Gallant, who coached the Rangers from 2021-23 with Kelly as one of his assistants, has two of his former players back with him — center Greg McKegg (2019-20 and 2021-22) and defenseman Ben Harpur (2022-23). The other ex-Rangers are defenseman Adam Clendening (2016-17) and center Ryan Spooner (2018). Harpur signed with Shanghai this week, and McKegg joined the team in early October and was scoreless Tuesday in his first game, a 7-6 shootout loss to Spartak.

Despite the loss, the Dragons are off to a good start, espite playing thousands of miles from their ostensible home city. The franchise, which entered the KHL as Kunlun Red Star in 2016, hasn’t played in China since 2019-20 due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic in that country. The Dragons play their home games in St. Petersburg, Russia, this season but plan to return to Shanghai for 2026-27.

The Dragons sure know how to make a head coach announcement in style pic.twitter.com/4Y1EY3UXaY

— Uggg (@Uggg_uggg) August 13, 2025

It’s been a whirlwind couple of months for the 62-year-old coach. Gallant went to the KHL after he failed to draw any interest from NHL teams. He is 369-262-70 with four ties in an NHL career that has seen him coach the Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights, as well as the Rangers. He won the Jack Adams Award as the top NHL coach in 2017-18, when he guided the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season.

“I’ve been out for two years … and nothing’s happened yet,” Gallant said in August on TSN 1050 in Toronto. “Am I a little pissed off? Yeah. But that’s the way it goes and you wait for your turn and your opportunities.

“So, I took this job. I’m going to Russia, going to St. Petersburg. I have a two-year contract and I’m going to honor that contract.”

Gallant’s .662 points percentage in his two full seasons is second-best in Rangers history, behind only Mike Keenan (.667), who coached them to the Stanley Cup championship in 1993-94, his lone season in New York. Keenan, who turned 76 on Tuesday, is also the first man to coach a Stanley Cup champion and a Gagarin Cup winner in the KHL (with Metallurg Magnitogorsk in 2014).

In mid-August, Gallant agreed to a two-year contract, tasked with filling out a roster in less than six weeks and running a franchise that hasn’t made the Gagarin Cup Playoffs in eight years.

So far, so good. Despite the shootout loss to Spartak, the Dragons have won nine of their first 16 games and are tied for second in the Tarasov Division of the Western Conference. They are four points behind first-place Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, which has played two more games, and even with Severstal, which has played one more game but has 10 regulation wins to seven for Shanghai. The Dragons play their next game at Dinamo Minsk on Friday.

Rangers reunion takes place in KHL

Clendening has been the most impactful of the former Rangers. He is tied for third in scoring among defensemen with 14 points (two goals, 12 assists) in 16 games and averages 22:54 TOI.

This is his second season with the Dragons franchise; he had 22 points (five goals, 17 assists) for Kunlun last season. Clendening played 31 games for the Rangers in 2016-17, his only season in New York, finishing with 11 points (two goals, nine assists).

The Rangers, who signed him as a free agent, didn’t re-sign him. He had brief stints with the Arizona Coyotes in 2017-18 and Blues Jackets in 2018-19, then played with four AHL teams before joining Ilves of Liiga in Finland for the 2023-24 season and switching to the KHL last season.

Spooner, a 33-year-old center, was part of the package the Rangers received when they traded Rick Nash to the Boston Bruins on Feb. 20, 2018. He had 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) for the Rangers in the 20 remaining games that season. But after a slow start in 2018-19, Sponner was traded to the Edmonton Oilers for center Ryan Strome on Nov. 16, 2018.

He’s played with four teams since coming to the KHL in 2020. Spooner has 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 15 games this season.

The Rangers signed Harpur as a free agent on Oct. 27, 2022, and he had six points (one goal, five assists) in 42 regular-season games with them. He did not dress in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs and was injured much of the past two seasons with Hartford of the American Hockey League.

New York was also the last NHL stop for the 33-year-old McKegg, who had five points (two goals, three assists) in 43 games during his second stint with the Blueshirts in 2021-22. He also had five goals and nine points in 53 games in 2019-20 before signing with the Bruins as a free agent.

The Rangers did not re-sign him after his second stint on Broadway ended in the summer of 2023. He joined the Edmonton Oilers but spent the next two seasons with their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield before sitting out last season.

“I’ve been out for two years … and nothing’s happened yet,” Gallant said on the 1st Up morning show on TSN 1050 in Toronto. “Am I a little pissed off? Yeah. But that’s the way it goes and you wait for your turn and your opportunities.

“So, I took this job. I’m going to Russia, going to St. Petersburg. I have a two-year contract and I’m going to honor that contract.”

Gallant was hired by the Shanghai Dragons on Wednesday. The soon-to-be 62-year-old was negotiating with Kunlun Red Star earlier this summer before they relocated and rebranded as the Shanghai Dragons last week.

THE MASTER IS HERE pic.twitter.com/0hAK9XYzuU

— Shanghai Dragons (@shadragons) August 13, 2025

To confuse matters even more, the Dragons will play their home games in St. Petersburg, Russia, this season. They hope to set up a permanent home in Shanghai, China, in time for the 2026-27 season. The Red Star/Dragons franchise hasn’t played in China since 2019-20, due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic in that country.

“I have no idea what’s going on. I read like you guys did yesterday … I’ve been doing more of the hockey stuff, trying to get our team ready to play in the league, and all that,” Gallant offered. “With the Shanghai thing, obviously, down the road they’re going to be moving the team over there. But, again, I know fairly little about that so far.”

Related: Why former teammate believes Vincent Trocheck should be next Rangers captain: ‘he’s got … magnetism’

Former Rangers coach Gerard Gallant says ‘I’ve got to get back at it,’ takes job in KHL

Gallant said he didn’t get serious about coaching in the KHL until all the NHL vacancies were filled this summer. The Rangers were among a slew of a teams to hire a new coach this offseason, bringing aboard Mike Sullivan to replace the fired Peter Laviolette two years after Laviolette replaced Gallant.

“The last NHL job that was available was Dallas and I was obviously hoping for that, getting an opportunity with that, but it didn’t work out,” Gallant explained. “I thought about it and said, ‘You know what? I’ve got to get back to coaching.’ I’ve been out of coaching for two years. I’m 61 years old and I’ve got to get back at it if I’m going to be a coach again. So, this opportunity came up and I said, ‘ Yeah, I’ll definitely give it a shot.'”

