The ongoing difficulties faced by the New York Rangers this season have ignited discussions regarding head coach Peter Laviolette’s future, with mixed reports about his job security surfacing over the weekend.
As the team continues to fall out of playoff contention, having lost 10 of their last 13 games after another defeat on Sunday, Larry Brooks from the New York Post reported that Laviolette’s job is secure for the time being.
Brooks stated, “The hierarchy has no appetite to dismiss Laviolette after firing Gerard Gallant two years ago and David Quinn four years ago. They are reluctant to blame yet another coach instead of addressing issues with the core players.”
He believes that the organization will refrain from placing all blame on Laviolette, especially since he led the Rangers to the Presidents’ Trophy as the top regular-season team last year. However, Brooks acknowledged that “the season is slipping away,” which puts pressure on General Manager Chris Drury to implement significant changes.
In contrast to Brooks’ assessment, Arthur Staple from The Athletic suggested that Laviolette’s position may be in jeopardy if the team does not show immediate improvement.
“What’s next is likely the same for any team struggling as much as the Rangers have for the past month,” Staple wrote, adding that while it may not happen this weekend, Laviolette’s tenure might soon come to an unexpected close. He pointed to the team’s poor record and the failure to see improvement after trading former captain Jacob Trouba to the Ducks as indicators that no progress has occurred.
Following Sunday’s 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues, the Rangers fell to fifth place in the Metropolitan Division and are now in a three-way tie with the Penguins and Islanders at 31 points, just one point behind fourth-place Philadelphia. The team’s record of 15-14-1 places them in the lower half of the NHL standings, currently ranked 22nd overall.
