The New York Rangers have found their new head coach a month and two days after firing David Quinn.
The New York Post’s Larry Brooks is reporting that the Rangers have reached an agreement with Gerard Gallant, formerly of the Vegas Golden Knights.
BREAKING: Rangers have reached agreement to hire Gerard Gallant as head coach, Post has learned.
— Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) June 14, 2021
The news was confirmed by The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun.
Source also confirming what @NYP_Brooksie first reported, Gerard Gallant will be the next head coach of the Rangers. https://t.co/0zNMDTI98v
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) June 14, 2021
Gallant won the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year in 2018 after leading the expansion Golden Knights to a 51-24-7 record and a Stanley Cup Final appearance during their inaugural season. The Capitals defeated them in five games during the championship series. During three years in Vegas, Gallant posted a .601 points percentage, going 118-75-20. Gallant, 57, has also served as head coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets and Florida Panthers. He has a career .600 winning percentage as a head coach.
Gallant will be tasked with maximizing a young and talented Rangers team that features Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, 2020 first overall pick Alexis Lafrenière, and 2019 second overall pick Kaapo Kakko. The Rangers finished fifth in the East Division with a 27-23-6 record, 11 points out of the final playoff spot. But they defeated Washington in four of eight games last season — they looked very impressive and unstoppable in those outings — and seem to have all the talent necessary to take the next step. They just needed the right man at the helm.
The Rangers are now hoping Gallant will be that guy.
