Blueshirt Banter Roundtable: Who Should Be the Next New York Rangers Head Coach?

Editor's Note: This Blueshirt Banter Roundtable on the next New York Rangers head coach was assembled before anyone knew that the Pittsburgh Penguins and Mike Sullivan were parting ways. Suffice it to say, with Sullivan now an option for the Rangers, many of us now believe he'll be the next Rangers coach. But enjoy this Roundtable anyway!

The brief Peter Laviolette era in New York is over. After setting a franchise record for wins (55) and points (114) in his first year behind the bench for the Rangers, a Murphy's Law season saw the veteran coach's team miss the playoffs—a long fall from the pre-season expectations of Stanley Cup contention.

General Manger Chris Drury dismissed Peter Laviolette, along with associate head coach Phil Housley two days after the Rangers season ended. It was the second time Drury had fired a coach he hired after only two seasons, and the third coach he'd jettisoned overall, having fired David Quinn shortly after taking over as president and general manager of the team.

So, who should be the next head coach of the New York Rangers? We assembled a Blueshirt Banter roundtable to discuss this and several other questions.

Do you have a favorite candidate for the next head coach?

Joe Fortunato: If Mike Sullivan doesn't count (and actually even if he does), my pick is Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold. Is he realistic? No, probably not. I'm not sure why he would leave a job at Quinnipiac where he is essentially a god, but I love him anyway and will always advocate for him to get this job when it's open. Pecknold has turned a D-3 school into an NCAA perrenial powerhouse that won the National Championship two years ago. Give him the job, Drury. Pay any price.

Eric Kohn: Jeff Halpern or Jay Leach. I'm admittedly trying to constrain myself here to options that I think are realistic—I'd love to see the Rangers take a chance on someone like Denver University's David Carle, but I don't see that being the first choice of either side of that equation. Halpern, and to a lesser extent Leach, seem like good moderate-risk, high-reward picks. Both possess experience behind an NHL bench, with Halpern currently an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Leach with the Boston Bruins. They wouldn't be as green coming in as Carle would. But they also aren't just retreads who have had a half dozen NHL coaching stops that all ended the exact same (predictable) way. Between the two, I'd prefer Halpern, seeing as he's had the opportunity to learn for several years with one of the league's best coaches in Jon Cooper.

Tom Urtz, Jr.: Todd Nelson, the current head coach of the AHL Hershey Bears, as suggested here, intrigues me as a candidate who can bring a lot to the table for the Rangers, and strikes me as someone who can remain with the organization for multiple seasons. Development and tactics are two areas I think are most important for the immediate health of the franchise, and his track record of both intrigue me. The roster would need to change in order to fully benefit from Nelson's strategies, and hiring him would suggest the Rangers aren't simply looking to make a quick fix, but intend to do the work that is necessary.

Mike Murphy: At this point, I'd take a raccoon paid in grapes that are rolled around in crushed Adderall over a coach that has already been behind an NHL bench. At least the raccoon would be able to look at it's cute little hand and count to five so the Rangers avoid taking bench minors for having too many skaters on the ice. This seems about as likely as the Rangers actually doing something interesting with their next coaching hire, so I'm rooting for the trash panda. It could even have a little suit and maybe a real leather (keep it classy) fanny pack stuffed to the brim with succulent grapes and other bits of nibbly goodness.

Avery Beaumont: The best option for the Rangers would probably be a coach who hasn't been given a chance as a head coach in the NHL yet, someone like David Carle of the University of Denver or Jeff Halpern of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Unfortunately, I cannot see Drury—and Dolan, especially—going for someone unproven. It's unclear how much influence the owner will have on the decision, considering he just extended Drury's contract, but the general manager definitely wants to stay on his good side. While I would love to see a coach with a kindhearted approach, like Bruce Boudreau, after this nightmare season for the locker room, that simply isn't Dolan's style. He'll want someone gruff and gritty, someone who'll whip the boys back into shape. If Joel Quenneville or John Tortorella really are on the table, I'm hiding under it. The best middle-of-the-road option within these parameters would probably be Jay Woodcroft, who isn't afraid to get angry but strikes the balance between passion and unchecked rage. He got the boot from the Edmonton Oilers more out of necessity than reason. A 50-win season and a Western Conference Final appearance in the past three years isn't anything to scoff at. It's also helpful for a coach to have a chip on his shoulder. He'll have something to prove, just like the rest of the team.

