Gerard Gallant 'disappointed' about speculation over his future with Rangers
GREENBURGH – You don’t make an announcement to the media to say the coach isn’t getting fired, so the fact that Gerard Gallant spoke to the media at the Rangers’ breakup day on Wednesday was the indicator that Gallant – whose job status had been the subject of speculation after the Rangers’ seven-game loss to the Devils in the first round of the playoffs – is staying on the job.
“It’s a normal day,’’ Gallant said when he gave his final media briefing of the season. “I'm fine.’’
Some wondered if Gallant, who was hired by GM Chris Drury two summers ago to guide the Rangers out of their three-year rebuild and into their Stanley Cup-contending window, might be fired after his team blew a 2-0 series lead to the Devils. They won the first two games in New Jersey, then lost four of the next five, including 4-0 in Game 7 on Monday.
But Gallant, who led the Rangers to a 110-point regular season and into the Eastern Conference final in his first season, and followed that with a 107-point regular season this season, defended his performance behind the bench.
“I think we averaged 108 points in two years,’’ he said. “I think that was excellent. We had a great first season . . . we lost to the defending Stanley Cup champions [Tampa Bay] in the semifinals. This year, we lost in the first round. So did I have a tough two weeks and [did] we have a tough two weeks? Yeah. But besides that, I can't believe I have to answer some of these questions about me getting let go, or getting fired, brought up by the media. Disappointing.’’
Disappointing was a word that came up often when talking to the players in the locker room. Most felt confident the Rangers had what they needed to go on a long playoff run, but to have it end so quickly seemed to catch everyone by surprise.
“It stings,’’ forward Chris Kreider said. “Hollow, empty feeling. A little bit in disbelief, still.’’
Kreider said the disappointment is greater this year than it was last year when the Rangers lost in six games to the Lightning.
“Yeah, I think it's a different level of disappointment,’’ he said. “I think we kind of went as far as we possibly could last year. We were certainly on our last legs when we lost in Game 6 to Tampa. [We had] a lot of injuries; we really poured everything out. And it just felt like we had more hockey in us this year.’’
“We came into this season [with] higher expectations than the previous year, and rightfully so,’’ Mika Zibanejad said. “Every season is a disappointment when you don't win, obviously, but just the way the season ended and the way we went out is obviously extremely disappointing.
“If we lost in the second round, we’d still be disappointed. But to lose the series . . . obviously, give them credit, that's a good team that we're playing against, but at the same time, I don't think we got to our level that I know that we can get to. And certainly, myself as well.’’
As for Gallant staying on as coach, the players seemed to support that.
“I think he's a guy that players respect,’’ captain Jacob Trouba said of Gallant. “Obviously he's played [in the NHL]. He's been through a lot of different situations as a player and as a coach . . . He's a guy that I think players enjoy playing for.’’
“He's a coach that kind of lets you go out there and do your thing,’’ forward Barclay Goodrow said. “I think he's earned a lot of respect from all of us, and everyone throughout the game of hockey. So he's been good, and I enjoy playing for him.’’
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
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