Gallant is 369-262-70 with four ties coaching in the NHL. Along with the Rangers, he has coached the Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers and Golden Knights. He won the Jack Adams Award as top NHL coach in 2017-18, when he guided the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season.

He was 99-46-19 in two seasons as Rangers coach, after replacing the fired David Quinn in the 2021 offseason. His .662 points percentage over two full seasons is second-best in Rangers history, behind only Mike Keenan (.667), who coached them to the Stanley Cup championship in 1993-94, his only season in New York.

The Rangers were 52-24-6 (110 points) in Gallant’s first season behind the bench in 2021-22. He guided them to the Eastern Conference Final that spring, where the Rangers faltered after a strong start and lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games. Along the way, Gallant and the Rangers outlasted Sullivan’s Pittsburgh Penguins, winning Game 7 of their first-round series in overtime.

His second season behind the Rangers bench also was a good one. The Rangers were 47-22-13 (107 points) in 2022-23. However, he was fired after they flamed out in the first round of the playoffs, losing in seven games to the New Jersey Devils despite winning the first two contests on the road to open the series.

Gallant coached Canada in the Spengler Cup last season. He will be joined by longtime assistant with the Dragons this season.

The official announcement was celebrated with an elaborate video on social media, one that featured eye-popping graphics, anime — and Gallant wearing traditional Chinese battle armor.

The Dragons sure know how to make a head coach announcement in style pic.twitter.com/4Y1EY3UXaY

— Uggg (@Uggg_uggg) August 13, 2025

Rumors that Gallant would coach in the KHL in 2025-26 surfaced a month ago. It was widely reported that Gallant would join Kunlun Red Star, the only Chinese team in the Kontinental Hockey League.

Last week, Kunlun Red Star rebranded as the Shanghai Dragons, paving the way for the team to finally make Gallant’s hiring official.

The franchise hasn’t played in China since 2019-20, due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic in that country. The Dragons are based in St. Petersburg, Russia, this coming season, and plan to return to Shanghai for the 2026-27 season.

Gallant agreed to a two-year contract and will join the Dragons “once his visa is sorted,” per team CEO Sergey Belykh. Once he arrives, Gallant has his work cut out for him. The franchise hasn’t made the Gagarin Cup Playoffs in eight years and its roster still needs to be filled out before the regular season begins in September.

“That instantly reminded us of Vegas [Golden Knights], a team that made it to the Stanley Cup Final in their very first season, with Gérard Gallant serving as head coach at the time,” Belykh explained. “Once again having to turn a roster of largely unfamiliar teammates into a cohesive, high-performing unit in a very short time, Gallant delivered.”

Related: Chad Ruhwedel retires from NHL; ended career with Rangers, helped Penguins win Stanley Cup

Former Rangers coach Gerard Gallant ‘clear choice’ of Shanghai Dragons

Gallant hasn’t coached professionally since the Rangers fired him after the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Rangers were knocked out in the first round that spring. They blew a 2-0 series lead against the New Jersey Devils after winning the first two games on the road, ultimately dropping Game 7 at Prudential Center.

Despite criticism that Gallant was badly outcoached by Lindy Ruff in that series, he had a very successful — albeit brief — run on Broadway. Gallant’s .662 points percentage over two full seasons is second-best in Rangers history, behind only Mike Keenan (.667), who coached them to the Stanley Cup championship in 1993-94, his only season in New York.

The Rangers were 52-24-6 (110 points) in Gallant’s first season behind the bench in 2021-22. He coached them to the 2022 Eastern Conference Final, where the Rangers faltered after a strong start and lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games. Along the way, Gallant and the Rangers outlasted the Pittsburgh Penguins (coached by Mike Sullivan), winning Game 7 of their first-round series on Artemi Panarin’s overtime goal.

Gallant, who turns 62 next month, is 369-262-70 with four ties coaching in the NHL. Along with the Rangers, he has coached the Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers and Golden Knights. He won the Jack Adams Award as top NHL coach in 2017-18, when he guided the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season.

“We understood that building a strong team usually takes more than one season — the example of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl speaks for itself. Unfortunately, we don’t have that kind of time,” Belykh explained. “That’s why the Dragons needed not just an experienced, high-profile head coach, but a specialist capable of building a competitive team in the shortest possible time.

“As it turned out, Gallant emerged as the clear choice, meeting every single one of team’s criteria.”

Pierre LeBrun posted the news, though didn’t have details on which team Gallant will coach — although said an announcement is coming soon. Daria Tuboltseva of RG reported that Gallant is joining Kunlun Red Star, a team based in Beijing, China, that’s played in the KHL since 2016-17.

Kunlun (28-34-5-1) missed the Gagarin Cup Playoffs last season, finishing last in the Tarasov Division. Former Rangers defenseman Adam Clendening played for them in 2024-25.

Gallant was Chris Drury’ s first coaching hire after he became Rangers general manager in the spring of 2021. Gallant wasn’t exactly Drury’s first choice — the GM first tried to lure Mike Sullivan to Broadway.

Four years later, Sullivan is set for his first season behind the Rangers’ bench after he was hired in May. Gallant is headed halfway around the world to kickstart his flailing coaching career.

Gallant’s .662 points percentage is second-best in Rangers history, behind only Mike Keenan (.667), who coached them to the Stanley Cup championship in 1993-94, his only season in New York.

The Rangers were 52-24-6 (110 points) in Gallant’s first season behind the bench in 2021-22. He then coached them to the Eastern Conference Final, where the Rangers faltered after a strong start and lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games. Along the way, Gallant and the Rangers outlasted Sullivan’s Penguins, winning Game 7 of their first-round series in overtime.

Gallant guided the Rangers to a 47-22-13 record (107 points) in 2022-23, but was fired after the Rangers blew a 2-0 series lead and lost to the New Jersey Devils in seven games in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Despite much success — including winning the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s top coach in 2017-18 — the 61-year-old hasn’t landed another NHL coaching gig since leaving New York. In 705 games coached with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights and Rangers, Gallant is 369-262-70 with four ties.

Does the path back to the NHL go through Beijing for Gallant? Time will tell. But it feels unlikely.

LISTEN HERE to the latest RINK RAP podcast with special guest Don Maloney, or WATCH HERE at the Forever Blueshirts YouTube page.

