Speculation: Rangers Head Coach Search (Laviolette being finalized? According to Vince and Friedman)

[Shadowtron]

The only thing 'modern' about our game was the OVER RELIANCE on the 'royal road' .

We don't have the tactics/movement to open up the passing lanes to make it viable so it's a failed gameplan/strategy. Our breakout, puck support, transition and Zone time gameplan was 1980's hockey with a 2023 roster.

Agreed. And On top of that this roster was as soft as baby shit in a warm diaper.

 

[Boris Zubov]

Friend and former NHL teammate of a coach defends the coach and his handling of the situation, and this isn't the only stop along the way where it has happened.

Gallant had to go. Drury could have gone the wrong way at the deadline, but Gallant not getting through to the players is more than enough of a reason.

Gallant has his warts, but nobody seems to get through to this bunch.

 

[duhmetreE]

Agreed. And On top of that this roster was as soft as baby shit in a warm diaper.

Everyone shit on Reaves, and I get it to a point... but he added a much needed swagger to the team last season.

This team needs at the bare minimum two alpha types infused into the roster.

 

[bobbop]

Defending his friend, but yeah, we wanted a faster, tougher bottom 6 guy over Kane. Drury was backed into a corner and RW was thin. Not a single person on this site after seeing the deal was mad. We all wanted the responsible bottom 6 tough to play against guy, but the price for Kane was cheap so we went for it.

Tank and Mikkola were exactly what the team needed. We just didn't need another RW with skill. Too many cooks.

Kreider, Z, Tank, Tro, Chytil, Laf, Kakko should be more than enough size, physicality and speed in the top 9 to have a consistent forecheck with purpose. Our D are more than capable of playing up to keep the pressure high. Just like Carolina, Vegas, Avs, Cats, Leafs. Hell, our D is better than some of those teams, and many others in the league. Gallant just didn't get it out of anyone.

And again, this is from May 10, so I am not sure when the exit interview news came out in full, but his own players told Drury they needed more engagement. More talking. Help with their game. The players wanted to be coached, Gallant just didn't deliver.

Hell, that might be a testament to this leadership group when you think about it. Trouba, Kreider and Z were basically the leaders on and off the ice to get everyone involved.

Not everyone on this site, starting with me, wanted Kane. Not addressing the bott9mmsix was a flat out miss by Drury. I’m sorry but I never subscribed to the “you have to make the trade for Kane” school of th8nking.

 

[Boris Zubov]

Everyone shit on Reaves, and I get it to a point... but he added a much needed swagger to the team last season.

This team needs at the bare minimum two alpha types infused into the roster.

Reaves problem here is we couldn't hide his painful skating. He's was better in Minny playing with linemates who weren't as slow as he was.

 

[Kodiak]

Yeah getting rid of Gallant was the right move and it was also one that 95% of this board wanted. And now the team is being deliberate in hiring a coach but we've all decided it's actually because they're all morons who have no idea of what they want to do. And so we yearn for the old administration, whose specialty was stocking every front office position with family or friends and who brought us David "Developmental Coach" Quinn. And with all that, a return the Dark Ages is imminent and we're totally pathetic.

I also LOL at this fascination with Mark Ciaccio. I have no idea if he's good at his job, or terrible. What I do know is that before this offseason I had heard his name mentioned on this forum about 5 times in total, and now he comes up every third or fourth post.

For this board, it all checks out.

If you believe there is an issue with the skill level of the team, then the scapegoating of Ciaccio, who is the actual on-ice skills coach with the NHL club, makes much more sense than the previous fixation on Ortmeyer and Glass, who are more like guidance counselors for our prospects.

That being said, I have no idea if Ciaccio is actually an issue for the team. We get very little insight into how the team practices. He's going on 10 years with the team and will be under his 4th head coach. Either he's doing something well, or he's a blind spot for the front office, or the front office doesn't believe that his position matters enough to warrant a change.

 

[MrAlmost]

Not everyone on this site, starting with me, wanted Kane. Not addressing the bott9mmsix was a flat out miss by Drury. I’m sorry but I never subscribed to the “you have to make the trade for Kane” school of th8nking.

Neither did I. I wanted Lafferty or, by some miracle, Sturm or Jeannot. I don't mean to say that Drury had to make the trade cause it was just so cheap. He had to make the trade cause a few factors; Panarin buddy, get the most out of our 11.6 million dollar man, Dolan, etc..

 

[alkurtz]

I sometimes wonder how much the hate for Drury dates back to his playing days with the Rangers. These boards were pretty critical of him then and this just seems like a carryover.

I do think that the firing of JD and Gorts was a terrible mistake. Not that they were perfect, but hey, who is? Every GM has deals they wish they could take back.

To me, the jury is out on Drury. He did not get the position because he was some schlub: he was well regarded around the league as a future GM.

His track record is certainly mixed, trending to the negative side of the equation. The whole coaching situation now, to me, seems like a fiasco. Can you ever make such a drastic move as firing a coach with two 100 point seasons without an idea as how to go? That is what this seems like and that is poor management.

