Rangers fire coach Peter Laviolette after missing playoffs, underachieving season

The New York Rangers fired coach Peter Laviolette on Saturday in the aftermath of missing the playoffs.

The move made by general manager Chris Drury came after the Rangers missed the playoffs, the result of a lost season during which they massively underachieved pre-season expectations following a trip to the Eastern Conference final last year.

Assistant Phil Housley was also fired. Owner James Dolan and Drury are expected to start the search for a full-time head coach soon, and roster changes are all but certain to happen in the coming weeks and months.

"Today I informed Peter Laviolette and Phil Housley that we're making a coaching change," Drury said. "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."

Current assistants Michael Peca and Dan Muse are expected to have the opportunity to interview for the head coaching job. It is unclear what kind of style of coach the Rangers are looking for as Laviolette's successor.

Laviolette lasted just two seasons in his sixth head-coaching job in the NHL after getting hired in June 2023. He spent the previous three with Washington and also coached Nashville, Philadelphia, Carolina and the Islanders, winning the Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006.

The Rangers making a change came hours after the Anaheim Ducks fired Greg Cronin, creating the first vacancy of many expected around the league. Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia have interim coaches with searches also expected to get underway soon, and Vancouver could also be launching one if Rick Tocchet does not return.

Ducks fire Cronin

Cronin was fired Saturday as coach of the Ducks after two seasons, general manager Pat Verbeek announced.

"He is responsible in many ways for the improvement we've seen from our young core. However, after several weeks of careful evaluation, I concluded we needed a change in direction and a new voice," Verbeek said in a statement about Cronin. "This was an extremely difficult decision for me to make, but I felt it was necessary to continue our progress toward becoming a Stanley Cup contender that I know we can be."

The Ducks missed the playoffs for the seventh straight season, finishing 35-37-10. Their 80 points were a 21-point improvement over last year, but weren't enough to save Cronin's job.

Cronin posted a 62-87-15 record in two seasons. He joined the Ducks after five seasons with the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League. The Eagles are an affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche.

Talented young core

The next coach of the Ducks will have a talented young core to work with.

Anaheim's 178 points from players age 22 or younger (74 goals, 104 assists) were second to San Jose. That young cast includes centre Mason McTavish, who led the team with 22 goals and was second in points with 52.

Centre Leo Carlsson, the second overall pick in the 2023 NHL draft, had 20 goals and 44 points while left wing Cutter Gauthier had 20 goals and 44 points in his first full season. The core also features defencemen Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger.