Player Discussion Gerard Gallant

[AIexisLafreniereNYR]

Seriously happy with his coaching. His structure, ability to get his players to buy in, and doesn’t hurt younger players if they make mistakes. Also I love that he has some Tortz in him. Can’t believe this guy was fired in Vegas but man were lucky to have this guy.

Going from Renny to Tortz, then to AV, then Quinn. You always had a frustrating feeling with how they all coached. Especially going from AV and Quinn, both made you want to bash your head in. I don’t get that from Gallant.

Having a coach like Gerard Gallant gave us that next step. Excited to see how the guys play the longer they play together.

Click to read more...

 

[Sayba]

I want to run through a wall for him and I'm not even on the team. He is spot on with answers, very passionate and the team is buying in.

 

[Levitate]

every coach has their downsides but hopefully he has the experience and knowledge to get this team to take the next step

 

[Boris Zubov]

We loved him in Vegas for a reason & so did the VGK players. Major f*** up by the front office sending him packing.

 

[EdJovanovski]

We still look bad often times and are way too stationary when cycling the puck but I’ll give the team time. Hard to argue with the results. I jumped out of my seat watching Laf go after Pageau tonight, we’re building a great culture here. He does remind me of bit of Torts, he has a heart of gold and loves his players, may be a bit of a softie deep down; but he’ll fiercely defend his players and stand up to the media, refs, etc.

 

[Doctyl]

Well it’s the thanksgiving mark, which was the timeline I was giving him to make his impact felt. We definitely have a different team than the past 5 years. There’s a passion and a bit of an identity forming. Kakko is hot right now. Igor is a top 3 goalie in the league. Fox and Panarin are still gods. Kreider is back. There has been such a noticeable improvement lately and I expect it to continue.

A+ for Gallant so far without a question.

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

We loved him in Vegas for a reason & so did the VGK players. Major f*** up by the front office sending him packing.

Florida fan chiming in here. Pretty much this except take out the word Vegas and insert the word Florida. And some of the fans didn't like him for some reason.

 

[alkurtz]

I have positive things to say about each of our recent coaches. Each had their strengths and weaknesses. Every coach is "hired to be fired." All will eventually wear out their welcome. Renney was a fine coach, totally professional, the perfect coach to bring us out of chaos of the lockout and restore structure to a team that had been lacking it. He was the "boss" each of us would have wanted to work for. Torts too, was the perfect man for the team at during his time, the coach who would take us to the next level. His "black and blue" teams are among my favorites and I've been a Ranger fans since (sigh) the late 1950s. But we all know that his worst demons eventually did him in and his strengths quickly became his weaknesses. How soon we forget how ecstatic we were when AV replaced him: the coach to finally unleash the offensive potential of the team. He too did a fine job, was considered one of the finest coaches in the NHL. But like most coaches, he had a "shelf life," and he wore out his welcome. Frankly, I think that most here are to critical of Quinn. Like his young team, he was learning on the job and growing as a coach. Yes, he was hard, perhaps overly so, on some players, but that was the job he was hired to do. Whether he was the right coach to take the base he built and return us to serious contention, well, we will never know. Yes, circumstances dictated that it was time for a different type of coach, but personally, I refuse to bash him and hope he gets another shot. Many young coaches do better their second time around, after they have internalized all that happened in their first gig. GG seems the perfect coach for where we are now. But hey, all our recent coaches did when they got the job. The team is responding and taking on the personality of the coach, something I always look for in coaches. Torts teams were him. The best of AV's teams were him. GG's "edge: and toughness is what we see, and need. But remember, he seems to be another one of those coaches with a defined shelf life. Right now, no complaints at all although I want to see what happens when we begin to regularly play the Flyers, Pens, Caps, and match up with the Canes and Bruins. Coaches come in all styles and personalities. Since Renney, each of our coaches has been "different." Matching the right coach to a team at a particular time in history is not easy. Is GG the coach to take us to serious contention? It appears so and I certainly have few complaints.

 

[MysticLeviathan]

I think the big test comes when we start to consistently face the metro, the good metro teams which is most of them, not just a badly depleted islanders team.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Nice to have a real nhl coach instead of Quinn

 

[Black Tank]

I think the big test comes when we start to consistently face the metro, the good metro teams which is most of them, not just a badly depleted islanders team.

