After a disappointing season, New York Rangers announced on Saturday that they had made the decision to share ways with head coach Peter Laviolet after only two seasons. The associate head coach Phil Housley was also relieved of his tasks, according to the team.
Rangers were 39-36-7 this season and missed the playoffs a year after they won the president’s trophy and went on to the eastern conference final.
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New York Ranger’s main coach Peter Laviolette talks to the media after a 5-3 win against Vancouver Canucks at Madison Square Garden on March 22, 2025. (Danny Wild-Images Images)
Laviolette, 60, had a record of 94-59-11 in its two seasons at the helm of New York. Rangers had their best regular season in franchise history with him in the 2023-2024 season when they had a holding record of 114 points and 55 wins.
“Today, I informed Peter Laviolette and Phil Housley that we are making a coaching change,” Ranger’s General Manager Chris Drury said in a statement. “I want to thank them both and wish them and their families all the best in the future. Peter is first -class all the way, both professionally and personally, and I am really grateful for his passion and dedication to rangers in his time as a head coach.”
“After completing the best regular seasonal record in the NHL a year ago and made a trip to the Eastern Conference Final, we came in this season with high expectations for ourselves. We simply could not meet these expectations. We all have to do better – myself included.”
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New York Ranger’s main coach Peter Laviolette instructs his team as the Left Wings Artemi Panarin (10), Chris Kreider (20) and Brennan Othmann (78) look at San Jose Sharks during the third period in SAP Center in San Jose on March 29, 2025. (Robert Edwards-Preferred Pictures)
“As we go into next season and on, I felt that a change was needed to give us the best chance of reaching our goal as an organization. Our search for a new head coach begins immediately.”
Rangers were the sixth team Laviolette has been the head coach throughout his career. He coached Nashville Predators, Carolina Hurricanes, Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals and New York Islanders before coming to Rangers.
Coming into the season, Rangers had high expectations after they came short in the eastern conference final against Florida Panthers last season. But Rangers were destroyed by inconsistent games and underprestiation from many of their top players.
New York Ranger’s main coach Peter Laviolette goes out of the ice after their loss to Carolina Hurricanes at the Lenovo Center on April 12, 2025. (James Guillory-Misted Pictures)
Forward Mika Zibanejad scored 20 goals and had 62 points this season after he had 26 goals and 72 points last season. Chris Kreider had 39 goals and 76 points last season and this season had only 22 goals and 30 points.
Zibanejad and Kreider were only two of the many rangers stars who took a step back this season in production.
Laviolettes and Housley’s departures are probably the first of many to come for rangers this season, as general manager Chris Drury will seem to undergo a list that fought all year.
