The New York Rangers front office made a decisive move on Saturday, announcing the dismissal of head coach Peter Laviolette after just two seasons behind the bench. At the time of the announcement, no successor had been named to lead the franchise.
Laviolette, who was hired on June 13, 2023, compiled a record of 94 wins, 59 losses, and 11 overtime losses during his tenure. Alongside him, associate coach Phil Housley was also relieved of his duties.
The decision follows a deeply underwhelming 2024–25 campaign in which the Rangers posted a 39-36-7 record and failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The move comes just one year after the team captured the Presidents’ Trophy with franchise-best marks of 55 wins and 114 points and reached the Eastern Conference Final, where they fell in six games to the eventual champion Florida Panthers.
“Today I informed Peter Laviolette and Phil Housley that we’re making a coaching change,“ said general manager Chris Drury. “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 during his time as head coach.”
Head coach Peter Laviolette of the New York Rangers looks on during first period action against the Florida Panthers in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs on June 1, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)
An alarming midseason collapse
Despite opening the season with a strong 12-4-1 record, the Rangers experienced a dramatic collapse between November 21 and December 30, managing just four wins in 19 games (4-15-0). Though the team showed signs of recovery and held a playoff position after a 4-0 win over Columbus on March 15, a subsequent 4-8-1 stretch in the final weeks extinguished their postseason hopes.
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With this result, the Rangers join a dubious list of teams that failed to make the playoffs the year after winning the Presidents’ Trophy. That group includes the 2014–15 Bruins, the 2007–08 Sabres, and the 1992–93 Rangers themselves.
“After finishing with the best regular season record in the NHL a year ago and reaching the Eastern Conference Final, we entered this season with high expectations,” Drury said. “Quite simply, we failed to meet those expectations. We must all do better—myself included. As we look to next season and beyond, I felt that a change was necessary to give us the best chance to achieve our goals as an organization. Our search for a new head coach will begin immediately.”
What went wrong in New York?
Several factors contributed to the team’s decline. The power play, which ranked third in the NHL last season with a 26.4% success rate, plummeted to 28th (17.6%) this year. Additionally, the Rangers struggled mightily in comeback situations—a stark contrast to the previous season, when they led the league with 28 comeback wins.
Now, with the offseason underway, the organization must begin the critical process of identifying a new bench boss capable of restoring consistency, maximizing talent, and bringing the franchise back to contender status.