Chip23: I'm really torn on this. I think Michael Peca could be great but he's so tainted by this season I'm not sure how to evaluate him. I also think I want someone who has fewer ties to the veterans in the room. That said, I'm going with Jeff Halpern. He's been an assistant with Tampa Bay for several years now, where he has worked for one of the best in Jon Cooper. He is supposedly very forward-thinking and my guess is that coming from Cooper's stable he would insist upon accountability among the players. He was the runner up to Carberry in Washington, which should stand for something.

Tom Dianora: I would be pleasantly surprised and very intrigued if the Rangers A) actually seriously pursued David Carle from the University of Denver, and B) if he would actually leave his comfortable gig there to be the head coach for a team with so many issues. Carle is only 35 and has had a ton of success at the collegiate level. My hope is that he would be different from the last collegiate coach the Rangers hired–David Quinn–and actually be more accommodating towards young players, more innovative, and more progressive. Quinn ended up being exactly like an old-school NHL coach, except he had no NHL head coaching experience. He is my least-favorite Rangers coach of all time.

Anyway, if Carle doesn't work out, I'd be down to give Michael Peca a chance at the job. I know that it might make sense to sever the ties from this awful season as much as possible, but Peca strikes me as someone who could provide a fresh approach in a bigger role.

At this point though, the apparent pool of candidates isn't overly inspiring. I really just want to go slightly outside the box (i.e., not another old-school NHL retread).

Chris Feldman: I may do a longer story on this but I've been a huge Manny Malhotra guy ever since he was a Ranger. Since his playing days have come to an end he's done great things as an assistant coach with the Vancouver Canucks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and most recently, as the head coach of the Abbotsford Canucks in the AHL. It's only a matter of time before he gets a chance as a head coach in the NHL and it would be great for that to be with the Rangers.

Keegan Jarvis: As Blueshirt Banter's resident Hartford writer, I was heavily pushing for the Rangers to hire then-Wolf Pack head coach Kris Knoblauch after Gerard Gallant's firing in May 2023. They didn't, opting to bring in Peter Laviolette instead. Not long after, Knoblauch was poached by the Edmonton Oilers, eventually leading them to the Stanley Cup Final in his first season. Now Knoblauch's Oilers are gearing up for another Stanley Cup Playoff run while the Rangers search for their third head coach in four seasons.

This time, I'd love to see the Rangers turn to the AHL and hire Todd Nelson from the Hershey Bears. Nelson has turned Hershey into a certified juggernaut over the past few seasons - they've won back-to-back Calder Cups and are once again the top team in the Atlantic Division. Nelson has also won the Calder Cup with the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2017. Despite the success at the AHL level, Nelson has never earned a head coaching job in the NHL, save for a stint as interim bench boss in Edmonton in their final McDavid-less season. Nelson is likely to earn NHL offers in the near future, and the Rangers should be the ones to poach him from the Washington organization.

Jack McKenna: No favorite, but I do have an anti-wish list of sorts. Priorities A, B, C, and all the way through Z need to be do not hire Joel Quenneville. Aside from not hiring him, preferably stay away from NCAA coaches lest we have another repeat of the David Quinn experience.

Snark Messier: Previously, I mentioned that I would like Drury & Co., to give Jay Woodcroft a call—and perhaps that may still happen—but lately, I find myself leaning more toward Jeff Halpern. Ironically, after Peter Laviolette parted ways with the Washington Capitals, several outlets suggested Halpern as a potential replacement. Now, two years later, I believe it's time for that idea to become a reality—at least for the Rangers. Halpern has coaching experience with the Syracuse Crunch, and established himself as an integral part of the Tampa Bay Lightning's coaching staff. In my opinion, Halpern would bring a fresh voice and a modern apporach, moving away from outdated ideologies that no longer fit today's game. Notably, Halpern has shown a willingness to lean on analytics when evaluating players and believes that no single narrative or coaching style fits every player — a mindset that would likely serve the New York Rangers well moving forward.

