Rangers hire Peter Laviolette to replace Gerard Gallant as head coach

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The New York Rangers have hired Peter Laviolette as their next coach, bringing in a seasoned veteran with Stanley Cup-winning experience to replace Gerard Gallant.

The team announced the selection of Laviolette on Tuesday, putting the U.S.-born leader in NHL coaching victories in charge at a time of great expectations, with the Original Six franchise firmly in win-now mode.

"With Peter’s extensive experience as a head coach in the National Hockey League, as well as the success his teams have had at several levels throughout his career, we are excited about what the future holds with him leading our team," general manager Chris Drury said in a statement.

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Washington Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette addresses the media for a final time for the 2021-2022 season at MedStar Capitals Iceplex on May 15, 2022 in Arlington, Virginia.  (Photo by John McCreary/NHLI via Getty Images)

Laviolette replaces Gallant, who mutually parted ways with the Rangers after their first-round playoff exit. Gallant spent just two seasons behind the bench in New York, leading the team to the Eastern Conference final last year.

Since Drury, a former captain, has taken over as general manager, the directive from owner James Dolan down has been to win the organization’s first championship since 1994.

Laviolette certainly has experience to fit the bill of doing that. He coached Carolina to the Stanley Cup in 2006 and has taken two other teams to the final: Philadelphia in 2010 and Nashville in 2017.

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