This hire will make or break him. If the Rangers deteriorate next year under a new coach, he will be gone. If somehow, and stranger things have happened, the Rangers win the Cup next year, he will be regarded as a genius.

In the meantime, Lavi or Hynes? Really? That's what it comes down to? Not good.

 

[Foxy]

Not everyone on this site, starting with me, wanted Kane. Not addressing the bott9mmsix was a flat out miss by Drury. I’m sorry but I never subscribed to the “you have to make the trade for Kane” school of th8nking.

The bottom six was set in stone no matter what moves we made at the deadline. Gallant was never going to move Kakko back up and break up the kid line. The 4th line with Motte, Vesey and Goodrow should of been good enough and for the most part were ok. It was Panarian who was total garbage and no move could of fixed that.

Agreed. And On top of that this roster was as soft as baby shit in a warm diaper.

Our roster was 10xs tougher then the soft devils, still didn't matter.

 

[GENESISPuck94]

One of the things I dislike the most about Drury is there's literally zero legit source or news coming from this front office. I get you don't want to "tip your hand" if that's actually a thing. But it's an entertainment business. Losing is not entertaining. Being shit is not entertaining. Having lazy players is not entertaining. Not giving us even a crumb of insight into the hiring of the coach is not entertaining.

 

[Pawnee Rangers]

The bottom six was set in stone no matter what moves we made at the deadline. Gallant was never going to move Kakko back up and break up the kid line. The 4th line with Motte, Vesey and Goodrow should of been good enough and for the most part were ok. It was Panarian who was total garbage and no move could of fixed that.


Our roster was 10xs tougher then the soft devils, still didn't matter.

Kane and Tarasenko weren't the problem. The makeup of the 4th line wasn't the problem. Team softness and the skills coach weren't the problem. Zib and Panarin and to a lesser extent Laff were dog shit. And that is why they got bounced in the first round.

 

[Avery16]

The bottom six was set in stone no matter what moves we made at the deadline. Gallant was never going to move Kakko back up and break up the kid line. The 4th line with Motte, Vesey and Goodrow should of been good enough and for the most part were ok. It was Panarian who was total garbage and no move could of fixed that.


Our roster was 10xs tougher then the soft devils, still didn't matter.

The coach wouldn’t adjust because the players didn’t want to and the coach let the players call the shots until it was too late. For all we know, Sather or Drury broke up the lines, games after Gallant should have. It is a fireable offense.

 

[NoQuitInNewMexico]

One of the things I dislike the most about Drury is there's literally zero legit source or news coming from this front office. I get you don't want to "tip your hand" if that's actually a thing. But it's an entertainment business. Losing is not entertaining. Being shit is not entertaining. Having lazy players is not entertaining. Not giving us even a crumb of insight into the hiring of the coach is not entertaining.

I know this place is only a couple hundred diehards and it can never be that reflective of actual fan opinion, but I do think the radio silence from the front office is contributing to the crummy vibes around the team. It just doesn't feel like they have a handle on the situation. Maybe they have something crazy planned for the offseason.

Hopefully when they get a coach, even if it's a random middle aged male who coached the Nashville Predators to a "NHL .500" record, they'll open up a little.

 

[duhmetreE]

was this posted?

This is like 95% Lavi.

 

[gravey9]

Not everyone on this site, starting with me, wanted Kane. Not addressing the bott9mmsix was a flat out miss by Drury. I’m sorry but I never subscribed to the “you have to make the trade for Kane” school of th8nking.

(Raises Hand too). Totally agree. There were a bunch of us on here that were very vocal before and after the trade about how poor of a team building decision it was. Did we keep shouting about our frustrations after every game? No. At some point, it is what it is. And at that point, be hopeful and pray you're wrong.

But everything Chabot said was something that many of us on here had already said AT THE TIME. Tho, the whole Gallant's a modern head coach thing is a bit of BS. But Drury deserving the vast vast vast majority of the blame is correct. If Drury was laying this at the hands of Gallant, he is a horrible horrible GM. Not only because it means he's a terrible manager of people but he's a terrible self-evaluator. Often the best way to lead means looking in the mirror first.

Obviously the most concerning part of that interview was about there being a bunch of players on the team that refused to play a style of hockey that works in the playoffs going back to last season. I'm not entirely sure who Chabot is referring to. I think we can all infer it may start with Panarin and based on the game 6 scratch, we know Gallant would add in Kakko. But after that there are a lot of guys on the team who don't exactly play with the fire and jam one needs in the playoffs. I could see him referring to Foxy or Miller or even Kreider who chooses when he wants to bring the snarl (rarer and rarer).

But point stands, whoever the new coach is, needs to get these guys to play a meaner, more aggressive, dirtier style come playoffs. And Drury needs to get his head out of his a-hole. My opinion of him at the moment couldn't be much lower, frankly.

