The New York Rangers have been one of the most disappointing teams in the NHL this season. An 11-10-5 record with a stunning 4-6-4 record at home has led to several questions being asked about the future of the franchise, and the course that is being run by the front office.
According to reports, Rangers owner James Dolan is monitoring the situation with the team, particularly regarding head coach Gerard Gallant.
Gallant signed a four-year, $14 million deal with the Rangers last season and took them all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals in his first year. New York has not met expectations to start the 2022-23 NHL season however and it’s led to recent conversations surrounding accountability within the organization.
Most of the concern came before the Rangers lost back-to-back home games to the Ottawa Senators and Chicago Blackhawks, two teams at the bottom of their respective divisions.
The upcoming week ahead doesn’t get any easier for Gallant and the Rangers. New York faces off against the St. Louis Blues on Monday night with battles against the Golden Knights, Avalanche, and Devils on the horizon.
New York is in desperate need of answers. They are 4-4-2 in their last ten games and 1-4-1 in their last six. Since the start of November, they have won just twice in the home confines of Madison Square Garden.
While questions begin to circulate about the future of the coaching staff if results don’t change, production from some of the key players is also worthy of keeping an eye on. The Blueshirts gambled that their young top picks would be able to develop into solid offensive options. Instead, Kaapo Kakko, Alexis Lafreniere, and plenty of others have failed to take the reigns and produce at a high level.
With the losses beginning to pile up, it’s clear the Rangers front office isn’t pleased with the team failing to meet the high expectations that accompanied them after their playoff run this year.
And it looks like patience is running out for the head coach first and foremost.
