up prior to the beginning of the 2023-'24 season. 

The biggest question at this moment is who is going to lead this group moving forward. The expectations were very high for Gallant after bringing the group to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, and he was not able to meet those expectations this year. 

The New York Rangers have a very passionate fan base, one that doesn't settle for mediocrity, and the result this season was clearly unacceptable, especially, for the General Manager, Chris Drury. 

Drury did everything in his power to put together a team to go on a Stanley Cup run this Spring. Some may not agree with how he constructed the team, but at the end of the day, it is the coach's job to get the best out of everyone in the room. 

Personally, I feel bad for Gallant. I believe that one more year would have been fair, but I also believe that this is a results-based business and the standards weren't met. 

Now, I asked you all to give me your questions, because I too am wondering how the fans are feeling about the move. 

Let's see what you all had to say, here is the mailbag: 

Jake Zaretsky (@jakezaretsky): How much pressure do you think is on management to pick the right coach? #NYR

With the way the team has been constructed under Chris Drury, I do believe there is way more pressure to pick the right coach now, as opposed to when Drury was first hired. When Drury took over, the team had gone five years without making the playoffs. From management all the way down to the fans, nobody was really sure what to make of this group. It was an interesting hybrid of a team that was rebuilding, but also a team that had a ton of potential to make some noise. Fast forward two years later, it's clear that if the right buttons are pushed by the head coach, the New York Rangers can compete with anyone in the National Hockey League. When Gallant was brought in, the expectation was to simply win a playoff round, whoever the next bench boss is, their expectations will be much higher. With all of the talent within the organization, I don't believe it's a stretch to say that if this core doesn't get it done, it could be the biggest disappointment in the history of the franchise. 

GothBrooksRVA (@BlvckDogRVA): Do you believe Gallant really lost the room? And what were the main reasons why if so?

I'm not sure if "Gallant lost the room" is really the way to put this. All coaches have different styles and sometimes the best hockey teams have players that hold themselves accountable instead of a coach that micromanages. From my perspective, the approach that Gallant took was for the players to hold themselves to their own standards. Having him walk into the room, throwing a table Herb Brook's style wasn't his way of doing things, but to that point, maybe that's what this team needed. All players need to be coached differently. It was evident that players like Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad were lacking confidence in the first round, and instead of kicking them while they were down, Gallant remained cool, calm, and collected. At the end of the day, that style just didn't click. 

e-RangersMuse (@nyrangersmuse): How much influence will the players have in the coaching search, if they have any at all?

Unfortunately, I don't believe the players have all that much of a say, but I do believe that management respects their input. Exit interviews are typically when there is an open dialogue between players and management. I don't know what was said in these interviews, so I don't want to speculate, but typically players don't decide who a coach will be. However, they can certainly have an influence on if it's time for a coach to go. 

JackKnife82 (@JohnnyLonny82): If the Rangers promoted Kris Knoblauch, how would you rate it on a scale of 1 to 10?

Kris Knoblauch appears to be a common name that is coming up, which makes a ton of sense considering the fact that he has now been in the organization for four seasons, serving as the head coach of the AHL Hartford Wolf Pack. Most Ranger fans remember Knoblauch for his six-game stint with the Rangers during the COVID-19 season when David Quinn along with his staff was placed on the protocol list. Knoblauch was a part of the incredible 9-0 win at MSG against the Philadelphia Flyers. Knoblauch makes sense for this team, but just because he's a part of the organization already, doesn't make him the best fit. I wouldn't say hiring Knoblauch would be a bad move, but it might be too easy of a move if that makes sense. He is known to have very strong relationships with his players, which I love, but this team now has a lot of pressure to win. Hartford has made the playoffs in two of his four seasons, so to me, it hasn't been enough success to justify this hire where we currently stand. It could happen someday, but right now I'd give it a 6/10. 

Joey (@Sosy10Joey): What should be the main criteria for the next coach?

In my mind, the main criteria for the next coach of the New York Rangers have to be someone similar to Rod Brind'Amour with the Carolina Hurricanes. Brind'Amour's team plays to his personality. They are a hard-nosed team that can also beat you with skill, but they will not be outskated or outworked by any of their opponents. It's such a cliche saying, but it is very true when they say "Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard". The Rangers have the talent, but way more than often they are being outworked. So to that point, whoever this head coach is going to be, they need to get the most out of the talented guys on this roster who don't necessarily work hard 100% of the time. Brind'Amour understands his players and knows how to push the right buttons when he has to. He also has his team prepared to play against any opponent. He is a coach that I admire, and a guy like him would be very beneficial for the New York Rangers. 

NYR_2323 (@2323Nyr): Do you think the Rangers will go with a veteran re-tread coach or a younger coach, such as an NHL Assistant or AHL head coach with their new hire? Any names you could see being hired?

In my personal opinion, I see the Rangers leaning toward hiring a younger coach. This team is at a crossroads between building for the future, and having the ability to win now if the right pieces are put in place. One of the key issues with this team was not setting up the younger players to succeed. Sure, Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko got a couple of chances to play with the big guns, but they weren't necessarily given the tools to succeed at a consistent rate. Bringing in a younger coach can help those two grow, along with players like K'Andre Miller, Adam Fox, and Filip Chytil. A name that stands out most to me is Andrew Brunette, who is currently competing for a Stanley Cup as an Assistant Coach for the New Jersey Devils. Brunette took over the Florida Panthers after Joel Quenneville was let go when the Blackhawks scandal went down. Brunette coached them to a President trophy-winning season and he has now helped New Jersey get back to the playoffs. He played in the NHL from 1993-2012 and has been coaching from 2014 up until now. He has all of the experience that the Rangers could ask for and he is just 49 years of age. Obviously, nothing will happen until the Devils' season comes to a close, but in my mind, he is the number one guy for the job at the moment. 

Thank you to everyone who sent in questions, I will get to more of these as we continue through the offseason. 

The Rangers will certainly do their due diligence in order to find the best fit, but it is clear that they need someone to establish a culture in the locker room in order to get everyone on the same page.