Rangers GM Chris Drury sounds off on split with Gerard Gallant

By the time that the 2023-24 NHL season begins later this fall, the New York Rangers will have their 5th new head coach in the past decade. Now-former bench boss Gerard Gallant is no longer with the team after it was reported that the two sides "mutually" agreed to part ways after their Round 1 seven game playoff exit to the rival New Jersey Devils. 

There was an unconfirmed report of a "heated argument" between Rangers general manager Chris Drury and Gallant after the Rangers dropped Game 4 against the Devils, though Drury declined to go into any specifics. 

"I’m not going to get into specific details with any private conversations," Drury said of the reported confrontation with Gallant.

"We win as a team and lose as a team,” he continued. “We're all disappointed we're not still playing. I think if I could reference the exit meetings, the good thing is, no one wants to be left off the hook."

Gallant was hired by the Rangers and Drury after they terminated David Quinn upon missing the playoffs in the shortened 2021 NHL season. Gallant would lead the Rangers to the Eastern Conference Finals last season before eventually bowing out to the Tampa Bay Lightning, and amassed a regular season record of 99-46-19 in his two years behind the bench in the Big Apple. 

Drury said the following in an official statement upon moving on from Gallant: "After my evaluation of the season and discussions with Gerard, we mutually came to the conclusion that a change would be beneficial for both parties. I wish he and his family all the best in the future. Our search for a new head coach will begin right away."

What exactly are the Rangers looking for in their new head coach? 

"I’m just looking for the right fit,” Drury said. “We’re not going to limit ourselves right now to any specific type of style or coach or experience."