Peter Laviolette’s eye-opening comments following the Rangers’ latest loss had some fans wondering if the head coach was taking a page out of John Tortorella’s book.
After the Blueshirts were beaten 5-1 by the Lightning to seemingly extinguish any lingering hope of reaching the playoffs, Laviolette was asked about the message he gave to his group following another deflating defeat when the Rangers desperately needed to come away with two points.
The response ignited all kinds of emotion from a fanbase reeling in the midst of a disappointing season.
“I don’t have a message right now,” Laviolette said bluntly. “I don’t go into the locker room after games.”
Several fans couldn’t believe the head coach has apparently made it a habit to not go into the locker room and speak with his group after games, with many assuming that it either signaled a serious disconnect between the coach and his players, or was a sign that Laviolette is resigned to his fate of being yet another Rangers head coaching casualty after this season.
Just weeks ago, former Rangers head coach Tortorella told reporters that he essentially didn’t have much interest in coaching a team that was well out of the playoff picture, like his Flyers were at the time. He was dismissed shortly after.
Is Laviolette headed for the same fate? Could his postgame comments play a part in that? Even if they don’t, Laviolette’s seat is scalding hot as the Rangers are heading towards a season ending without a playoff berth, a low that only three defending Presidents’ Trophy winners have experienced in NHL history.
Laviolette and the Rangers desperately needed a win to try and avoid becoming that fourth team, but were instead blown out and booed off the ice in their own building.
“We needed to win a game and we didn’t,” Laviolette said. “There’s been a lot of that over the course of the year.”