What a difference a coach makes, right? The Rangers went from no structure or direction to a pretty strict structure and a much more enjoyable product on the ice. They didn’t make it over the hump and it’s clear there were some personnel concerns matching the system, but overall the coaching staff did a wonderful job with last year’s Rangers. There’s also room for improvement, which factors into our 2024 Rangers coaching report card.
Peter Laviolette and his staff were not the sexy hires. Many viewed Laviolette as yet another retread, but this time he didn’t bring his usual assistants with him. Instead, Michael Peca, Dan Muse and Phil Housley were brought on as his assistants, and each has turned out to be a solid hire. All four have turned the Rangers from a talented team lacking direction to a team that uses that talent to capitalize on opposing mistakes while playing solid two-way hockey.
It’s funny how things work. The Rangers had high expectations last season, but the coaching staff had low expectations. Viewed as a retread when many wanted Kris Knoblauch, the bar was on the floor for Laviolette. Yet the Rangers were expected to compete. What an odd situation to start last season, right?
Injuries to Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko impacted their ability to run four lines with specific roles, something the current regime is big on. Chytil’s injury forced them to get away from three scoring lines, hoping two scoring lines, a shut down line, and a minutes eating line would be enough. It was not.
There are also concerns about both Ryan Lindgren’s and Jacob Trouba’s viability in Laviolette’s system that requires a strong first pass out of the zone. But as mentioned all summer, there is hope both can have rebound seasons.
Personnel isn’t always on the coach, but deploying that personnel is. Regular season aside due to injuries, it was the postseason where I had the most questions. Once it became clear Chytil was ready to go, the only option was for him to return as the 3C. Instead, they tried shoehorning him into the 2RW spot with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, and it was obvious the fit wasn’t there. Yet it was tried multiple times. That’s my only gripe.
Well, that and taking way too long to move Jacob Trouba down in the lineup.
Neither cost them the series against Florida, but it’s no surprise they looked their best against the eventual Stanley Cup winners when Chytil was at center and Trouba was on the third pair. Center depth wins Cups, not wing depth. There’s also an argument that Laviolette didn’t adjust his breakout system against the Panthers, but it isn’t the best argument in my opinion. It’s almost impossible to make wholesale changes mid-playoffs like that.
That was the only major concern i had with last year’s coaching staff. The players have bought in, and with another year of playoff heart break under their belts, they are poised for a longer run in the 2025 playoffs. Laviolette has proven he can get over the hump, and it’s Cup or bust for the Rangers this season. Hopefully last year’s mistakes are this year’s lessons learned.
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