If there's one thing we've learned from the Torontos of the world. You can't merely just ask everyone else on the team around your first line talent to play a playoff brand. You need the whole roster to sacrifice and play that way. You need a leader who is going to elbow someone in the face when the whistle blows. That's why Mess was more effective in the playoffs overall than Gretzky. That's why Tkachuk and Mackinnon are more successful than Matthews. That's why Crosby has been more effective than McDavid. Playoffs are really not about modern hockey or modern thought. Its really as simple as the playground in the 1970s. It's Neanderthal lizard brain level thinking. Apologies to Lizards and Neanderthals.

One team is going to be the bigger bully, the other team is going to get bullied more. Win the physical/mental upper hand and 9 times out of 10 you're winning the series. The fact that we couldn't do that against the current version of the New Jersey Devils was very very very telling. And Drury, god love him, traded for a few Mike Gartners at the deadline as opposed to traded them away. I have grown to think Mike Keenan was a total POS but he knew what it took to get over the hump just for one season.

 

[UnSandvich]

Kane and Tarasenko weren't the problem. The makeup of the 4th line wasn't the problem. Team softness and the skills coach weren't the problem. Zib and Panarin and to a lesser extent Laff were dog shit. And that is why they got bounced in the first round.

The funny thing there is Laf really wasn't even all that bad, the 3rd line was just snakebit. Laf was 3rd on the team in xGF (4.46), and 2nd in xGF% (50.53). But he was on the ice for a whopping total of 1 GF, 1 GA at 5v5.

 

[gravey9]

Kane and Tarasenko weren't the problem. The makeup of the 4th line wasn't the problem. Team softness and the skills coach weren't the problem. Zib and Panarin and to a lesser extent Laff were dog shit. And that is why they got bounced in the first round.

XXXX! Wrong answer.

 

[Pawnee Rangers]

The funny thing there is Laf really wasn't even all that bad, the 3rd line was just snakebit. Laf was 3rd on the team in xGF (4.46), and 2nd in xGF% (50.53). But he was on the ice for a whopping total of 1 GF, 1 GA at 5v5.

zero goals, zero assists, zero penalty minutes, zero +/- . He was totally irrelevant in the series. That's not great.

 

[gravey9]

zero goals, zero assists, zero penalty minutes, zero +/- . He was totally irrelevant in the series. That's not great.

blaming the 21 year old 3rd line LW on why the team sucked in the playoffs and couldn't forecheck and retrieve a puck. Interesting.

 

[duhmetreE]

Laffy is getting paid ELC money. To put him in the same category as the fat cat$ is wrong imo

Panarin, Zibs and Trouba are getting paid top dollar. They did shit. That's where they problem lies. 1 goal for nearly $30M in cap space. 1 Goal and 6 points for 3 of the 4 top paid players. 2 even-strength points. That's dog shite and it's been the problem here forever. Whoever our 'offensive leaders' are, they typically do not show up when we need them. Zibs was the exception to the rule last run but did nothing to start the playoffs and nothing to finish the playoffs.

Cant forget Trochek too... complete opposite of what I expected from him.

 

[will1066]

Laffy is getting paid ELC money. To put him in the same category as the fat cat$ is wrong imo

Panarin, Zibs and Trouba are getting paid top dollar. They did shit. That's where they problem lies. 1 goal for nearly $30M in cap space. 1 Goal and 6 points for 3 of the 4 top paid players. 2 even-strength points. That's dog shite and it's been the problem here forever. Whoever our 'offensive leaders' are, they typically do not show up when we need them. Zibs was the exception to the rule last run but did nothing to start the playoffs and nothing to finish the playoffs.

Cant forget Trochek too... complete opposite of what I expected from him.

Paper tigers

 

[haohmaru]

Not everyone on this site, starting with me, wanted Kane. Not addressing the bott9mmsix was a flat out miss by Drury. I’m sorry but I never subscribed to the “you have to make the trade for Kane” school of th8nking.

For what he cost? I think most GM’s in the league make that deal all day long.

 

[NoQuitInNewMexico]

I don't know the internal discussions about the Kane trade, but to me it never felt like a move they made out of confidence. It felt like, well we don't have the horses for the postseason, but because of last year and the regular season record expectations are high for a playoff run, let's send some cheap assets over on the off chance this guy isn't cooked.

And the regular season Rangers, for a "top contender," were a crummy 5v5 team. They had good special teams (probably some credit to Gallant, even if I never really warmed up to him) and they had good goaltending, even if he wasn't a standard deviation ahead of the second best goalie in the league this year.

 

[Pawnee Rangers]

blaming the 21 year old 3rd line LW on why the team sucked in the playoffs and couldn't forecheck and retrieve a puck. Interesting.

he was good? the same player everyone is penciling in on the first line next season isn't above blame or criticism. He did nothing that series. At least Kakko was visible. To be fair, I forgot to add Trocheck to the list of complete suck-fest jackholes.

 

[haohmaru]

Our roster was 10xs tougher than the soft devils, still didn't matter.

They weren’t tougher where it really matters - between the ears.