For the third time in the past five years, the New York Rangers are looking for their next head coach. These last several years have been a roller coaster, which includes two Eastern Conference Final appearances, a Presidents’ Trophy, as well as missed postseasons and early playoff exits.
Related: Chris Kreider’s Top Moments as a New York Ranger
To add to the fire, the 2024-25 season was met with constant chaos. Rumors swirled all over the place, multiple players from Zac Jones to Calvin de Haan unleashed publicly about playing time, and sexual assault allegations involving the Rangers’ best offensive player, Artemi Panarin, became public.
That said, the Rangers’ head coaching vacancy should still be one of the most attractive jobs (if not the most attractive on the market).
Rich & Storied Franchise
Starting with the most obvious, New York is an attractive destination for almost any athlete or coach to come to, regardless of the sport. It’s the largest market in the United States that can offer more endorsement opportunities compared to elsewhere.
Adding to the appeal is the Rangers’ brand and its heritage. The Original Six franchise in the past has attracted stars, including Panarin, Mark Messier, and the greatest hockey player to ever play the sport, Wayne Gretzky. There’s nothing quite like winning in Manhattan, as evidenced by the celebration in the summer of 1994, after ending the franchise’s 54-year curse.
Plus, the Rangers tend to compensate coaches well. According to a report from Front Office Sports, only two coaches made more than Peter Laviolette’s $4.9 million per year with the Rangers (from “The Highest-Paid Coaches in the NHL,” Front Office Sports, 6/1/24). And Laviolette isn’t on the same tier as Jon Cooper ($5.3 million) and recently fired Mike Sullivan ($5.5 million).
Young and Veteran Talent
As things stand currently, the following teams have head coaching vacancies, along with the Rangers: the Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers, and Seattle Kraken. None of these teams is closer to winning a Stanley Cup than the Rangers. An argument can be made for the Bruins, with their under-30 core of David Pastrňák, Charlie McAvoy, and Jeremy Swayman – but they aren’t exactly booming with younger players. Add that to the fact that the Bruins were ranked almost dead-last by The Athletic in its prospect rankings earlier this year (from “Boston Bruins are No. 30 in 2025 NHL prospect pool rankings,” The Athletic, 1/10/25).
The Rangers, meanwhile, at the very least match the Bruins’ core with Panarin, Adam Fox, and Igor Shesterkin. Plus, Alexis Lafrenière (while coming off a disappointing season) is only 23, and Gabriel Perreault is one of the top NHL-owned prospects in the league.
Sure, the Rangers have their cultural issues, but the right coach will have an opportunity to change that. And the pieces on the roster are certainly there to attract a wide range of coaches, whether that be a veteran like Sullivan, or a fresh NHL face like David Carle, who has won two NCAA Championships and a pair of World Junior Championships with Team USA.
Roster Flexibility
According to PuckPedia, the Rangers are projected to have $9.67 million in cap space at the start of free agency. That accounts for 11 forwards, six defensemen and two goaltenders. Also, it seems quite possible the Rangers move on from Chris Kreider, which would clear up another $6.5 million if the entire average annual value comes off the books. That would give the organization about $16.1 million to work with. Moreover, almost all of the defensemen on the roster don’t have full no-trade or no-move clauses, making it easier to make deals.
This all will give the new coach options and more of a say in what the roster looks like. This will be an important sell for president and general manager Chris Drury when he lures the next bench boss to New York. Assurances here need to be given to make the next coach as comfortable as possible in a new situation.
While the Rangers may turn off coaches in the market for a job, given the instability and how quickly the organization decides to move on from bench bosses, it still does not take away from the attractive destination New York remains. Whether you want to talk about the heritage or the elite talent on board, the Blueshirts will likely be a spot at the top of candidates’ lists. The challenge is fixing the messy culture; if the next coach is confident that it can be done, the Rangers will have a major edge over other teams in the hunt.
