Gerard Gallant comes into his new role as the Rangers head coach with a clear view of his new team’s perspective. New York wasn’t satisfied with the progression of its rebuilding process, and after missing the playoffs for four straight years, Gallant is being called upon to accelerate things.
Given Gallant’s recent history of bringing an expansion team to a Stanley Cup birth in its inaugural season, Gallant knows a thing or two about arriving earlier than any expected. But the Rangers, now three years removed from The Letter, want to see results, and Gallant believes the group he is inheriting has what it takes to make New York a playoff team again.
“I think they've got a real good lineup,” Gallant said at his introductory press conference on Tuesday. “Obviously, when you look at the team and you see the young players, see the veteran talent, they're just a team ready to take another step…I think it's a team that's ready to take off, go to the next level. I know I'll prepare the same way.”
Gallant will be overseeing a young group that hopes to become the core of a Stanley Cup contender, with Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko and Adam Fox serving as some of the youngsters that figure to be a part of the team’s long-term plans. Gallant expects all of them to be prominent in his first season behind the bench.
“You give them the opportunity and hope that they take advantage of the opportunity they get,” Gallant said. “We know we’ve got some very young, talented hockey players on our team. They’re going to get every opportunity.”
Still, team president and general manager Chris Drury introduced Gallant on Tuesday after mentioning that the new head coach won’t be directly evaluated on a potential playoff berth next season, although the overhaul of the coaching staff at the end of this season suggests that the franchise expects to move toward that goal at a quicker pace than what was being shown over the past three seasons.
“I think you saw from exit interviews, my goal and hope is that we're a playoff team next year,” Drury said. “Is it a mandate? I don't believe so.”
Gallant isn’t attaching tangible results to his first season as head coach in determine success and failure, but he will expect his team to show fight every night on the ice. The nine-year head coach praised the Rangers for how they handled the Tom Wilson incident at the end of the season, and wants to see that kind of toughness and hard work more often next season.
“I want it to be the hardest working team in the league,” Gallant said. “I want to compete hard, to battle hard, to make teams say, ‘You know what? That team works hard every night.’”
The Rangers will be Gallant’s fourth team as head coach, and he will be looking to make it four years in a row leading his team to the postseason. Drury said such an outcome isn’t a mandate, but it’s certainly the goal. Regardless, Gallant is going to enjoy the ride and soak in the Madison Square Garden atmosphere as he leads a hurting franchise into a new era.
“I loved coming in there as a player,” Gallant said of The Garden. “It’s a great place to be, it’s a great atmosphere in there, and if you can’t get up to play games in that building, there’s something wrong with you. The atmosphere will be unbelievable.”
“It’s a very exciting time for me and my family. It’s an honor to be able to coach the New York Rangers, and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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