New York Rangers news

K’Andre Miller penned a classy and thoughtful message to the Rangers and their fans on social media, two weeks after the defenseman was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes.

We break down 10 can’t-miss games on the Rangers’ 2025-26 schedule, including a slew of reunions.

Former Rangers assistant Dan Muse admitted “it’s a bit ironic” that his NHL debut as coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins will take place Oct. 7 in the season opener against the Blueshirts at Madison Square Garden.

Had some fun chatting with Don Maloney about older brother Dave, who just landed TV analyst role for Rangers broadcasts on MSG Network.

ICYMI, The Rangers believe 2024 first-round pick E.J. Emery is on “great path” with his development heading into sophomore year at North Dakota.

NHL news and rumors

TSN: The Toronto Maple Leafs bolstered their middle six by acquiring Dakota Joshua from the Vacnouver Canucks in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Daily Faceoff: Lukas Dostal, one of the top young goalies in the NHL, landed a five-year, $32.5 million contract ($6.5 million AAV) to remain with the Anaheim Ducks.

TSN: Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell said he was “surprised” that disgruntled forward Yegor Chinakhov went public with his trade request.

Sportsnet: The Montreal Canadiens signed center Joe Veleno to a one-year contract after the former first-round pick split last season between the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: No one believes that the Penguins are done retooling their roster this summer. So, Dan Kingerski takes a dive into the trade values for forwards Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust.

New Jersey Hockey Now: The Devils have a clear No. 1 goalie with Jacob Markstrom, and just signed Jake Allen long term to be his backup. So what’s the future for Nico Daws in Newark? James Nichols takes a look.

In fact, NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman stated on the latest 32 Thoughts podcast Monday that Laviolette is quite motivated to erase the stain on his resume from the dismal 2024-25 season with the Rangers.

“He wanted to show people that last year wasn’t on him, and it was bigger than just coaching,” Friedman explained. “He would have the desire to prove it and show it and Laviolette does have the reputation as the turnaround master. His teams in the first year do extremely well. But he’s definitely got that mentality and the word on that is out there.”

Outside of Mike Keenan, who won the Stanley Cup in his only season as Rangers coach in 1993-94, no other coach in franchise history fared better in their first season than Laviolette. He guided the Rangers to franchise records in wins (55) and points (114), and they won the Presidents’ Trophy in 2023-24.

This past season was a complete trainwreck. And Laviolette is correct — it wasn’t all his fault. Behind-the-scenes soap opera drama bled onto the ice. The Rangers (39-36-7) missed the playoffs for the first time in four seasons and were often an unwatchable and unlikeable team with little fight and far too many no-shows.

General manager Chris Drury took blame for his role in the unsightly season. But at the end of the day, Drury received a contract extension, Laviolette was fired and Mike Sullivan was brought in as the new coach.

So, Laviolette is seeking another job. He’s the winningest United States-born coach in NHL history, and ranks seventh all-time with 846 victories. Laviolette coached the Carolina Hurricanes to the 2006 Stanley Cup championship and reached the Final with two other teams in his career.

There’s reason to believe that a seventh head coaching job is out there somewhere for Laviolette, either now or after the next round of firings.

Of the remaining six vacancies, the Philadelphia Flyers are likely not an option, since Laviolette’s “been there, done that” already. The Pittsburgh Penguins reportedly are seeking a younger coach, perhaps a first-timer. That leaves the Vancouver Canucks, Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks and Seattle Kraken.

Laviolette has already been linked to the Canucks job, recently vacated by Rick Tocchet. The most appealing job likely was the Anaheim Ducks vacancy. But that was just filled by Joel Quenneville, in his return to the NHL coaching ranks.

Related: Why Rangers long offseason might be blessing in disguise for Adam Fox

Peter Laviolette not only former Rangers coach looking for NHL job

Friedman pointed out that Gerard Gallant has let it be known he’d like to get back into the coaching game in the NHL. It’s not believed he’s gotten much traction in interviews since the Rangers fired him after the 2022-23 season.

“Gerard Gallant interviewed in Toronto when [Craig] Berube got the job (last offseason), but that was more a courtesy interview. It was always Berube’s job to lose,” Friedman shared. “I don’t know if he’s been in any of these particular interviews this year, but I have heard he is eager to prove same thing (as Laviolette), when he was let go by the Rangers it wasn’t only about him. And he wants an opportunity to show people that, and we’ll see if he gets an opportunity to speak to teams about that.”

Gallant was 99-46-19 in two seasons as Rangers coach. He was the 2017-18 Jack Adams Award winner as NHL coach of the year with the Vegas Golden Knights and has a .576 points percentage in 705 NHL games with four teams.

David Quinn, fired as Rangers coach in 2021 and let go by the San Jose Sharks in 2024, remains under contract to the Penguins, where he was an assistant under Sullivan last season. One would think he could be a candidate there or at some of the other openings around the League.

John Tortorella, Rangers coach from 2009-13, also is unemployed after the Flyers fired him late this season.

The answers have become increasingly terse and clipped. The recently-turned 60-year-old’s patience with repetitive questions, something he expected and handled with aplomb last season when his club rolled to the Presidents’ Trophy, appears to be waning.

Of course, it’s difficult to blame the veteran coach for exhibiting signs of stress. With his team in a stunning freefall that was at least temporarily interrupted by a 3-2 victory over the sinking Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday, Laviolette is in a bad spot: a Rangers coach who experienced significant success early in his tenure, only to have his roster seemingly tune him out quickly thereafter.

The Rangers look to be following the trend that claimed the job of Gerard Gallant, who was in charge just before Laviolette, and David Quinn, who preceded Gallant. Neither of those coaches lasted more than three seasons; Gallant was fired after two 100-point campaigns that included an Eastern Conference Final appearance in his first season.

Related: Why Rangers GM shouldn’t stop reshaping roster after Jacob Trouba trade

Rangers appear to have lost interest in yet another coach

In both cases, it was the players — many of whom remain on the roster as core pieces — who drove the dismissals.

Quinn, by the end, was seen as too “hands on” by the Rangers, who viewed him as a college coach overly involved in their business. That was despite his guiding of the rebuilding Blueshirts to an unexpected 37-28-5 mark in his second season and a berth in the NHL qualifying tournament that was held during the coronavirus pandemic. Quinn was fired after a 27-23-6 effort in the shortened 2020-21 season, one in which the players appeared to be blatantly ignoring the coach’s desire to play a more straight-ahead game and instead engaged in extended passing sequences in the offensive zone.

