Insider reveals several options to join Mike Sullivan and the New York Rangers coaching staff

Insider reveals several options to join Mike Sullivan and the New York Rangers coaching staff

Photo credit: NBC Sports

The New York Rangers will have to fill out Mike Sullivan’s supporting cast, as in comes a new regime, out goes the old.

The remnants of Peter Laviolette may stick around in some fashion, but like we’ve seen elsewhere, in Detroit (L.J. Scarpace and Alex Westlund fired), a clean sweep may be necessary.

This has been the third time GM Chris Drury has hired a new coach since he took over the duties in 2021.

Now, upon receiving a new multi-year contract with the Rangers, he’ll need to find the right puzzle pieces to build a team of Stanley Cup contenders. That means finding the right coaching staff.

Laviolette’s successors will need to learn from his errors, which saw dysfunction permeate through the lineup. Here are some assistant coaches who may be great additions to Sullivan’s staff.

Jessica Campbell made her mark in the AHL. She helped Dan Bylsma take the Coachella Valley Firebirds to the postseason twice before she was promoted to the NHL when Bylsma took over in Seattle. While she may be in consideration for the head coaching gig in Seattle after Bylsma was fired, she should be considered a good successor here in New York.The 32-year-old has been a skating coach and has taught multiple NHL stars, including defenseman Joel Edmundson. Her connections to the Rangers involve coaching two prospects in the AHL in 2022, when she was brought in by GM Chris Drury to New York to help out.Jay Leach is currently an assistant coach with the Boston Bruins. He’s seen success in the AHL with the Providence Bruins with a record of 136-77-26. At the NHL level, he’s been an assistant coach with the Seattle Kraken from 2021-2024, and if Joe Sacco is fired could be considered a legitimate candidate for the head coaching role there.

Marc Savard has assistant coaching experience in the NHL, with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames.

The 47-year-old could be considered a candidate for a role in the Rangers assistant coaching staff, due to the fact he’s already held the position elsewhere in the league, and has a connection to former Windsor Spitfire player, Will Cuylle.

He took Cuylle and the Spitfires to the OHL finals his first season there. The connection is there, but will GM Chris Drury exploit it?

Savard was originally a fourth-round pick by the Rangers, and would play only 98 games of his 807-game career with the team. In 2011 he’d win the ultimate prize with the Boston Bruins.

Previously on NYRangersInsider

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