Glen Sather
the GM and President of the New York Rangers has handpicked former Vancouver
Cancuks head coach Alain Vigneault to become the new head coach. This has the potential
to make the Rangers a better team and put some offensive punch for a team that
we’re in the bottom five in goal per game at 2.27 per game, power play chances,
and power play goals.
Outgoes John Trotorella who compiled a record
of 171-115 that is a .597 winning percentage. All though his defensive minded approach
to hockey turned the New York Rangers into one of the best defensives in the
NHL. Under the five Trotorella was behind the bench his teams were among the
top five in goals allowed at 2.21 per game and we’re tops in block shots. However
his defensive style of hockey failed to get the Rangers into the Stanley Cup
Finals. Yes I know that Trots send to the Rangers to the playoffs 4 of his 5
years as coach however only once in 2011 did the Rangers have gotten to the
Eastern Conference Finals for only the 3rd time in the last 20 years
and the 1st since 1997. As you know they lost in 6 to the New Jersey
Devils at the Prudential Center in Newark. Trotorella was fired after losing in
5 to the eventual Eastern Conference Champs the Boston Bruins. Also what cause
Trots to be fired his style of playing which tired out Brad Richards, forced
Marion Gaborik out of NYC and traded to Columbus and of course his cold nature
to the press in the biggest media market in the word does not help matters at
all.
Now here
comes Alain Vigneault who got fired out of Vancouver after 7 successful seasons.
He turned the Cancuks into one of NHL most explosive offensives in the NHL. They
always were among the top 10 in goal scoring and power play goals. With players
like the Henrik Sedin and his brother Daniel Sedin, Ryan Kesler who when
healthy can give you 30 goals a season. In his 7 years as the head man in
Vancouver he compiled a record of 313-170 with a winning percentage of .648 and
miss the playoffs only once in his seven years as coach in Vancouver. I know he
lost to the Boston Bruins in the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals in 7. In 2010 and 2011
both times they won the President’s Trophy. That’s the award given to the team
that had the best regular season record. Last year they lost in a sweep in the
1st round in the Western Conference Finals to the San Jose Sharks.
Vancouver GM Mike Gillis fired Alain after not only winning a cup in his seven
years and losing 8 of the last 9 playoffs games.
So now he
comes to New York Rangers to try to make Rick Nash a star forward like Daniel
Sedin. Hopefully we can give Brad Richards a boost to save his career. There is
no doubt that Vigneault’s offense can make Richards like the player that Henirk
Sedin in Vancouver. I do think he can make Carl Hagelin who has the skill set
to be a great goal scorer like Ryan Kesler. He inherits a defensive that is rich
with talent led by Ryan McDonagh, Michael Del Zotto, Dan Girardi, and Mark
Stall. Also it’s a great thing to have behind the net Henrik Lundqvist the best
goalie in the game. He has all the tools to get the New York Rangers to get to
the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1994.
Yes I know
this is Glen Sather’s sixth head coach in 13 years. The window might be
starting to close for the Blueshirts. Now is the time let’s hope that Vigneault
can lead the Rangers to a parade to the Canyon of Heroes with the Stanley Cup
in his hand.
