TSN and The Athletic’s NHL insider Pierre LeBrun has been gathering intel on the New York Rangers and believes that head coach Peter Laviolette is likely to be let go, while general manager Chris Drury is expected to stay with the team.
“There’s been no official word from the Rangers themselves,” LeBrun told TSN’s Gino Reda during Insider Trading. “The organization is being very tight-lipped about what might unfold over the coming week. But based on conversations I’ve had with others around the League, there’s a strong sense that Laviolette could be on his way out.
“He still has a year left on his contract, so nothing is guaranteed. But considering the team’s recent performance and overall body language, many league insiders see his firing as the most obvious move. We’ll have to wait and see how it plays out.”
Peter Laviolette on the Chopping Block
Peter Laviolette’s job security has been under a cloud ever since the Rangers collapsed with a 4-15-0 record through November and December. His position has grown even more tenuous as the team continued to falter, despite having a real shot at claiming the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Instead, the Rangers have gone 6-9-2 in their last 17 outings, with some truly ugly losses mixed in. Laviolette has frequently appeared at a loss — unable to explain the team’s struggles, lacking answers during in-game collapses, and often offering little clarity in postgame media sessions.
Although Thursday’s 9-2 blowout win over the rival Islanders offered a brief reprieve, Laviolette’s future remains uncertain. With the Rangers sitting at 37-35-7, their playoff hopes are hanging by a thread. They’ll likely miss the postseason unless they win all three of their remaining games and the Canadiens fail to earn even a single point in their final four.
For more insight into Laviolette’s recent decisions — like sitting Gabe Perreault for a second straight game and his admission that he doesn’t visit the locker room after games — be sure to catch episode two of our podcast, The Blue Line Report.
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