The New York Rangers parted ways with head coach David Quinn, the franchise announced on Wednesday. Quinn’s exit follows the team’s decision to move on from general manager Jeff Gorton and team president John Davidson last week.
According to the Rangers’ official announcement, the majority of assisting staff is also gone. Benoit Allaire, the goalkeeping assistant, is believed to be the only one who managed to keep his job.
“I would like to thank David Quinn, David Oliver, Jacques Martin, and Greg Brown for all of their efforts and dedication to the Rangers,” said the team’s new general manager Chris Drury.
Several names have been mentioned as candidates for the position, including Kris Knoblauch, head coach of their AHL affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack, ex-Vegas Golden Knights head coach Gerard Gallant, and Rick Tocchet, who recently left the Arizona Coyotes.
In case the Rangers want someone with a Stanley Cup pedigree, John Tortorella is an intriguing candidate. Tortorella, whose contract with the Blue Jackets expired earlier this month, already coached the Rangers between 2009 and 2013 and led the franchise to four postseason appearances.
In 2018, the Rangers announced they are starting a full-on rebuild and hired David Quinn as their head coach shortly after. Quinn, who previously worked at Boston University, was tasked with developing a young roster and eventually elevating the franchise to a contention status once again.
Quinn arguably managed to do the first one but seemed far away from accomplishing the second task. The Rangers often looked unconvincing on the ice and struggled to have an identity and show progress as a unit.
Quinn leaves New York with a 96-87-25 record.
