LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — The first-ever head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights is moving overseas.
Gerard Gallant will become the newest coach in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League, per TSN’s hockey insider Pierre LeBrun.
It’s unclear what team he will coach. LeBrun said an announcement is expected sometime this week.
A former NHL player, Gallant was hired by the Golden Knights in 2017 after three seasons coaching the Florida Panthers.
In his first year at the helm, he led Vegas to a 51-24-7 record and a trip to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final.
His second season was less successful. The Golden Knights finished the regular season 43-32-7 and blew a 3-1 series lead in the first round of the playoffs, falling to the San Jose Sharks in seven games.
Gallant’s third year in charge was cut short when Vegas fired him in January 2020, despite the team being in playoff contention at the time. He was replaced by former Sharks head coach Pete DeBoer.
The New York Rangers hired Gallant in 2021, and he went 99-46-19 with two postseason appearances in two seasons. He and the Rangers agreed to part ways after a first-round playoff exit in 2023.