FILE – Washington Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette talks during media availability at the team’s NHL hockey training camp, Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021, in Arlington, Va. The New York Rangers have hired Laviolette as their next coach, bringing in a seasoned veteran with Stanley Cup-winning experience to replace Gerard Gallant, the team announced Tuesday, June 13, 2023.(AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)
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The New York Rangers have finally made a decision in regards to their head coaching vacancy and they have chosen one of the more experienced minds in modern hockey.
With Peter Laviolette becoming the 37th head coach in franchise history, he brings over 20 years and 750 wins to a franchise trying desperately to end a 29-year championship drought. A championship-winning coach in 2006, Laviolette brings more of a fiery personality than his predecessor and is expected to win right away with a team full of top talent.
But the reasons why Laviolette is a perfect fit for the 2023 Rangers go far beyond what he’s done in the Metro division in his career.
Bruce Cassidy Model
We’re just under 24 hours from the Vegas Golden Knights completing one of the more dominant Stanley Cup title runs in NHL history. Vegas accumulated 111 points during the regular season and won each playoff series by the sixth game. Their five-game dismantling of the Florida Panthers in the cup final is a reminder of why teams need to be able to have both physicality and skill in their game.
Interestingly of note, Bruce Cassidy, Golden Knight’s head coach, was in his first year with the team when Vegas hoisted Lord Stanley’s Cup Tuesday night. The model of bringing in a veteran coach who has coached in several playoff series is something the Rangers clearly want to repeat.
Can Laviolette match what Cassidy was able to accomplish in Vegas? Only time will tell, but having an experienced coach is something the Blueshirts absolutely valued when bringing in a guy who has been to…
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