To be transparent, Quinn was always seen as a bridge to a more successful veteran coach once the rebuild appeared at its end. But the points are still valid.

Gallant, hired before the 2021-22 season, was viewed as a “players coach” who allowed professionals to police themselves in the dressing room and on the ice. That approach apparently wore thin in just two seasons, with the Rangers asking management in 2023 exit interviews for more structure and teaching following a first-round playoff loss to the New Jersey Devils — one in which the Rangers appeared to be outcoached when blowing a 2-0 series lead.

Theme alert: In his news conference following a loss in that series, Gallant expressed frustration over his inability to get the Rangers to play a north-south game instead of trying to make passing plays across the neutral zone that led to turnovers.

Laviolette, who led the Carolina Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup in 2006, installed a 1-3-1 defensive system and cranked up the intensity in practices in order to make his team better-prepared for the grind of the regular season and playoffs when hired before the 2023-24 season. At the same time, he worked to foster an atmosphere of togetherness and fun that included players’ families. The result was a 55-23-4 record in his first season that set franchise records for wins and points (114).

The extent of their dropoff in 2024-25, though, has dwarfed what happened under Quinn and Gallant. These Rangers, who played with tenacity, confidence and edge last season, have utterly abandoned the coaching for which they supposedly yearned. They barely defend, play with little to no emotion, neither hit nor battle for pucks hard enough and seem generally disinterested in being on the ice.

Laviolette’s mood has followed. Almost always supportive of his players and loathe to criticize them publicly, he questioned their effort and commitment after a 2-1 loss to the woeful Chicago Blackhawks on Monday. He was curt and snappy with reporters who kept asking about a momentum switch following the blowing of a 3-1 lead in a 7-5 defeat to the Seattle Kraken one day earlier.

Frustration was clearly bubbling below the surface when he addressed the media after a 5-1 loss to the Devils on Dec. 2, with similar ire being directed at reporters who asked questions that never seemed to faze him in 2023-24.

Laviolette’s angst undoubtedly stems in part from the same source that is generating major frustration from the fan base: confusion. The coach is understandably as perplexed as everyone else over what has gone so wrong for his talented team, one that many expected to take the next step and reach the Stanley Cup Final this season.

No one expected the Rangers to be fourth in the Metropolitan Division at this point of the season, nor to be going through a 3-8-0 stretch of extended poor play.

Related: Larry Brooks breaks down Mika Zibanejad’s issues on podcast: ‘I think he’s very sensitive’

Firing Peter Laviolette isn’t best Rangers solution

The Jacob Trouba Saga is finally over, but the messy situation lingered and took a much bigger toll on the Rangers than expected. General manager Chris Drury is likely going to make more changes to the roster, but new personnel might not change the shockingly dark mood around the Rangers.

Could Laviolette’s job be on the line? It’s absurd to think so after what happened with the past two coaches, and this group shouldn’t be taken seriously if it attempts yet another uprising. Mark Messier isn’t in their dressing room, Roger Neilson is not the coach and it’s not 1993.

Laviolette’s track record should, in theory, make him immune to even the possibility of being let go quickly by the Rangers. With a career mark of 821-538-155 with 25 ties, a Stanley Cup championship and the distinction of having taken three different teams to the Final, the coach is vastly more accomplished than any of his players in that department. The success of his first season on Broadway only burnishes those credentials.

Still … the collapse has been so thorough, it’s difficult to believe that Drury would rule out anything at this point. The Rangers have stopped responding to Laviolette more emphatically than they did Quinn or Gallant, once again conducting what amounts to an on-ice rebellion. What has happened to cause the precipitous descent from Stanley Cup contender to a dysfunctional, detached team that resembles their New York NFL brethren in one offseason?

CLICK HERE to shop at the Forever Blueshirts store

Drury is right to make almost anyone on his roster available. Much of the core has been consistent from Quinn through Laviolette, and an organization can’t continue to allow players to keep firing the coach — a practice that actually traces back to the end of Tortorella’s tenure.

There seems little question at this point that this is a difficult roster to coach. Talented but temperamental and alarmingly short on mental resilience and physical grit, the problem unquestionably runs deeper than who’s behind the bench.

Yet the old adage that it’s easier to change the coach than the players certainly applies here. Drury’s coup in moving out Trouba and his $8 million annual cap hit through 2025-26 aside, the highly paid veterans on the roster might prove next to impossible to trade. In the case of Mika Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck, there are also no-move clauses to deal with.

The idea that Laviolette could be on the hot seat would be ridiculous under regular circumstances; when it’s an organization that fired a coach immediately after he presided over 110- and 107-point seasons, it seems much more normal.

Drury, though, would be making a mistake to again take the path of least resistance here. Judging from his trade of Trouba and continued interest in remaking his roster, it appears the GM knows it.

Unfortunately for the Rangers, success stories with their coaches are not easy to come by in the 21st century, as the past 24 years are littered with more misses than hits. That comes with the territory when you haven’t won the Stanley Cup since 1994.

The Rangers have had 10 different coaches since 2000. Here’s a complete ranking from best to worst.

Related: Only 1 other coach topped Peter Laviolette in 1st season with Rangers

Ranking Rangers coaches in 21st century

There have been 23 NHL seasons played since the turn of the century, with the 2004-05 season canceled by a lockout. The Rangers have made the playoffs 15 times since 2000, reaching the Eastern Conference Final five times and the Stanley Cup Final once, in 2014. Eight times they failed to reach the postseason.

Let’s breakdown the work of the Rangers coaches since 2000.

10. Bryan Trottier — 2002-03, 54 games, .454 PTS%

Bryan Trottier isn’t just the worst Rangers coach since 2000 — he’s got a strong case for the worst coach in franchise history.

General manager Glen Sather’s hiring of the New York Islanders legend drew the ire of both Islanders and Rangers fans, the latter of which was further aggravated by the on-ice product.

Trottier was in over his head from the start, unprepared and uncomfortable in the role, and was fired after just 54 games in 2002-03 with the Blueshirts posting a 21-26-6-1 record in that span. Opting to play within a defensive-focused neutral zone trap that limited the team’s scoring capabilities, he limited the offensive potential of Hall of Famers like Mark Messier, Eric Lindros, and Pavel Bure.