Roberto Solis-Byxbee: I always wanted the Rangers to take a run at Jim Montgomery, but the timing never worked out and now he's thriving in St. Louis. So with that being said, I'd love for them to pull David Carle out of Denver University. I think it could be a couple of years before it'd pay off, but he has excelled in the NCAA and I think with the right supporting cast he would find the same results in the NHL.

Jake DiBlasio: I think David Carle would be a very solid option for the Rangers. What he has done in Denver and for team USA at the World Juniors speaks for itself. For the Rangers to have a coach who knows how to be around young players and can help them grow is something I believe the next head coach of the team needs. We have seen countless failures when it comes to the development of the Rangers prospects. With a lot of the Rangers top players over the last few seasons aging and/or regressing it is intregal that the next generation of players is ready to go. We can't have another coach who is going to burry or scratch top prospects like Brennan Othmann or Gabe Perrault. They need to have a coach who is willing to let them play make mistakes and grow. I think Carle understands how to develop players and would greatly help the team fix their development issue.

Thoughts on the possibility of the return of John Tortorella?

Joe: Oh Torts. I love John Tortorella and I think he's really good for the game of hockey in general. He has done some really, really good things since leaving the Rangers, and I think his exit in Philadelphia speaks more to the team than it does to him. His 5v5 numbers there were solid, and he did some good things. Of course, he also did some bad things—which is the rub. Tortorella is terrible with development. He just doesn't have the patience for kids, and his "safe is death" mentality that won him a Stanley Cup in Tampa Bay has left his soul for some reason. That said, there are worse options than Tortorella out there if the Rangers are going to go the retread route.

Eric: Selfishly, for only the sake of podcast content, I want John Tortorella to be the next Rangers coach. Joe and I would never have think for a moment about what we'd be talking about on the podcast. It would be whatever Torts just said or did, or both. In all seriousness, I have mixed feelings about the idea. I've said for years now that I love Torts but I don't want him anywhere near my hockey team. Maybe I'm softening on that? Say what you will about Torts' Rangers teams, they worked hard and they were probably the last time that the Rangers were a decent-to-good 5v5 team. No one on those teams could finish, and they won most of their games by gutting out ugly, defensive wins. But they did something that no Rangers team has been able to do consistently since. And, similar to getting Mike Keenan following the disaserous 1992-93 season, the Rangers absolutely deserve a coach who is going to bust their ass up and down the ice. The risk to Chris Drury is that, while Torts could absolutely have success with the Rangers, he could also explode on the launchpad. Even if he doesn't happen that early, there's definitely a shelf-life for him. It's not my first choice, but the Rangers could do a lot worse than Torts.

Tom U.: I think John Tortorella has changed as a coach since leaving the Rangers, and he's had a mixed bag of results in that time span. His most recent season with the Philadelphia Flyers was interesting, and you can make the case that the system he put in place got better than expected results at 5v5, despite the roster not being all that talented. The Rangers are poised to have a summer with lots of changes, and if they bring back Tortorella he's certainly going to be a lightning rod for attention, and maybe that's something that a group in flux needs. He's not my first choice, or second for that matter, to be the team's next head coach, but I can see the vision if the Rangers can't get the one they really want and look at Tortorella as a transitional coach.

Mike: I want Tortorella in the NHL but I don't want him behind the bench of the New York Rangers. The Rangers desperately need to establish a new young core and Tortorella is not the teacher to assign to that class.

Avery: You know what, why not? Tortorella has certainly calmed down over the years. His experience in Philadelphia helped shape his modern approach to young players, emphasizing far more patience than he had his last time around in New York. There are a lot of young Rangers who will need development, and Torts at least recognizes that need for a learning curve by now. He takes mental health seriously! Who would have thought? He also holds players accountable without demeaning their ability; his tough love ultimately comes from a place of faith in his team. If he needs to bench someone like Mika Zibanejad or Gabe Perreault, he will, but he won't imply they're incapable of reaching their full potential. It's the right mix of bark and encouragement that would appease the front office while not destroying the players' well-being. Also, it would just be funny as hell. Someone get a camera on Larry Brooks if this happens.

Chip: See the column that I wrote. I hate him, but think he could be the right fit.

