The New York Rangers have started their coaching search after firing head coach John Tortorella and some of the names that have popped up already include one legend in Mark Messier as well as two former coaches in Lindy Ruff and Alain Vigneault.
According to the NY Daily News, Messier could be a prime candidate, as he is an assistant to the president Glen Sather and he is a legend in the city after bringing back the Stanley Cup in 1994. Lindy Ruff and Alain Vigneault were both fired this year from Buffalo and Vancouver and some other names include Toronto Marlies coach Dallas Eakins after taking his team to the 2012 Calder Cup final. He has been looked at as a coach for the Canucks, while the Rangers could sway him if they wanted to go after him. Messier would be a very interesting option and some other names include former Canes and Leafs coach Paul Maurice as well as Coyotes coach Dave Tippett.
Sather said that he would like to have a coach in place ahead of the draft at the end of June and after firing Tortorella, the team may want someone with a less fiery presence. Tom Renney was the former coach before Tortorella and the repost also said that the team has not decided to keep assistant coach Mike Sullivan yet.
The 54-year-old Tortorella was fired after making the playoffs over the past four seasons and despite doing it again this year, the management was not happy how the players responded in the series against the Boston Bruins. Last year the Rangers were the number one seeded team in the East and ended up losing to a less talented New Jersey Devils team and now the coach is gone.
Reports came out that some players wanted him gone and told management that in their exit interviews, but those players have stayed anonymous, although one may have been goalie Henrik Lundqvist, as he said he might not sign an extension with the team when his contract is up after this season. Tortorella rubbed some the wrong way in the media and also when he benched Brad Richards in the playoffs, fueling speculation that the Rangers will ditch him, like they did when they traded Marian Gaborik at the end of the season.
The Rangers have dealt with scoring issues over the past few years despite getting Rick Nash and Richards and now the team will have to find a new coach as well. The trades that the team pulled off didn't work out as planned this season and now Sather will have to bring in a new leader to get things turned around. Messier would have the fan vote, but Sather has done a good job at bringing in coaches despite the fact that they haven't made it back to the Stanley Cup finals since 1994. The Rangers may try to make a splash, but it is about the quality of the name for this team now and not winning the headlines battle.