The burden of proof rests on Peter Laviolette, the eighth-winningest coach in NHL history, who has been hired by the Rangers for the express purpose of leading the motorcade through the Canyon of Heroes 12 months from now.
But the burden of proof lies equally with the top-end playing personnel that has chewed through two coaches in the last three seasons while indicting — who used that word? — both David Quinn and Gerard Gallant for deficiencies behind the bench and in the room.
Gallant walked the plank despite having led the Blueshirts to the fifth-best record in the league his two years in New York, but the athletes who came up so small in the seven-game defeat to the Devils do not get off the hook here after curling up in the fetal position three of the final four games of the series.
These players have used up their allotment of gripes. They are not going to fire another good coach and another good man. And they are not going to be let off the hook by Laviolette, hired Tuesday after a five-week search throughout which the 58-year-old was the leader in the clubhouse from Day 1
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5 Comments
Gallant would’ve been a hands-on guy like Quenneville and Laviolette, if the Atlanta Thrashers had stuck around because then there would’ve been no playoff realignment and the Vegas Golden Knights would’ve won the Presidents’ trophy in 2017-18 with 129 total points and the Stanley Cup with it and then another Presidents’ trophy and Stanley Cup both 3 years later, but I’m happy with the Laviolette hiring, even though I would’ve preferred if it was Quenneville.
Another stiff as coach
After watching Vegas play the game I'm thinking the Rangers will need far stronger leadership, a lot more direction before we can expect any success. As for Gallant, I'll miss him, but when the Rangers were getting their asses kicked with face offs and he said he didn't care about face offs, that just made no sense to me.
I'm happy with Peter as head coach.
Last man standing gets job. That’s the way I see it.