New York Rangers – with the Swedish star Mika Zibanejad – reached the semifinal in the Stanley Cup last year and had a brilliant regular season, but this season the team missed the playoffs.
Now it has consequences. Head coach Peter Laviolette and assistant coach Phil Housley are let go.
Laviolette came to Rangers in the summer of 2023. He has previously coached Washington, Nashville, Philadelphia, New York Islanders, and Carolina, which he led to the Stanley Cup title in 2006. He also led Philadelphia (2010) and Nashville (2017) to finals.
Even the Swedish NHL talent Leo Carlsson, 20, and his compatriot Isac Lundeström will have to count on a new coach next season.
On Saturday, his club Anaheim fired head coach Greg Cronin after two seasons on the post. Anaheim missed the Stanley Cup playoffs for the seventh year in a row.