Tom D.: While I would prefer to go with a fresh, inspired hire and avoid retreads, Torts (and I can't believe I'm saying this) might be the one retread hire (besides Mike Sullivan, who I do not think will become available) I'd be OK with. The Rangers are a team that lacks accountability and too often lacked effort throughout this past season. Torts has his warts, but if he's the head coach, I don't think effort will ever be a problem for this team.

That being said, I think this only works as a relatively short-term solution. Torts is great at getting a derailed team back on the tracks, but it doesn't take too long for him to wear out his welcome. I'd rather hire someone who can establish a culture and system that's built to last. Torts isn't that guy, but he'd correct a lot of this team's flaws in the short term.

Chris: I'm very mixed on the idea of a Torts reunion. On the one hand, I think Laviolette's two year tenure, in addition to Gerard Gallant's two year stint, is plenty of proof that the Rangers should stop with the retread hires. On the other hand, after the season the Rangers had, they could really benefit from someone as fiery and passionate as John Tortorella. Not to mention, if James Dolan is going to be more involved with the Rangers, it would certainly be the safe play for Drury to make. The question is, does Drury want to continue to play it safe or does he want to make the decision he thinks is best for the team moving forward all on his own?

Keegan: Remember how we all felt when Laviolette healthy scratched Gabe Perreault in a lost season?

Jack: It'd be funny, if nothing else. For as much heat as the Flyers took for underperforming this season, their numbers under the hood were fine and they primarily got sank by wretched goaltending. For all the hand-wringing over needing to play young players more, playing good players performing up to expectations over underperforming bad ones is more important than anything. If anyone is going to sit an underperforming player, it's Torts.

Snark: From a content standpoint, I think John Tortorella returning to New York would be amazing—personally, I'd be counting down the moments until his first interaction with Larry Brooks. However, I don't see John Tortorella as a beneficial choice to fill the head coach vacancy. As others have stated, I believe the New York Rangers need to go in an entirely new direction with this next hire, and in may ways, Tortorella would likely represent more of the same.

Roberto: I truly do not want this to happen. The only coach I think I disliked more than him after their tenure in New York City came to an end was Alain Vigneault. Tortorella is a smart guy and has partially adapted to the modern day game but I have no desire to see the black and blue Rangers 2025 edition.

Jake: I can't get behind bringing back Torts. I understand the idea that he's going to hold players accountable and is not going to deal with any nonsense but other than that, what does he really bring to the table? The biggest thing I need to see in a new coach is someone who can develop our young players and prospects. This team has had a development issue for a long time and hiring Torts is a step in the wrong direction. He drove away Cutter Gauthier and did not help Matvei Michkov in his development.

Will the Rangers hire their next coach before or after the NHL Draft?

Joe: Push. I can see it either way. I don't think the timeline is important here. Getting the right guy is.

Eric: My guess is before, but one of the variables here is any candidates who are currently standing behind NHL benches for teams in the playoffs. On one hand, you want to allow some time to talk to those guys, and that could take weeks-to-months before they're really available. On the other, you don't want to miss out on the right guy going somewhere else because you were waiting. Either way, be it before or after, that coach and Drury better be on the same page about roster construction and player deployment going forward.

Tom U.: Before.

Mike: I see that Jack wrote, "long before," so I am going to go with, "long, long before the NHL Draft," so I Price Is Right that sucker. Boom.

Avery: Sometime in May.

Chip: Before.

Tom D.: Before, but I could see this dragging out into June.

Chris: Before.

Keegan: Before. They should have their coach by early June at the latest.

Jack: Long before.

Snark: Before.

Roberto: Definitely before, it may take them a bit to find the right guy but Drury will want to get this done to be in alignment with his new head coach in what will surely be an eventful and dramatic summer. To further expand on this, just slightly after Mike and before Jack so when I come on down, I'll definitely be the Price Is Right winner instead.

Jake: Before.

Do you think Michael Peca and Dan Muse will continue to be a part of the coaching staff?

Joe: Muse is USA Hockey mafia and I think he's safe. Peca I could see getting other opportunities elsewhere and wanting a fresh start. Or I can see him sticking around. I know this is a wishy washy take but I really can see Peca sticking around or going.