Lindros went from scoring 37 goals under a full season with coach Ron Low the year before to just 15 in 54 games with Trottier.

The Rangers played above .500 in the final 28 games under Sather, who replaced Trottier as coach, but still finished under .500 and fourth in the division and out of the playoffs. It was a bold move entrusting the reigns to Trottier, not just a rival legend but someone who had never been an NHL head coach before and would never get the opportunity again. It ended up being one of the worst moves in franchise history.

9. John Muckler — 1998-2000, 185 games, .451 PTS%

John Muckler’s tenure marks the downturn of the Rangers in the late 90s and the beginning of one of the worst periods in recent franchise memory. Taking over for Colin Campbell in 1998, Muckler lasted two and a half seasons, never once posting a .500 record before being replaced by assistant John Tortorella for the final four games of the 1999-2000 season.

Muckler’s .451 points percentage is the lowest of any Rangers coach since 2000. After the Rangers were 8-15-2 with Muckler at the helm to close out the 1997-98 season, the Rangers finished fourth in the five-team Atlantic Division in back-to-back seasons, culminating in the coach’being fired, along with Stanley Cup-winning general manager Neil Smith.

Enjoying success with the Edmonton Oilers and Buffalo Sabres previously, Muckler was never able to translate it to a Rangers’ roster that had the highest payroll in the NHL and a number of big free-agent signings that didn’t quite pan out.

It’s likely not all the fault of the Stanley Cup champion that an aging roster failed to miss the playoffs in his two-and-a-half seasons, but it doesn’t change the fact that Muckler’s Rangers teams greatly underperformed expectations and simply were no good. Muckler never coached again in the NHL.

8. Glen Sather — 2003-04, 90 games, .467 PTS%

After failing to find the right fit with Trottier and Ron Low, Sather, who was the Rangers general manager, stepped into the coaching role himself, taking over for the fired Trottier and staying into the 2003-04 season before ultimately selecting Tom Renney as his replacement.

His success with the Wayne Gretzky-era Oilers, when he won four Stanley Cup championships as coach, didn’t carry over and despite finishing the first season with an 11-10-4-3 record after Trottier’s dismissal, the Blueshirts dipped back below .500 with Sather in 2003-04, playing to a 22-29-7-4 record in his 62 games as coach that season.

Sather’s stint as coach marked the end of the Rangers’ run with their aging core. In his role as GM, Sather traded away Rangers legend Brian Leetch, as well as big pieces like Alex Kovalev and Petr Nedved.

7. Ron Low — 2000-02, 164 games, .463 PTS%

Ron Low was the successor to Muckler, continuing a dark era of Rangers hockey as the Rangers finished fourth in the Atlantic twice more, missing the playoffs for the fourth and fifth straight seasons.

Low drew a resurgent 79-point season from the 32-year-old Leetch and got strong individual years from Theo Fleury, Nedved, and Lindros in his two seasons as coach, but it never reflected in a competitive record.

His 80-point season in 2001-02 ended up being the high point in the Blueshirts’ seven-year postseason drought that spanned from 1998-2004, so he settles in above Trottier, Muckler, and Sather, but it’s a low bar and not great company to keep. Just another former Oilers coach that faild on Broadway.

6. David Quinn — 2018-21, 208 games, .522 PTS%

David Quinn took over in the first full season following the release of The Letter by Sather, then team president, and GM Jeff Gorton, which informed fans about the Rangers intent to sell core pieces and begin a rebuild. Understandably, Quinn’s three seasons were rough since he bridged an ugly gap between the highly competitive mid-2010s teams and the current Rangers.

The Blueshirts finished seventh in the Metropolitan Division in his first two seasons, landing the No. 2 and No. 1 overall picks in consecutive seasons, despite showing real promise in 2019-20 and qualifying for the expanded 24-team postseason. A regression in 2020-21 led to his firing at the end of the season and concluded his Rangers tenure in dismal fashion.

Despite the lack of on-ice success from a team perspective, Quinn did facilitate important developments that paid dividends in future seasons.

Under Quinn, Adam Fox blossomed into a Norris Trophy-winning defenseman, and K’Andre Miller and Ryan Lindgren blossomed into core pieces. Igor Shesterkin took over as the No. 1 goalie, although the bulk of credit there goes to goaltender guru Benoit Allaire.

Mika Zibanejad enjoyed some excellent seasons under Quinn, who paired him with Chris Kreider and Pavel Buchnevich to great success. Quinn also notably paired Fox and Lindgren together, which has become an effective staple of the Blueshirts backend to this day.

Quinn left plenty to be desired with his development of young forwards and outlasted his welcome with his strict coaching style, but nonetheless helped set the foundation for the latest iterations of successful Rangers teams.

5. Gerard Gallant — 2021-23, 164 games, .662 PTS%

Gerard Gallant is the third most successful coach by points percentage in franchise history, his two-year tenure in New York leaves a tumultuous and complicated legacy.

Gallant succeeded where Quinn failed, taking the Rangers out of rebuilding purgatory and making them a certified contender with a 110-point season and a trip to the Eastern Conference Final in his first year at the helm in 2021-22.

That season was a nice surprise, one that reframed expectations for the current squad. But the Blueshirts struggled to find their footing the following season. They still finished third in the Metropolitan Division with 107 points but failed to make the most of a star-studded roster, falling to the New Jersey Devils in the first round of the playoffs after blowing a 2-0 series lead.

Gallant leaned heavily on his veterans and did little to facilitate the development of young forwards like Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko, and was criticized mightily for his lack of on-ice strategic adjustments, particularly in the postseason. His relationship with players, as well as GM Chris Drury, deteriorated, and he was fired despite back-to-back 100-point seasons.

4. Tom Renney — 2004-09, 327 games, .572 PTS%

Tom Renney helped the Rangers end a seven-year postseason drought, qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in every season after officially assuming the head coaching role following the lockout.

Led by MVP-level play from Jaromir Jagr, who set franchise records with 54 goals and 123 points in 2005-06, and the emergence of Henrik Lundqvist as an elite No. 1 goaltender, the Rangers were once again a competitive team and finished with between 94 and 100 points from 2005 to 2009.

