TARRYTOWN, NY -- The New York Rangers blamed their own lackluster play for getting coach Peter Laviolette fired but said that "outside noise" this season contributed to their disastrous drop in the standings.
Laviolette was fired on Saturday after the Rangers failed to make the playoffs after their Presidents' Trophy-winning season, in which they advanced to the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals. Laviolette was the second consecutive Rangers coach fired after two seasons behind the bench. In 2023, he replaced Gerard Gallant, who made the conference final in his first season with the Rangers and was fired after losing to New Jersey in the first round.