More big changes in New York following Gallant's firing

According to a report from longtime New York Rangers reporter Larry Brooks, the Rangers have parted ways with assistant coaches Mike Kelly and Jim Midgley, both of whom were hired by former Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant.

With Gallant relieved of his duties this past weekend, it always felt like a matter of time until Kelly and Midgley were both dismissed also. Today's report confirms the speculation.

Assistant coach Gord Murphy and goaltending coach Benoit Allaire remain with the team and their status will be assessed by the team's new head coach, reports Brooks.

More from Books and Mollie Walker (New York Post):

Murphy, who worked as an assistant for Gallant with the Blue Jackets for parts of three seasons from 2003-04 into 2006-07, handled the Rangers defense during his time under Gallant.

He was promoted from his associate head coaching position with the team’s AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, shortly after the club hired Gallant in June 2021.

The Rangers power play was entrusted to Kelly, who led it to a 24.6 percentage in the last two seasons, which is good for fourth in the NHL over that span.

Kelly also served as an assistant on Gallant’s staff in Florida, Vegas and with the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs.

Gallant told The Post that he knew Midgley for 15 years before bringing him on the Rangers staff.

Midgley, who was in charge of the Rangers forward group, gained his first professional coaching experience in North America during his two seasons in New York.

Allaire, who first joined the Blueshirts in 2004, will be inherited by his sixth head coach with the franchise.

He has been a staple for Rangers netminders over the years and he has developed the same bond with Igor Shesterkin, who described him as the “goalie guru".

It remains to be seen who the Rangers will ultimately hire to replace Gallant, but I suspect the team's next coach will be a bit of a tactician. Gallant, for all he achieved, is very much a "players' coach" who relies on his personal relationships with players to motivate his teams and much less so on the "X's and O's" of the game.