Renney was never able to get the Blueshirts past the second round of the playoffs and came under fire for his constant juggling of lines, particularly towards the end of his time in New York. He also received blame for his perceived misuse of Petr Prucha, who scored 30 goals in his rookie campaign but saw his production dip in the years to come as he failed to live up to his promising start.

Still, Renney brought the Rangers out of the longest postseason drought in franchise history and ushered in the Lundqvist era.

3. John Tortorella — 2000 / 2009-13, 319 games, .583 PTS%

The polarizing John Tortorella was — if nothing else — entertaining to watch on and off the ice. “You either love him or you hate him” is a phrase that applies better to few people in the hockey world than Torts.

But beyond his often edgy personality and spats with the media, Tortorella helped forge a tough and gritty identity for the Rangers, culminating in some very successful seasons in the early 2010s. With players like Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky, Dan Girardi, Derek Stepan, and Carl Hagelin coming into their own, the Blueshirts became one of the fiercest defensive teams to play against.

His high mark came in 2011-12 when the Rangers finished first in the Atlantic Division with 107 points and reached Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final before falling to the Devils. It remains a surprise to many that he didn’t win the Jack Adams Award for his work that season.

Tortorella is rightly criticized for his treatment of Marian Gaborik, who he pushed to be traded because he didn’t believe the talented wing could succeed in the playoffs. Gaborik would do just that in 2014, scoring a team-high 14 goals for the Los Angeles Kings en-route to the Stanley Cup championship, taking down his former team in the process.

His hard-nosed attitude and open criticism through the media likely wore off on the team by his final season and the Rangers ultimately had their best seasons after he was fired, but the identity he established was a good fit for New York and helped the development of numerous young pieces who became key players by the mid-2010s.

2. Peter Laviolette — 2023-present, 82 games, .695 PTS%

If Laviolette stepped down today, his .695 points percentage would be the highest in the Rangers’ 97-year history. Winning the Presidents’ Trophy with a franchise-record 55 wins and 114 points, Laviolette set a high bar in his first season.

The magical year ended in the Eastern Conference Final when the Blueshirts were outclassed in six games by the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. Still, Laviolette was a refreshing change from Gallant, implementing rigorous but engaging practices and active strategic adjustments that routinely worked out.

On top of career years from Panarin and Vincent Trocheck, Laviolette entrusted Lafreniere with top-six minutes, allowing the former No. 1 overall pick to blossom with a 28-goal, 57-point season and an eight-goal postseason that breeds excitement for his future.

Whether or not he can get the Blueshirts over the hump and into the Stanley Cup Final remains to be seen, but Laviolette has quickly ingratiated himself with Rangers fans after his inaugural season.

1. Alain Vigneault — 2013-2018, 410 games, .596 PTS%, 1 SCF appearance

It’s hard to argue for anyone over Alain Vigneault considering the Rangers lone appearance in a Stanley Cup Final since 1994 came during his tenure.

After finishing second in the Metro with 96 points, Vigneault took the Blueshirts to the 2014 Stanley Cup Final in his first season, falling to the Kings in five games. The following season, the Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy with a then-franchise record 113-point season, this time losing in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final after crucial injuries to Mats Zuccarello and Ryan McDonagh.

Despite two more 100-point seasons, the Rangers would not return to the conference final, losing in the first and second round the next two years before missing the playoffs entirely and finishing dead last in the division in his fifth and final season, after the Rangers traded McDonagh, J.T. Miller, and Rick Nash among others ahead of the deadline.

Like many of the coaches on this list, the ending was not pretty for Vigneault, who struggled with the handling of young talent and was reluctant to entrust players like Miller, Kevin Hayes, and Buchnevich with ice time despite the fact that the team needed to become more reliant on their young guns.

But nevertheless, he finished with 226 wins, third-most in Rangers history, and remains the only coach to lead the Blueshirts to a Stanley Cup Final since Mike Keenan did so in 1994.

Not only did it free up $3.6 million in salary cap space the next three seasons for the Rangers, but Goodrow was the last remaining piece from Chris Drury’s first offseason as general manager of the Blueshirts.

After several seasons in the organization as the assistant general manager, Drury was appointed as the president and general manager of the Rangers on May 5, 2021, replacing John Davidson and Jeff Gorton, who were let go by the organization.

Drury took over with two games left in a disappointing 2020-21 season, when the Rangers failed to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in a 56-game shortened regular season, finishing fifth in the Metropolitan Division with a 27-23-6 record.

Four days after the season ended, he fired coach David Quinn and soon after replaced him with Gerard Gallant. Overseeing his first NHL Draft in 2021, Drury and the Rangers selected forward Brennan Othmann No. 16 overall in the first round. Though the rest of that draft class has yet to impress, Othmann could have a regular role with the Rangers in 2024-25.

Sparked by an incident against the Washington Capitals on May 3 when Tom Wilson cross-checked Pavel Buchnevich and rag-dolled Artemi Panarin, Drury entered the offseason motivated to make the team bigger and tougher.

Tom Wilson gets two roughing minors, plus a 10 minute misconduct. Artemiy Panarin is called for roughing, as is Pavel Buchnevich. pic.twitter.com/ExNO73eFhA

— Shayna (@shaynagoldman_) May 4, 2021

Drury’s major offseason moves included signing defenseman Patrik Nemeth, trading for forward Ryan Reaves, and acquiring Barclay Goodrow’s RFA rights in order to sign him to a six-year, $3.6 million contract before he hit free agency.

Related: Future uncertain for these two Rangers defensemen

Breaking down Chris Drury’s first offseason as Rangers GM in 2021

Perhaps the most memorable move, unfortunately for Drury, was trading Buchnevich, who was due for a new RFA deal, to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for forward Sammy Blais and a second-round pick that Drury later used to acquire forward Andrew Copp.

Drury engaged in heavy trade talks with the Buffalo Sabres to acquire Jack Eichel, but was unwilling to give up Alexis Lafreniere or Kaapo Kakko. The Rangers stood pat and Eichel was shipped to the Vegas Golden Knights.

Goodrow was ultimately the most valuable piece from Drury’s first offseason, but now that he’s been claimed, no players acquired in the 2021 offseason remain on the roster.

Nemeth’s three-year, $7.5 million contract was an absolute failure. He lasted just one season in New York and posted a minus-nine rating. Drury had to attach a pair of second-round picks the following offseason in order to trade him to the Arizona Coyotes and get his contract off the books.

