Gord Murphy, Mike Kelly join Rangers coach Gerard Gallant's staff as assistants, source says
Rangers assistant coach Gord Murphy at Rangers training camp on July 13, 2020. Credit: Nick Homler/NY Rangers/Nick Homler
When he introduced Gerard Gallant as the Rangers' new head coach, GM Chris Drury said filling out Gallant’s staff with assistants was at the top of his summer priority list. Drury has secured two of those assistants, a source confirmed Monday, as the Rangers have promoted Hartford Wolf Pack associate coach Gord Murphy and brought in longtime Gallant assistant Mike Kelly to be part of his staff.
The Rangers have not announced the hires because they are waiting to complete the staff first. They are still looking to hire one more assistant, the source said.
Both Kelly and Murphy have worked as assistants for Gallant before. Kelly, 61, was on Gallant’s staff with the Vegas Golden Knights and the Florida Panthers. He most recently served as an assistant on Gallant’s staff with Team Canada, which won the gold medal at the World Championships in Latvia in May.
Murphy, 54, was an assistant under Gallant with the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2004 to 2007. He joined the Rangers organization in 2019, serving as associate coach for the Wolf Pack the last two seasons, under head coach Kris Knoblauch. Murphy worked behind the Rangers’ bench for six games in late March, when he and Knoblauch were called up after Rangers coach David Quinn and assistants Jacques Martin, Greg Brown and David Oliver came down with COVID-19.
Kelly and Murphy join director of goaltending Benoit Allaire, who has served in that position since 2004, on the staff. The New York Post first reported the hirings.
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.
