Rangers HC Lands on Hot Seat

The New York Rangers head coach finds himself on the hot seat as his team continues to struggle.

Feb 18, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette coaches against the New York Islanders during the third period of a Stadium Series ice hockey game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers have gone from Stanley Cup contender to disaster of a situation in just a few months. It's one of the biggest shocks of the NHL season, and as the Rangers continue losing, it appears their head coach and his job security are on very thin ice.

The Rangers are in a free fall as they land in the basement of the Metropolitan Division. Their head coach, Peter Laviolette, must be shaking his head with confusion trying to explain how this happened.

New York Post writer and Rangers insider Larry Brooks recently wrote a scathing indictment of the Rangers and their lineup quitting on Laviolette. Brooks didn't mince words in his column, saying that the team "have quit on their coach, they have quit on the organization, they have quit on each other." The piece was more critical of the players than Laviolette, but made it clear that more moves are coming for the Rangers.

After making multiple personnel changes this season, the next logical move is to relieve their head coach of his duties. They moved on from veteran forward Barclay Goodrow, traded their captain Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks, and continue to be active in the trade market. More moves will likely happen, but the seat is warming for Laviolette.

On an episode of 32 Thoughts, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman noted Brooks' column and pondered what moves are likely on the horizon. He pointed out that the veteran head coach knows how ruthless the NHL can be, but has to be lost trying to find answers for how this happened.

"Laviolette, he's kind of caught in the middle of all this," he said. "He's been around a long time. He knows this is a results oriented business. But Peter Laviolette's gotta be sitting here thinking, just like the rest of us, 'How on earth did this happen?'"

Laviolette has been with the Rangers since June of 2023, after he replaced Gerard Gallant. In his first season behind the bench, the Rangers went to the Eastern Conference Finals and appeared to be one of the beasts in the East. This season has been the complete opposite and continues to get worse. With the organization desperate to end this skid and turn things around, the job security of their head coach lessens with each passing day.

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