The Buchnevich trade is now looked upon as a total disaster, though it was believed to be somewhat necessary at the time because of New U=York’s salary cap situation. Blais played just 54 games with the Blueshirts due to injury and recorded nine points, never scoring a goal. He was ultimately shipped back to St. Louis midway through the 2022-23 season as part of a package for forward Vladimir Tarasenko and defenseman Niko Mikkola. That worked out much better for New York.

Similarly, the second-rounder in that deal was flipped in a package for Copp midway through the 2021-22 season. Copp was excellent in the postseason and a big part of the Rangers reaching the Eastern Conference Final, though they fell short against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Copp, Tarasenko, and Mikkola all left in free agency after half-seasons in New York, leaving the Rangers with no remaining ties to Buchnevich, who has tallied between 63 and 76 points in his three seasons with the Blues. Not to mention that the Rangers have yet to adequately replace him as the right wing on the top line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider.

Reaves’ toughness, personality, and skillset as a fighter was a welcome addition to a Rangers team that needed more of that going into Drury’s first season. Reaves was a beloved teammate, but his lack of skill and defensive ability, while making $1.75 million annually, became a detriment and he was shipped to the Minnesota Wild early into the 2022-23 season.

Even his coaching hire, Gallant, was fired after just two seasons. Gallant did lead the Rangers to back-to-back 100-point seasons and an Eastern Conference Final appearance, but he fell out of favor with management and the clubhouse and left New York on sour terms.

That left Goodrow as the final piece standing. Overpaid for his fourth-line and penalty-killing role, Goodrow had 33 and 31 points in his first two seasons in New York, the two highest marks of his career, and was reliable in the postseason.

While his experience and skillset were definitely valuable, it looks as if Drury paid too steep of a price for a bottom-six player. The decision to place Goodrow on waivers and clear his cap hit certainly supports that.

It’s safe to say Drury didn’t knock it out of the park when he first took over. But for what it’s worth, he showed his value ahead of the 2022 trade deadline, making substantial additions by acquiring Copp, Frank Vatrano, Tyler Motte, and Justin Braun. Despite a couple swings and misses early, the Rangers made the conference final in Drury’s first season.

In the midst of his fourth offseason, the pressure is on with the Blueshirts failing to reach the Stanley Cup Final once again. Drury’s become a well respected GM in the League, but his tenure in New York could be defined by the way he attacks the next few seasons.

Laviolette coached the Rangers to a franchise-record 55 wins and 114 points in the regular season, helping them earn their fourth Presidents’ Trophy. He also coached in the 2024 NHL All-Star Game and finished fourth in the voting for the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year Laviolette received five first-place votes, tied for third-most among all coaches.

In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Laviolette guided New York to a 10-6 record before the Rangers were eliminated by the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final.

Those 65 combined wins moved Laviolette past Gerard Gallant (62 combined wins and a conference final appearance in 2021-22) as the second-most successful coach in his inaugural season with the Blueshirts.

The only other coach ahead of Laviolette on that list? That would be Mike Keenan, the last coach to guide the Rangers to a Stanley Cup championship.

Keenan won 52 games in in his only season with the Rangers in 1993-94, leading them to their second Presidents’ Trophy at the time. Then in the magical spring of 1994, he guided them to a 16-7 record and the fourth Stanley Cup championship in their history, first in 54 years.

Those 68 combined victories are most for a coach in his first season with the Rangers.

Frank Boucher is the only other coach to win the Stanley Cup in his first season behind the Rangers bench. He did so in 1939-40. Boucher totaled 34 wins that season, 26 in the regular season and eight in the playoffs, when there were only six teams and the schedule was shorter.

Related: Where Rangers stand after NHL: salary cap increases

Top 5 inaugural seasons by Rangers coach

Here are some honorable mentions first: Ted Sator won 49 games combined (41 regular season, eight playoffs) in his only season as Rangers coach in 1985-86. Roger Neilson won 41 games (36 regular season, five playoffs) in 1989-90 and John Tortorella won 38 regular-season games (did not make playoffs) in his first full season of 2009-10. He replaced Tom Renney the previous season.

Renney had 47 combined wins (44 regular season, three playoffs) in 2005-06, his first full season as coach. He had replaced Glen Sather during the previous season.

5. Fred Shero – 51 combined wins

Fred Shero led the Rangers to the Stanley Cup Final in his first season behind the bench in 1978-79, when they lost in five games to the Montreal Canadiens. Shero won 40 regular-season games and 11 in the playoffs that season.

4. Alain Vigneault – 58 combined wins

Alain Vigneault also guided the Blueshirts to the Stanley Cup Final in his first season as Rangers coach in 2013-14, but they lost in five games to the Los Angeles Kings. Vigneault won 45 games in the regular season and 13 in the playoffs.

3. Gerard Gallant – 62 combined wins

Gerard Gallant got the Rangers to within two wins of the Stanley Cup Final in 2021-22. He had 52 regular-season victories and 10 more in the postseason.

2. Peter Laviolette – 65 combined wins

Like Gallant, just two wins from reaching the Stanley Cup Final. He had the same 10 postseason victories as Gallant, but three more in the regular season.

1. Mike Keenan – 68 combined wins

1940 No More! Mike Keenan is the coach who hung a photo of the Stanley Cup on the locker room wall and then helped end the 54-year curse. 1993-94 was the most memorable season in Rangers history, with 52 regular-season wins and those 16 more in the playoffs.

But amidst an offense that largely faltered down the stretch of the postseason when it mattered most, one player stood out.

Alexis Lafreniere.

Lafreniere finished the postseason with eight goals, which tied Vincent Trocheck and Chris Kreider for the Rangers lead. His 14 points ranked fourth. Importantly, Lafreniere scored four of New York’s 12 goals in the six-game loss to the Panthers in the conference final.

Three of his goals were scored 5v5 and the other 6v5 with Igor Shesterkin on the bench for an extra attacker in Game 5.

Lafreniere was one of the biggest question marks entering the 2023-24 season. Entering his fourth NHL season with a third different head coach at the helm, fans and media alike pondered if first-year coach Peter Laviolette could unlock the potential that many felt Lafreniere had yet to reach.

Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko, former first and second overall picks in the NHL draft respectively, had struggled to get consistent time on the top six and power-play units in two tumultuous seasons under coach Gerard Gallant.

