Gerard Gallant has been unable to find a job to his liking in the NHL since being fired by the New York Rangers after his club’s 2022-2023 season.
He had been linked to the Canadiens as an assistant, but this had been denied.
But now, according to Pierre LeBrun, the career coach has found a new challenge: the KHL. The coach will be heading to Russia for the rest of his career.
Gerard Gallant is headed to Russia to coach in the KHL. Should be an announcement this week.
– Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 17, 2025
Interesting!
Clearly, this means that once again this summer, nothing was to his liking in the NHL. And now, he’s had enough and wants to go manage somewhere. That’s my reading of the situation, anyway.
You’d think his new team would be proud of the move… and you’d think they’d followed a certain trend: hiring a coach who cut his teeth in the QMJHL.
Because right now, there are four QMJHLers working in the second-best league in the world.
Bob Hartley is back to the KHL!
The 64-year-old Canadian will coach the champions – Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
pic.twitter.com/0zCBYvJjuk
– KHL (@khl_eng) July 14, 2025
There are four Canadian head coaches in the KHL. Two are Québécois, three are French-speaking… and all four cut their teeth in the QMJHL.
There’s a trend, isn’t there?
And let’s not forget that Louis Robitaille recently left the Cape Breton Eagles. It wasn’t for a head coaching position in Russia, but to manage in the VHL, the level below the KHL.
Once again, a Russian club has recently made a move here.
Louis Robitaille heads to Russia #QMJHL https://t.co/x2SnLH5v3p pic.twitter.com/4czGDPcodp
– La Nouvelle Union (@LaNouvelleNet) May 12, 2025
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