Why the New York Rangers are turning to Gerard Gallant

The success of the New York Rangers hinges on the development of their youthful core. The club believes Gerard Gallant will be the coach who can turn their talented young prospects into stars. But beyond that, he’ll bring stability to an organization that has had a tumultuous few months. 

The Rangers formally introduced Gallant (270-216-4-51 career record) as the head coach Tuesday in a Zoom press conference. Newly-elevated general manager Chris Drury said he targeted Gallant from the start, interviewing him before he went to Latvia to coach Team Canada in the IIHF World Championships. Gallant replaced David Quinn, a longtime former Boston University coach who was hired, in large part, for his development expertise. 

But Quinn was dismissed following the 2021 season and a 96-87-25 record after three seasons. This came a few weeks after owner James L. Dolan abruptly fired general manager Jeff Gorton and team president John Davidson. 

The mercurial owner's patience with the rebuild had clearly grown thin.