December 15, 2024 | 1:33pm ET
TheFourthPeriod.com

LAVIOLETTE REPORTEDLY SAFE IN NEW YORK?

Rangers Head Coach Peter Laviolette

The New York Rangers are looking to make more changes, but it appears management is focused on rejigging the roster and not making a change behind the bench.

On Saturday night, it had been reported that the Rangers are open for business and GM Chris Drury is looking to make more roster moves after shipping out now former-captain Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 6.

After a 5-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, speculation started to swirl over more changes, but as the New York Post’s Larry Brooks reported, Head Coach Peter Laviolette’s job appears to be safe for the time being.

“The hierarchy has no stomach to fire Laviolette after firing Gerard Gallant two years ago and David Quinn four years ago,” Brooks wrote in one of his latest articles on Saturday. “There is no stomach to affix the blame on yet another coach instead of taking care of the coach-averse core.”

But Brooks also noted, “the season is slipping away” and something, at some point, has to give.

The Rangers hired Laviolette on June 13, 2023, and believe he is the right veteran presence for this club, but it is clear there are deep issues within the formation of the roster, which is why the team is listening to calls on the likes of forwards Chris Kreider, Kaapo Kakko and Reilly Smith, and defenceman Ryan Lindgren.

The Rangers take on the Blues in St. Louis at 6pm ET on Sunday and another loss could force Drury to pull the trigger on yet another big move.