Eric: I'm mostly indifferent on Muse staying or going. He's apparently well regarded, but his long-term association with Peter Laviolette (he coached with him in Nashville as well as New York) do worry me. I don't think he any chance to be the head coach, and I doubt he stays around in assistant role. I think Michael Peca's story is one of the tragedies of this season. If the Rangers would have fired Laviolette when I wanted them to, we could have at least gotten a rough idea of what they had in Peca by making him the interim coach. I think there's a good chance he's a very successful future NHL head coach, but the stink of this season might be too much for him to overcome for there to be a serious chance to have that happen with the Rangers. That said, I don't know if there's another NHL team ready to give him a chance yet, either. My best guess is he joins another team where there's a better chance he could land the big job.

Tom U.: I think Muse will be back, Peca seems like someone who is ready for a larger opportunity, and if he doesn't get the head coach position here, I could envision him joining another staff where he has more opportunities for upward mobility.

Mike: After everything that went on in 2024-25? No, clean house. Sever all ties. Go live in abandoned bus in the Alaskan Wilderness after making that movie with Elisha Cuthbert. 

Avery: They'll probably clean shop, but I could see Peca staying.

Chip: Muse for sure—that's Drury's guy. Peca may move on if he gets passed over for the head coach job.

Tom D.: I think Peca stays (maybe even as the head guy!). Muse, I lean no.

Chris: I believe that Dan Muse will be back no matter what. As far as Michael Peca goes, I feel like that will depend on who the next head coach is. 

Keegan: I won't be surprised if both stay, one stays, or both leave. My gut tells me they both stay.

Jack: No. If we're going to spend an entire season talking about how the culture is bad and the organization needs to clean house, assistants need to go too. If Torts comes in, he'll probably opt to bring in his own guys.

Snark: Peca, yes. Muse, no.

Roberto: This is going to be a coin flip and dependent on who they bring in to be the main guy behind the bench. If it's a first time head coach, I'd like the team to find a dependable and experienced assistant to supplement their approach. 

Jake: I don't think either will be back next year.

Obligatory Question: What about Mark Messier has head coach?

Joe: I'm good, thanks.

Eric: It's not going to happen, and it shouldn't happen. And we shouldn't want it to happen. If Messier really cared about landing the Rangers head coaching job at some point, he'd have spent the last decade coaching somewhere and building a resume. Instead, by choosing to being a broadcaster, that tells you all you need to know.

Tom U.: Nope.

Mike: Please, no. 

Avery: I would rather eat table salt.

Chip: Aw hell no.

Tom D.: Rationally, no. But as someone who is close to Stage 10 (Sicko Mode) of rooting against his own team, there's a part of me that wants this to happen just for the entertainment and chaos. Some men just want to watch the world burn, I guess.

Chris: Hard pass. 

Keegan: Wasn't this season enough of a trainwreck?

Jack: No.

Snark: Please, and I can't emphasize this enough, no.

Roberto: Messier will be the next GM when Drury is fired if the team falls on its face again next season. You heard it here first folks! (This aged poorly but I still believe if and when he joins the team it'd be in the front office! Maybe just a year or two later than I thought.)

Jake: No thank you.

Who do you think will be the next coach of the New York Rangers?

Joe: If I want to be bold, a name none of us have mentioned here. (I mean, an out of the box hire no one is expecting; I don't know who it would be.) But if I had to bet my life on it: Tortorella.

Eric: Unless Mike Sullivan suddenly becomes available, I can't shake the feeling that it's going to be Torts. Buy the ticket, enjoy the ride, I guess!

Tom U.: John Tortorella.

Mike: Raccoon. Let's name him Nibbles. Nicholas Nibbles. 

Avery: John Tortorella or Rick Tocchet (if he's available).

Chip: Tortorella.

Tom D.: Sean Avery. (Just kidding.) But for real though, probably John Tortorella. Or Rick Tocchet. 🙁

Chris: Rick Tochett if he comes available, otherwise, Torts.

Keegan: If he's available, Rick Tocchet. If not? Truthfully, I don't even want to think about it.

Jack: Torts.

Snark: Rick Tocchet, unfortunately.

Roberto: I was really concerned the Rangers would kick the can on Quennville but thankfully reports have come out indicating it definitely won't be. But God save us all, it's going to be John Tortorella.

Jake: From what has come out already, it's going to be Torts, sadly.