Two Former Nashville Predators Head Coaches Being Linked to Rangers

The NHL head coaching carousel continues to swirl this offseason after the Nashville Predators decided to move on from John Hynes on Tuesday after four seasons.

With Andrew Brunette taking the reins as the Nashville Predators’ fourth head coach in franchise history, Hynes and another former Predators head coach is being linked to the New York Rangers opening.

What World are we Living in? Two Former Preds Head Coaches Top Candidates for New York??

This is some Saturday Night Live stuff that not one, but two former head coaches of the Nashville Predators are being linked to what should be considered a highly coveted head coaching gig for the New York Rangers.

Peter Laviolette, who went 248-143-60 in six seasons behind the bench for Nashville, was looking like the front-runner for the Rangers head coaching job. But not so fast my friend.

via GIPHY

For contrast, Hynes has a subpar NHL head coaching record of 284-254-63. A much lower point percentage than Laviolette, and of course Laviolette has the postseason success to tout with one Stanley Cup and two other appearances. All with different teams, which says a lot.

Hynes, of all people, is throwing a monkey wrench into the New York Rangers head coaching search. Not that they really have to be in any kind of a hurry. Two of the top candidates are already off the board with Spencer Carbery to the Washington Capitals, and Andrew Brunette to the Nashville Predators.

Now the head coaching pool of candidates is watered down and full of former coaches who have their fair share of blemishes on their track record. The operative term here is “recycled”. Seems wrong, but also valid in reference to this.

When it comes to Hynes, he certainly deserves a spot on a coaching staff somewhere in the NHL, but head coach of the New York Rangers?? A team that will have Stanley Cup aspirations again in 2023-24? I’m sorry, but I don’t see the connection outside of the Rangers General Manager Chris Drury having a personal connection to Hynes.

As for Laviolette, he’s a swing for the fences kind of candidate, whereas Hynes seems safer but lower ceiling. Laviolette can certainly take control of a locker room, implement his style quickly and handle the New York media. But that could also backfire badly.

We’ll never know for sure what occurred that soured things so rapidly for Laviolette with the Nashville Predators. Unlike the Hynes situation, the results on the ice were pretty strong for Laviolette in Nashville. A Stanley Cup Final berth, a President’s Trophy, and then a decline and rift in the locker room.

My thinking is the Rangers can afford to be patient and wait this out. See if more intriguing candidates come available and fully vet the process. They have a roster full of talent that can win a Stanley Cup and it wouldn’t be surprise in the slightest if they’re next up in 2024.

Circling back to the Nashville Predators, they got their guy they wanted, clearly. That’s a nice feeling because it didn’t feel that way in 2020 in the transition from Laviolette to Hynes.