As New York Rangers players and staff addressed the media for the last time this season, head coach Gerard Gallant expressed frustration that the early playoff exit has led some in the media to call for his head.
Gallant said that no one in the organization has indicated that his job is in jeopardy, and speculation about his future was just that.
“I’m coming in here [after] what I think was two excellent years,” Gallant said. “If I can’t stand by my record and what I’ve done, I think there’s something wrong.”
Gallant said he was frustrated with the idea that the Rangers’ first-round loss to the New Jersey Devils was a fireable offense in light of his two strong seasons at Madison Square Garden.
“Did I have a tough two weeks? Yeah,” the coach conceded. “Besides that, I can’t believe I have to answer some of these questions about me getting fired put out by the media. Disappointing.”
The former Jack Adams Trophy winner was not incorrect in his positive self-assessment of his time in New York. Since he replaced David Quinn on the bench two summers ago, Gallant’s Rangers have collected 217 regular-season points, good for fifth in the NHL over that span.
Still, Gallant, the first coach of the Vegas Golden Knights and a legendary player for the Detroit Red Wings, must realize his regular-season success cannot totally drown out a flimsy first-round performance.
A year removed from taking the Tampa Bay Lightning to the brink in the Eastern Conference Final, the Rangers seemed poised for another deep run when they blew the doors off of the Prudential Center with consecutive 5-1 victories to begin their series against the Devils.
From then on, it was all New Jersey. Lindy Ruff’s defensive adjustments severely limited the Rangers’ offensive zone time and chance creation. By the time the Devils claimed Game 7 in a shutout victory, New York was averaging the fewest shots on goal of any playoff team.
If Gallant is under the microscope, the additions GM Chris Drury, who hired him, made to an already loaded top six do not help his situation. Drury traded for Stanley Cup winners Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko on expiring deals with the understanding the Rangers would be Cup contenders.
Gallant is unlikely to get the ax thanks to another great regular season, but his defensive comments on Wednesday did not suggest he was sure about his future in New York.
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