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Elliotte Friedman reports Rangers leaning to Peter Laviolette as head coach |
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Per Elliotte Friedman, the Rangers are leaning towards hiring Peter Laviolette as their next head coach. Nothing definite has been announced or decided, but Freidman is usually fairly plugged in. Laviolette does have a Stanley Cup win on his resume, since then however, the coaching returns have been underwhelming.
“A lot of people are beginning to lean Laviolette,” Friedman said. “If it is Laviolette, we are going to find out next week. That’s where I sit with the Rangers coaching job.”
The post-Stanley Cup record is below. But Laviolette checks the box as to being a big name and someone who has coached big stars. Has he coached in a big, big market, not necessarily so, but he does check some of the other boxes.
Laviolette is not my top choice for coach. As mentioned in the past, I would prefer they go the non-retread, younger coach route like Jay Leach or Spencer Carbery, both of whom were granted permission by the respective teams to speak to New York. One candidate I have warmed to a bit lately, aided by his leading the Quebec Remparts to the QMJHL championship, is Patrick Roy.
Roy won four Stanley Cup rings and three Conn Smythe Trophies as playoff MVP during his 17-year Hall of Fame career. He has experience coaching in the NHL, which we all did not end well. But Roy went back to the QMJHL to coach, amassing a 518-321-0 record for a .617 winning percentage. Roy has also reached the postseason in 12 of those seasons with a record of 83-60. He has played and coached at the highest level and knows how to deal and also discipline superstars. In addition, he understands X and O and set up a structure that was followed in Quebec, allowing his stars to shine while also maintaining defensive posture. Roy and GM Chris Drury won a Stanley Cup together in Colorado in 2001, which should result in Drury at least having a discussion with Roy about the pen coaching spot.
New York Rangers Blogger • 
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