Although player free agency doesn’t begin until July 5, there is quite the coaching free agent frenzy ongoing across the National Hockey League, and the New York Rangers seem to be at the centre of it.
The first big piece to fall was former Toronto Marlies coach Dallas Eakins, who was officially introduced as the Edmonton Oilers’ lead man Monday. Even though Eakins, whom the Rangers had an interest in, is now off the market, there are a handful of high-profile candidates the team is evaluating.
One of the most coveted available coaches is former Vancouver Canucks bench boss Alain Vigneault, who is set to meet with Rangers brass Tuesday in La Quinta, Calif., during the team’s yearly organizational meetings.
Vigneault was fired by the Canucks after seven seasons with the team.
The Vigneault meeting will be the first official coaching interview the Rangers have held since firing John Tortorella in late May after being eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs in the second round by the Boston Bruins.
Rangers general manager Glen Sather has said that he would ideally like to name a new coach before the end of June.
There have also been reports that the Rangers’ list of potential coaching candidates includes former captain and NHL Hall of Famer Mark Messier, who is currently an executive with the team.
Rangers get permission to speak to Ruff
In addition to Vigneault, the Rangers also seek to meet with Lindy Ruff, as the team has been granted permission to speak with the former Buffalo Sabres coach.
No formal interview date has been set.
Ruff, who at the time was the longest-serving head coach in the league, was fired by the Sabres in February after 16 seasons with the club.
In addition to his coaching history, Ruff played 12 seasons in the NHL, where 83 of his 691 career games were spent with the Rangers, so there is a history with him and the organization.
Could Bylsma jump ship?
The Pittsburgh Penguins could be facing a tough decision this off-season with lots of speculation surfacing that the Pens could fire head coach Dan Bylsma.
According Katie Strang of ESPN, if Bylsma gets fired he would immediately be at the top of the Rangers’ coaching wish list.
Despite the fact the Penguins — who were pegged as Stanley Cup favourites — fell short of their goal, the players did not blame Bylsma for the team’s loss.
“We were well-prepared, and I think as players we appreciate everything the coaches do to make us ready to play,” Pens captain Sidney Crosby told reporters Sunday.
“They give us every opportunity to be successful, they communicate well with everyone…. Whether they’ve been here a while or just came here recently, I think everyone will tell you we all feel pretty fortunate to have that group.”
Stars the frontrunner for Tortorella?
The outspoken former Rangers coach is being targeted by the Dallas Stars, reports ESPNNewYork.com.
The Stars, led by new general manager Jim Nill, haven’t asked for permission from the Rangers to speak with Torts, but the Stanley Cup winner (Tampa Bay Lightning, 2004) is thought to be a top candidate for the vacant coaching position.
In mid-May, the Stars fired coach Glen Gulutzan after two consecutive seasons missing the playoffs.
The Stars have also expressed an interest in Vigneault; they received permission from Vancouver to speak with him.
Canucks meet with Torts, too
The former Rangers head coach flew to Vancouver and met with Canucks brass Tuesday regarding the team’s coaching vacancy, Sportsnet sources have confirmed.
Tortorella was fired after New York was eliminated in five games by the Boston Bruins in the second round of the NHL playoffs. The 54-year-old Boston native registered a 171-115-29 with the Rangers since joining the team in partway through the 2008-09 campaign. Although Tortorella’s Rangers reached the Eastern Confernce final in 2012, they bowed out to the New Jersey Devils.
