The New York Rangers announced Alain Vigneault as their new head coach on Friday morning at Radio City Music Hall. New York parted ways with outspoken John Tortorella after being eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs by the Boston Bruins in the second round.
Vigneault was thought by many to be the leading candidate for the Rangers vacancy after impressing the team's front office during a pair of interviews. He was introduced as the 87-year-old franchises 35th coach in team history.
"It's an Original Six (team). It's got a chance to win. It's one of the elite teams in my opinion in the NHL, and and I want to win, so given the opportunity to come here, it was just something that I couldn't turn down," said Vigneault, who agreed to a five-year contract with the Rangers worth $10 million.
"There's no better place than here to win a Stanley Cup."
Team president Glen Sather told members of the media that the Rangers considered 13 candidates for the job, which was later narrowed down to nine. The GM then conducted several phone interviews, while interviewing Vigneault and former Rangers center Mark Messier in person.
Vigneault impressed the front office members uring the team's organization meetings in California and eventually met with owner James Dolan in New York. Vigneault was also considering the Dallas Stars, but ultimately chose New York.
"I did find out it's a lot easier to negotiate yourself a contract when you've got two teams that are after you, not just one," Vigneault joked, prompting Sather to reply, "I don't particularly enjoy that remark."
Vigneault noted that his daughters hinted at wanting him to get the Rangers coaching job by wearing Yankees hats while visiting his youngest daughter's apartment at Concordia University in Montreal. "I told them, 'I know where you want me to go, so I'll see what I can do,'" Vigneault said.
© Copyright 2024 Sports World News, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
