Gallant done

how about not signing guys like Trocheck and going after someone lesser name, hungrier and cheaper or give your youngsters a chance in top six for the whole season?

 

And whoever comes here to coach, has to get the 2 young guys over the top. I know they are both still young but when we got both of those guys in consecutive years I was like "we got 2 guys that can get us 25-30 goals and 60 points a season" That neither of them has still gone over 40 points? It's unbelievable to me. This is with them playing 3 and 4 seasons already. They have to be more valuable next season. Right now, for where they were chosen? They are both busts. I know it isn't totally their fault, they got screwed big time. But the stats are what the stats are.

 

Had to happen, and most of us said it. I read a lot of the vets were tough on him in the exit interview, to which I say F you for not showing up during the Devs series, but still not a good look for Gallant.

Bottom line is team totally no showed and no emotioned 3 of the last 4 playoff games, when that happens changes HAVE to be made, and the coach is low hanging fruit. I also don't think Gallant did himself any favors with his presser last week acting as if how dare anyone question him being the coach, like his record was beyond reproach. We see why he was fired elsewhere shortly after winning. I was never a Gallant fan when he was hired, so to me I chalk this up as another questionable move by Drury.

I'll add two comments:

1. We need a coach that will put some F'ing discipline and structure into these guys. Tired of these soft players coaches that do not hold players accountable AT ALL. We have had two straight in AV and Gallant, and we cannot make it a 3rd straight - I don't count caretaker Quinn as a real coach. We need someone with balls back there.
2. Which leads me to GO GET QUENNEVILLE, he should be the ONLY choice. Babcock, Sutter, and Laviolette are all former Cup winners, but it MUST be Quenneville.

That is all - get it done quickly Drury.

 

And speaking of Drury, I was on record here saying I hated the hiring, and I stand by that also. Fairness to him, great trade DL moves last season. Outside of that he has been a mess. Hired a coach I never liked, and canned his soft as* after 2 seasons, had a terrible summer of moves last summer, and while on paper you like the moves he made this trade DL, they didn't work out, and fair or unfair he has to be judged based on that failure.

I continue to think he is in over his head in the job, BUT he has one last chance this summer. He now has to hire a new coach, HAS to be Quenneville, and then go make some moves to get this team back to where they were last season. Won't be easy with tight cap, and a few RFA's to sign, but that is why he gets big money, and is the Pres and GM.

To me Drury is on the clock this summer, and if he falters, he should be out next year at this time. Ball is in your court Christopher.

 

I agree - and I will tell you that is on Drury as well. Short answer, stop playing skill/finesse guys like Laf, Chytil, and Kakko on the 3rd line. Go get a real NHL 3rd line, and layer those kids into the top 6 where their games say they belong. Maybe they sink, but that is where they need to be, or trade them. They are NOT 3rd line players, and it hurts the makeup of the team.

Also Goodrow needs to be gone for sure, and if we can find a taker for Panarin, him also, but unlikely we find a taker he'll accept.

 

Exactly my point - Drury is now on the clock. It doesn't work again, next summer he gets fired. And that is why I agree it will be Quenneville, he knows he's on the block next. Has to make the HR hire.

 

I liked Gallant, but he had to go

Drury should be gone too…

we did not not offense.

we needed grit and grinders..

always got to bring the big names to NY, for what ? Every seat is already sold !

we see what it takes to win cups… good netminder, skilled players , and grinders. Garbage goal grinders , defenseman who hit and clear the crease.

What another waste of a season.

Ohh, and get something good for laffy and kakko, if that’s even possible

 

Same page totally - and that is why I am really passionate about letting Laf, Chytil, Kakko be in the top 6, or trade them while they still have value (not saying trade all 3, but cannot have them all outside the top 6 - at least 2 need to be top 6 players).

When you have those guys on the 3rd line it F's up the flow, the makeup, the structure, everything. I wrote before the playoffs we'll go as these kids go, and they went...absolutely no where. And you could say the same about the run last season when they had a very good playoff run together as a trio.

When you have that type of 3rd line either they put up points and give you an advantage, or they don't and they kill you because your 3rd line is a soft mismatch that doesn't add anything.

That makeup has to change as step one IMO.

 

As for who will replace Gallant, the name that most insiders mention is Joel Quenneville.

Darren Dreger reported that Quenneville hasn’t been cleared by the NHL to return after his role in the Chicago Blackhawks scandal involving Kyle Beach. Dreger added that it’s a strong possibility he will return after a hearing with the NHL. The 64 year-old won three Cups with Hawks.

