Who Will be the Next New York Rangers Coach?

Photo by Michael Miller

The New York Rangers will be searching for a new coach this offseason after they relieved Peter Laviolette just days after the season ended. There are some pretty reasonable options out there this offseason, but there are some better than the rest.

The first option and the best option is former Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan. Sullivan and the Penguins recently parted ways after the team missed the playoffs for the second year in a row. Mike Sullivan has been the pipe dream option for the past two coaching searches for GM Chris Drury, but he has had to settle for something else. Hiring Sullivan is the best option. Mike Sullivan brings pedigree, championship mentality, and player accountability. Looking over the field, Sullivan is head and shoulders above the rest. As Penguins head coach, Sullivan won 409 games and led the team to back-to-back Stanley Cup Wins. 

Sullivan would bring much-needed championship experience to a Rangers team that lacks it. Only one player on the Rangers roster has won a Stanley Cup, that being Jonathan Quick. If the plan is to keep the roster essentially the same, then the coaching hire needs to be big. Mike Sullivan is the one veteran coach who is worth the hire.

If they are to go for a rookie head coach, there are a few options. The Rangers already employ the first option. Current Assistant Coach Michael Peca should be given a shot in the process. The Rangers are currently transitioning from an older core of Mika, Panarin, and Kreider to a core led by J.T. Miller with some younger players like Lafreniere, Will Cuylle, Gabe Perreault, and others. Peca served as the Washington Capitals’ player development coach for one year, and if you take a look at some of the young players who Peca worked with, it is a lot of current NHLers on the best team in the East. Players like Connor McMichael and Alexei Protas worked with Peca during his time in Washington. Also, Peca worked in the Sabres organization as an assistant coach for the Rochester Americans. Lastly, Peca was an NHL player for 14 seasons, during which he won the Selke Trophy in 1997.

The third-best option is David Carle. The only reason Carle is below Peca is due to his relatively high standards. Carle recently turned down the Chicago Blackhawks head coaching position. He is a two-time NCAA Champion and has won back-to-back gold medals with Team USA in the World Juniors. Carle is still under contract with Denver until 2026-27, and it is expected that he would only accept a position with a clear path to victory. Whether he sees a path to victory with the New York Rangers is yet to be seen. Carle will likely return to the University of Denver, although there is considerable interest from the NHL. 

Those would be the top three options, but there are some lesser choices if Drury is unable to make any of those hires. Rick Tocchet is one of those possible options but it is still unclear whether he will return to coach the Vancouver Canucks. Tocchet is a hire that just doesn’t make sense for the Rangers, though. Not only is he another retread but he has not had nearly enough success as a coach to warrant the hire for a team that is desperate to get over the playoff hump.

Another option is former Flyers coach and Rangers coach John Tortorella. This is the worst option among all the coaches on the market. Tortorella is not the guy to push this team over. He would hold players accountable, but he has not had much success of late. The last time he won a series as head coach was in 2019. I do like the idea of Tortorella as an assistant coach, but the head coaching job needs something more than what he can offer.

The last couple of names are those that wouldn’t be a terrible hire, but they just do not move the needle as a coach. The first is Bruce Boudreau, who is the epitome of a one-season guy. He will inject the team with some life for a season or two, then the shine will quickly wear off. That is exactly what we went through with Gallant and Laviolette. The final name is Jay Leach. Leach is currently an assistant coach for the Boston Bruins and had some success in the AHL with the Providence Bruins; however, he does not fit what the Rangers need. The team is still going to try to contend next season, and the idea of hiring a rookie coach does not seem to be part of Drury's plan. Despite many reasons why a rookie coach could be seen as a good move, I just don’t think Drury would go for it unless it were a Peca or David Carle.

One last name I really would hate is Joel Quenneville. For a team needing to reestablish a culture, he is the last person you want stepping into that locker room.

Mike Sullivan will be the guy Drury chases after, but Sullivan will have options. Whether he will choose to come to the Big Apple is yet to be seen. However, Sullivan has been heavily connected to the Rangers, with some GMs asking if he will officially sign today or tomorrow.