Another day in the NHL Rumour mill. The NHL Draft lottery is done and gone and the attention shifts to the playoffs. One team has thrived in the rumour mill. That is the New York Rangers. First, it was a pair of young players, but now it concerns the head coach. After the dismissal of Gerard Gallant, replacements are in order.
New York Rangers Head Coach Search
Rumour: Elliote Friedman discusses the Rangers coach nominee to be Kris Knoblauch
Friedman on 32TP says a name he has heard connected to the Rangers for their head coach position is Kris Knoblauch, head coach of the Hartford Wolf Pack, but will they hire a coach who has zero NHL head coaching experience, that's hasn't been their M.O. in the past.
— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) May 8, 2023
Whatever the rumour was about Joel Quenneville becoming the coach, that got shut down. However, there’s a new candidate that has emerged. Hartford Wolfpack head coach Kris Knoblauch is a potential candidate to lead this team. He currently coaches the AHL affiliate for the Rangers. The talent on the roster is a winnable club and would entice anyone to coach. But with the possibility of him being the New York Rangers head coach, does it make sense?
The Fit To Be The Head Coach
Knoblauch comes with a coaching history and familiarity. First and foremost he has 13 years of coaching experience. In addition, he went on to be an assistant coach for the Philadelphia Flyers. Now he is currently the coach for the Wolfpack and has had a nice tenure. In four seasons as the bench boss, he has made the playoffs for two seasons.
With the Wolfpack, he has a record of 77-61-20. In addition, he did coach the Rangers during the 2020-21. Former head coach David Quinn and his staff were on the Covid-19 protocol. The Rangers went on to defeat the Flyers 9-0 in his first game behind the bench. Under Klobauch, the Rangers went on to win four games and lose two. Given his time with Hartford, making the jump makes sense for the Rangers as a whole.
Another potential fit is Marc Savard. In his first stint as a bench boss with the Windsor Spitfires, he went on to post a 44-17-7 record and lost in the finals. His name was thrown out there last season and he could very well be a candidate once again.
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