5 Head Coaching Candidates for the New York Rangers

His teams were built on structure, defensive responsibility, and strong special teams. In 2022–23, the Wranglers led the AHL in goals against and penalty kill percentage. Love also served as an assistant for Team Canada at the World Juniors, helping them win gold in 2020 and silver in 2021.

He’s known for his attention to detail and ability to develop young players. If the Rangers want a coach with a proven development record and a sharp, disciplined approach, Love should be high on their list.

Jeff Halpern

Halpern has been behind the bench in Tampa Bay since 2018, playing a role in the Lightning’s back-to-back Stanley Cup wins in 2020 and 2021. He’s been heavily involved in running their power play, which has consistently ranked among the best in the league. During his time there, Tampa has remained one of the NHL’s most consistent and well-prepared teams.

As a player, Halpern suited up for over 900 NHL games, including a short stint with the Rangers in 2013. He understands the league, he’s worked with elite players, and he’s spent the last six seasons learning under one of the best in Jon Cooper.

Halpern hasn’t been a head coach yet, but his experience on a Cup-winning bench, combined with his NHL playing career, makes him a name worth watching.

Jay Leach

Leach has built a solid coaching résumé over the last few years. He spent four seasons as the head coach of the Providence Bruins, where he helped develop a wave of Boston’s young talent and posted a strong overall record. He then joined the Seattle Kraken as an assistant for their first two NHL seasons before taking a job with the Bruins’ staff in 2024.

Leach is known for his work with defensemen and instilling structure in young teams. He played in the NHL as a defenseman himself, and his teams tend to reflect that: responsible, steady, and hard to play against.

He hasn’t run an NHL bench, but he’s worked in multiple systems and organizations and has experience developing players at both the AHL and NHL levels. If the Rangers want someone with a calm presence and a developmental track record, Leach is a name to keep in the mix.

Nick Fohr and the Development Pipeline

While the head coaching hire will grab the headlines, the Rangers should also be thinking long-term about how they develop talent in Hartford. One name who could be a major asset in that process is Nick Fohr.

Fohr has spent years with the U.S. National Team Development Program and recently led the U18 team to a World Junior gold. He has a reputation for building strong habits in young players and preparing them for the next level.

There’s no indication he’s on the radar now, but he should be. Hartford’s bench should be a place where future NHL coaches grow. The organization already saw Kris Knoblauch make that jump, to Edmonton, not New York. If the Rangers are serious about development, they should be thinking not just about prospects, but also about the coaches helping shape them.

Make the Right Call

The Rangers have gone through three coaches in five seasons, each time opting for the established name, the guy with NHL experience. And each time, the result has been the same: not good enough. They had a chance to go a different direction last time. Knoblauch was in Hartford, already in the system, already developing their prospects, and already familiar with the organization. Instead, they hired Laviolette, another coach with stops around the league, another short-term answer. Knoblauch is now behind the bench in Edmonton. The Rangers are searching again.

This time has to be different. Whether it’s Carle, Love, or someone else without the recycled résumé, the Rangers need to think differently. Hire someone who can grow with the team, not someone chasing another shot. Pick a coach who fits where this roster is going, not where the league has already been.

And don’t stop at the NHL bench. If you want to talk about development, start with Hartford. The next coach to make the jump shouldn’t be doing it in another city.

Don’t go back to what hasn’t worked. Get this one right.