Incredible But True Rangers Feats: Coach Firing Leading To An Opportunity

If you think the current Rangers coach merry-go-round is unique for the Blueshirts, think again.

Granted the booting in short order of David Quinn, Gerard Gallant and Peter Laviolette was extraordinary, but it was not the first time such a mass coach-cleaning took place.

Flash back to the 1949-50 season and you'll have the beginning of this tale.

That was the year when coach Lynn Patrick guided the Blueshirts to the seventh game of the Stanley Cup Final before losing in the second sudden death period.

By any standard, it was an extraordinary accomplishment by the team and its coach.

Needless to say Patrick was supposed to return as coach but he pulled a fast one on his MSG bosses. He double-crossed the Garden management that's what he did, and signed with the Bruins.

Which meant that Blueshirts manager Frank Boucher had to find a replacement. First, he tried former Ranger defenseman Neil Colville for a season, but he failed.

Next it was former Hall of Fame right wing Bill Cook but he didn't work out either.

Finally Boucher tried it himself for a short time before handing the reins to Muzz Patrick. Alas, he failed to make the playoffs in the 1954-55 season and was rewarded by replacing Boucher as manager.

At last Phil Watson was hired by Patrick and he led the Blueshirts back to the playoffs in 1955-56, and two more seasons thereafter!

The moral of the story is this: when it comes to the Rangers coaches, history repeats itself!