New York Rangers Fire Head Coach Peter Laviolette

Peter Laviolette was relieved of his coaching duties by the New York Rangers on Saturday (April 19), after they failed to qualify for the playoffs in his second season at the helm. The team also announced that associate head coach Phil Housley had also been relieved of his duties.

The Rangers have fired head coach Peter Laviolette, the team announced. pic.twitter.com/GUHx6aYqRh

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 19, 2025

This is the second consecutive Rangers coach to be fired after just two campaigns, with Laviolette matching the timeline of his predecessor, Gerard Gallant. Before Gallant, David Quinn (2018-2021) was the last Rangers coach to last longer than two seasons behind the Rangers’ bench.

The Rangers did not live up to expectations after having a very successful first season with Laviolette. Last season, the Rangers set franchise records for wins and points in a single season. The club won the Presidents’ Trophy and came two wins away from a Stanley Cup Final berth for the second time in three seasons in an Eastern Conference Final loss to the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers.

General manager Chris Drury stated in the team’s public release: “Today I informed Peter Laviolette and Phil Housley that we’re making a coaching change,” said Drury. “I want to thank them both and wish them and their families all the best going forward. Peter is first class all the way, both professionally and personally, and I am truly grateful for his passion and dedication to the Rangers in his time as head coach.”

He continued, “After finishing with the best regular-season record in the NHL a year ago and making a trip to the Eastern Conference Final, we came into this season with high expectations for ourselves. Quite simply, we failed to meet those expectations. We must all do better – myself included.”

Laviolette became the first head coach in NHL history to guide six different teams to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.