The New York Rangers have seen a massive shake up to their front office in the past several days with team president John Davidson and general manager Jeff Gorton both being ousted just days after a highly controversial statement was released by team owner James Dolan. Although former Ranger Chris Drury has already been promoted to fill the void left by their departures, there are rumblings that more changes could soon be coming to the organization.
The big one on everyone's mind has been the future of the head coaching position behind the Rangers' bench, with many suspecting that current head coach David Quinn could soon be on his way out. National Hockey League insider Larry Brooks has suggested that the upcoming exit meetings between Drury and the current roster of Rangers players could determine Quinn's fate, but even more interesting than that is the list of names the insider has listed as potential replacements for Quinn.
In his most recent article for the New York Post, Brooks listed 6 heavy hitters in the hockey world that he believes could be in line to replace Quinn behind the bench, this in spite of the fact that Quinn has yet to be fired by the team. From Brooks(emphasis our own):
There is a queue of experienced coaches — a couple with Stanley Cups on their coaching resumes, a couple with Cups won as a player—forming to succeed Quinn even while he is still in place. Tortorella is available for a reunion, Mike Babcock is out there looking for a way back in, Rick Tocchet will be on the market, Gerard Gallant is seeking a job and so is Bruce Boudreau.
And never forget that Drury played the first four years of his career in Colorado with Patrick Roy, currently the GM-coach of Quebec in the QMJHL and who might have a special affinity for Alexis Lafreniere.
Boudreau, Tortorella, Babcock, Tocchet, and Gallant are names that will no doubt come up any time there is a coaching vacancy in the foreseeable future in the NHL, however to see Patrick Roy included on that list is certainly a surprise. Roy has shown a great ability to help young players develop at the junior level and with the Rangers expected to inject several of their young prospects into the main roster next season he would certainly make for an interesting fit.
If the Rangers do move forward with the decision to move on from Quinn's services, it sounds like there may be a huge announcement that will quickly follow behind it.