It was one of the first questions posed to Laviolette in his introductory press conference back in June of 2023.

“Those young players have to be given the opportunity to be counted on more,” Laviolette said carefully. “You’d like to see them take the next step, more minutes, maybe a little higher up in the lineup, a little more power play time. Those opportunities will be there for them to grab that ice time and to push.”

"You'd like to see them take the next step. More minutes, a little higher up the lineup, more power play time."

– Peter Laviolette on Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafrenière pic.twitter.com/KgPaR91np0

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) June 20, 2023

Laviolette stressed that they would need to earn that larger role, but that they had to be given the opportunity to earn it in the first place.

Both started the season in the top six and on the second power-play unit. And while Kakko got off to a slow start, managing just three points on a top line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider that struggled to get going as a whole, it was a match made in heaven for Lafreniere to play with Artemi Panarin — first with Filip Chytil and then Vincent Trocheck.

Lafreniere posted NHL career highs with 28 goals and 57 points in the regular season, switching over to the right wing to play up in the lineup. His line with Panarin and Trocheck, who also established career bests in scoring, led the Rangers with a 55.6 xGF% (minimum 200 minutes TOI) and was, by far, their most consistent grouping all season long.

Lafreniere then kicked it into high gear for the postseason, establishing himself as one of the Rangers most effective skaters 5v5 and earning some high praise from Kreider.

“Ulf Samuelsson told our team a while ago that you don’t raise your game in the playoffs, you lean on your habits,” the longest-tenured Ranger told reporters after a 3-2 overtime win over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of the second round. “He’s got unbelievable habits for a young guy. The way he shows up to the rink, the way he works at his craft, just wants to get better, wants to have an impact, wants to win. Unbelievable player and we’re just incredibly happy to have him.”

Chris Kreider talks about Alexis Lafrenière raising his game in the playoffs:

"Unbelievable player. We're just incredibly happy to have him. Kind of a jerk of a guy" 😂 pic.twitter.com/zzGbrwXQck

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) May 10, 2024

Alexis Lafreniere stood out for Rangers during playoff run

Lafreniere had a clutch third-period goal that gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead in Game 3, drawing that response out of Kreider. It would not end up being the game-winner as Andrei Svechnikov tied it up with 96 seconds left in the third. However, it was a big tiebreaker at the time and allowed for Panarin’s winner less than two minutes into overtime.

ALEXIS LAFRENIÈRE GIVES THE RANGERS THE LEAD!

(via @BR_OpenIce) https://t.co/LzUZEHrsjs

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) May 10, 2024

It would be far from the only clutch goal that Lafreniere scored this postseason. After going without a goal in the first five games of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Lafreniere scored his eight goals in an 11-game stretch, including a pair of three-game goal streaks.

Lafreniere began that first streak against the Hurricanes with two goals in Game 2, opening the scoring in the first and then tying the game at 2 in the second.

Flash forward to Game 4 when he tied things up 3-3 early in the third period with a sharp snipe. Brady Skjei’s power-play goal later on would give the Hurricanes their first win of the series, but Lafreniere managed to come up big once again.

As players like Zibanejad, Kreider, and Panarin struggled to have an impact on the scoreboard against Florida, Lafreniere continued to make a loud impact.

His finest effort might’ve come in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final. Lafreniere beat Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky up high with a sweet backhander on a breakaway, tying the game 1-1.

ALEXIS LAFRENIÈRE, THAT WAS GROSS 🥵 #StanleyCup

🇺🇸: ABC & @ESPNPlus ➡️ https://t.co/Pp9X7OGP3W
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ https://t.co/sEijvXhbA1 pic.twitter.com/0CHG1tVOex

— NHL (@NHL) May 26, 2024

He managed to one-up that the following period with a ridiculous toe drag move, finishing the highlight reel play to give the Rangers a 3-2 lead.

Alexis Lafrenière, what a move pic.twitter.com/i136Ywwa02

— Shayna (@shaynagoldman_) May 26, 2024

Lafreniere scored another game-tying goal in Game 4 and cut the Florida deficit to one with less than a minute to go in Game 5, scoring goals in three consecutive games for the second time this postseason.

FOX WITH THE SPIN AND LAFRENIERE WITH THE MID-AIR BACKDOOR TAP IN 🔥 https://t.co/nRm43JCfjQ

— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) May 29, 2024

“I can’t speak to the past, I can only speak to the last six months,” Laviolette said. “He’s been pretty much set in stone with a couple of players, and that line has been extremely productive for us. He’s a big part of that”

"I can't speak to the past, I can only speak to the last six months or whatever it might be. He's been pretty much set in stone with a couple of players and that line has been extremely productive for us. He's a big part of that."

– Peter Laviolette on Alexis Lafrenière pic.twitter.com/SgPAxqO2ux

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) May 10, 2024

Lafreniere had already turned some heads with a noticeable jump in his regular-season production, so his postseason play on the national stage was the exclamation mark on a fantastic year of development for the 22-year-old.

“It’s very easy to forget that he’s such a young guy still because he’s so dynamic, he’s so competitive,” Kreider said during the conference final. “He just keeps on getting better and better.”

"He just keeps on getting better and better. It's very easy to forget that he's such a young guy still because he's so dynamic and he's so competitive."

– Chris Kreider on Alexis Lafrenière pic.twitter.com/Y1xDgb21XJ

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) May 21, 2024

The potential for further growth and development only breeds more excitement. The sky is the limit for a 22-year-old who was taken No. 1 overall back in 2020 with the hope that he could become a franchise-changing talent.

“You can’t expect every first overall pick to dominate right away,” former NHL defenseman-turned-podcast host Ryan Whitney said on a recent episode of Spittin’ Chiclets. “Now it looks like this guy could be a point-per-game player in the NHL.”

Lafreniere is stepped up BIG time these playoffs 🔥https://t.co/H2asmmniJU pic.twitter.com/p4OQ7wUsf0

— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) May 29, 2024

The Rangers will have questions to address this offseason after failing to reach the Stanley Cup Final in a Presidents’ Trophy season. Kakko’s future will be among those after he was scratched for Game 2 against Florida.

Lafreniere, at least, has silenced the questions surrounding him and can enter next season with confidence and security for the first time in his NHL career. On a team with a largely veteran and aging core, Lafreniere’s progression into a game-changer is an invaluable asset.