Other potential candidates include Peter Laviolette, Darryl Sutter, Andrew Brunette, Todd Reirden, and Mike Babcock.

Update: “Just looking for the right fit. Not going to limit ourselves right now to any specific style or type of coach. Want to be as thorough as we can be. Don’t have a set date in mind as of yet; just want to get the right person, whenever that is.” – Chris Drury


It will not be Reirden or Brunette, we all know that. It will be 1 of the big 4 Cup winning coaches, and to me the clear leader should be JQ. Not sure who I'd put next, but it shouldn't matter. JQ or bust IMO.

 

I think they sign Motte again for 2-3y and go with a 4th line of maybe Cuylle/Goody/Motte, unless of course they trade Goodrow, but i don't really see that this year.

 

I will go on record and say Goodrow does get moved. He is the most likely person to go to give us some cap relief to re-sign RFA's, and have even a tiny bit of flexibility. And his NMC is limited, so I say Drury finds a way to move Goodrow - another mistake by Drury BTW - always too much money for what he adds.

 

Thanks for 2 good seasons, Turk . Joel Q has to be the next coach

 

They shouldn’t have signed Vesey to a 2 year extension. That was stupid

 

Interesting article by Brooks says Quenneville is not in the mix - which I don't like. Is that because technically he still needs to be reinstated, so sure he is not a candidate at the moment, or is he just not a candidate period. A little unclear in Brooks' article.

Also some big shots at Gallant IMO, which is why I never wanted him from the start and said so (once he got the job of course I supported him and wanted him to have a fair shake).

Per Brooks - Gallant came with a reputation as an old-school players’ coach who was lacking in X’s and O’s and motivational skills. That is exactly how it played out.

The 59-year-old was an instant breath of fresh air in the room the way he dealt with the veterans who had felt smothered by Quinn’s style and personality that he had developed at Boston University. Gallant treated his players like professionals. He was protective of his athletes, rarely singling out any for public criticism. He believed in keeping everything within the room. He was appreciated for his approach.

Gallant was not a rah-rah motivational speaker, preferring to leave that assignment to the leadership group within the room. After Game 1 of the Devils series, the Rangers scored one first-period goal the rest of the way, that by Chris Kreider at 19:35 of Game 6. The Blueshirts came out flat in all three games at the Garden and in Games 5 and 7 at the Rock.

And Gallant was not a wizard when it came to X’s and O’s. He did not make in-game or game-to-game strategic adjustments quickly or effectively enough. The Rangers’ breakout system was wanting. They lacked structure in their own end. Their forecheck was, well, there is no need to belabor the point, but there effectively was none against New Jersey after appearing intermittently during the season.

We saw his shortcomings with making adjustments (outcoached by Ruff), way too many times they came out flat, he seemed to very rarely at best hold any player accountable. We need a coach that will hold players accountable, star or kid. If the players think it is too tough, so be it. The crap we see in the playoffs and lack of shooting and structure has to end. We haven't had structure since the SCF run under AV with Torts' structure. No surprise that was the best season since we still had the Torts discipline, without his over the top BS, and a players coach in AV. It was the perfect blend for that one season.

Here is the bottom line on Gallant, and why no one should feel bad or say this was the wrong move - the wrong move was actually hiring him in the first place - there is a reason why this guy has yet to make it through three full seasons in any of his four NHL head-coaching gigs. That is a huge statement when you factor in he made an SCF in Vegas, and an ECF in NY, and STILL hasn't made it through three full seasons anywhere. This was a move that had to be made - period.

https://nypost.com/2023/05/06/behind-gerard-gallants-departure-and-whats-next-for-blueshirts/

 

If JQ is out, not sure where they go. Brooks and Walker both mention Knoblauch, but I really struggle to think Drury hires a coach with zero NHL head coaching experience as his do or die hire to win a Cup, seems highly unlikely to me, especially with multiple SC winning coaches available.

Maybe Laviolette? I always liked him, but his teams have not won a playoff series since 2018. Sutter just failed big in Calgary, and is a Torts like guy with his attitude. Babcock was a disaster in Toronto. Messier? Maybe they go off the radar, really not sure if it won't be JQ. I think it is wide open.

I would prefer someone with NHL coaching experience, and I do not want to hear or see the words players coach. Has to be balanced, and not afraid to hold players accountable, especially stars.