But this badly depleted piles squad is still playing Trotz hockey which means making sure the other team can't play skill hockey. Last year's team had zero answer to that and last night's game showed h0w far the Rangers have come in grinding out a win and making it look easy against a less skilled opponent.

 

[aufheben]

I feel like people here after been complaining during GDTs just as much as last year.

There was never any question that he’s a better coach than David Quinn, but he has a lot to do to surpass Vigneault and Tortorella.

They have been improving though (which isn’t surprising after the first 4-6 weeks with a new coach.)

On the other hand, the last five games have been against NJD, MTL, TOR, BUF, NYI, and the only team that beat them was also the only good team.

 

[Crease]

Right coach at the right time. Frankly I think every coach since the first lockout was a good fit at the time, except maybe Quinn—who was marketed as a development coach because there was no other way to market him, he had no NHL resume of note.

 

[TJHKY]

Gallant coach style makes him too good for the first in the organization. Then going down second year, down again in the third year. We have to wait and see how he can stay longer in New York.

 

[Kocur Dill]

I think the big test comes when we start to consistently face the metro, the good metro teams which is most of them, not just a badly depleted islanders team.

Badly depleted, but those AHL guys to a man were playing their best games hoping to climb the organizational ladder. It wasn't an easy game, especially the first period. The difference was our video guys spotted the weaknesses and we executed later in the game.

Our staff was just as integral as the players last night. Isles didn't act like a depleted team. They came to win.

 

[PuckLuck3043]

I think the big test comes when we start to consistently face the metro, the good metro teams which is most of them, not just a badly depleted islanders team.

We are 4-1 against the metro so far. I have no doubt they will hold their own against the rest of the division.

 

[cwede]

I think the big test comes when we start to consistently face the metro, the good metro teams which is most of them...

Agreed, but I do feel he's has them getting ready for them. Playing well in close games (even the lost late leads that went overtime, good learning reminder)
Hold their own with good teams (starting tomorrow) and they're heading in right direction.
The D gets a bit tighter, the O a little more productive, and they should rarely be an easy win for any opponent

 

[Baby Duck Homme]

I had my boss lose his shit one time defending me. Made me want to work harder to prove him right. GG looks like he’s ready to throw down for his players instead of admonishing them all the time. So happy to not have 4 different threads complaining about Quinn right now.

 

[Chytilmania]

Are we undefeated with Gauthier behind the bench and on the ice at the same time?

 

[CasusBelli]

We’ve been getting results under him from the beginning. Admittedly, I wasn’t convinced at first, as it seemed our wins were ill-deserved and some of our stars appeared to have regressed, but I’m growing increasingly fond of his style. What is not clear to me, however, is how his “system” differs from previous ones. I notice that we’re more physical and play east-west more under him than under DQ. If anything it reminds me of the largely laissez faire approach that AV had.

 

[CasusBelli]

I had my boss lose his shit one time defending me. Made me want to work harder to prove him right. GG looks like he’s ready to throw down for his players instead of admonishing them all the time. So happy to not have 4 different threads complaining about Quinn right now.

So good to have a coach with balls again. Who was the last one? Torts? Seems this guy brings the best parts of AV, TR and Torts.

 

[cheech70]

The way he ripped the ref on the non call on Lundy will endear the players forever. I wonder why he got booted from LV and Fla...must of rubbed a major decision maker the wrong way.

 

[Baby Duck Homme]

So good to have a coach with balls again. Who was the last one? Torts? Seems this guy brings the best parts of AV, TR and Torts.

I was thinking the same thing. He’s like a Torts who projects his rage outwardly against foes and the refs and not inwardly towards the locker room. He doesn’t strangle our creativity like Quinn did. Quinn wanted paint by numbers hockey.

 

[Daves a mess]

Waiting for the first 3 game losing streak to read " He's lost the team bro's"?

 

[Chimpradamus]

I've watched this team since 2005. He's the best coach the team has ever had. That's my opinion. So far I haven't seen any flaws in his coaching that I've quickly seen from the others. He's communicating with his players, he sets boundaries, he brings confidence to his players. And his ego is in check.

Still, he's not afraid to mix lines and pairings up during the season. He has informed his players it isn't a punishment to move around, but that he's trying to fine tune the car. I really like this coach.