Former Rangers Coach Heads to KHL

Kunlun, which operates out of Beijing, is technically the KHL's only Chinese team, but hasn't played in the country since the pandemic. They've instead played out of Mytishchi Arena just outside of Moscow, but will now play out of SKA Arena in St. Petersburg, the largest hockey arena in the world with a capacity of 22,500.

Kunlun posted its best record in five years last season, but still finished an unimpressive 19-34-9-6 (W-L-OTW-OTL). The team hasn't made the playoffs since its inaugural season in 2016-17.

The team had previously been conncted to former NHL coaches such as Mike Babcock and John Tortorella, but Gallant will be the team's new leader behind the bench.

Gallant, 61, coached the Rangers for two seasons from 2021-23. Though he led the team to more than 100 points each season, as well as an Eastern Conference Final appearance in 2022, he and the Rangers "mutually agreed to part ways" following a first-round loss to the rival New Jersey Devils in 2023.

The Prince Edward Island native is perhaps most notable for being the first head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights and leading the fledgeling franchise to unprecedented success. He won the Jack Adams Award as the league's best coach in 2017-18, when the Golden Knights won the Pacific Division and made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season. Unfortunately, he was fired in January of 2020 following a four-game losing streak.

Gallant boasts a 369-262-70 record (plus four ties) over his 11 seasons as a coach with the Rangers, Golden Knights, Florida Panthers and Columbus Blue Jackets.