Steve Starr
- Bovada has updated odds on who will be the next head coach of the New York Rangers
- Gerard Gallant is a -170 favorite to step behind the bench in Madison Square Garden
- New president and GM Chris Drury won a Stanley Cup with Bob Hartley (+650) and Patrick Roy (+800) during his playing career
While the best teams in the National Hockey League compete for the Stanley Cup, some of the worst clubs are on the hunt for new head coaches.
Perhaps the most prestigious job available is the one behind the bench for the New York Rangers. After cleaning house a month ago, the “Original Six” franchise is looking for someone to lead them back into the playoffs after missing the postseason four years in a row.
Before we take a look at who’s favored to be the Blueshirts’ next boss, remember to check out our NHL betting tips page for advice on how to wager on hockey.
Next Rangers Head Coach Odds
 |
|
| Gerard Gallant | -170 |
| Bob Hartley | +650 |
| Claude Julien | +650 |
| Bruce Boudreau | +750 |
| Patrick Roy | +800 |
| John Tortorella | +1800 |
| Rick Tocchet | +3300 |
Gerard Gallant the leading candidate
Gerard Gallant is a -170 favorite to succeed David Quinn behind the bench in New York after leading Team Canada to an unexpected gold medal at the World Championships last week. The 57-year-old had a second interview with the Rangers while in Latvia for the tournament, but the team’s new president and general manager Chris Drury is reportedly waiting to see if any other coaches shake free after playoff exits.
Some notable names who could soon become available are Jared Bednar, whose Avalanche trail the Golden Knights 3-2 in their second-round series, and Rod Brind’Amour.
On Gerard Gallant, an amazing story at the world championships, and now figuring out what’s next for him on the NHL coaching front. My piece: https://t.co/uN9bmVyCez
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) June 7, 2021
With his contract now expired, the Hurricanes coach is technically a free agent after being eliminated from the postseason by the Tampa Bay Lightning and could be offered a lot more more money from the Rangers or the expansion Seattle Kraken.
Other coaching options
Chris Drury won a Stanley Cup with both Bob Hartley (+650) and Patrick Roy (+800) in Colorado 20 years ago, but the latter is apparently not in the running for the position, according to Larry Brooks at the New York Post. And the same goes for John Tortorella (+1800), Mike Babcock, Bruce Boudreau (+750) and Claude Julien (+650), apparently.
However, Brooks says Rick Tocchet (+3300) has spoken to Drury twice and remains in contention for the job after creating a favorable impression. Aside from winning two Cups with Pittsburgh as an assistant, the 57-year-old has a pedestrian 178-200-60 record in his six seasons behind an NHL bench. But, at +3300, the price is certainly right.
In the last few weeks, I’ve spoken to a dozen people who have been close with Chris Drury at various stages of his life to find out more about what makes the new #NYR boss tick.
What I discovered was a life devoted to winning without shortcuts.
STORY 👇🏼 https://t.co/2qCw0TOcSm
— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) June 2, 2021
At the moment, hedging your bets between Gallant (-170) and Tocchet (+3300) seems like the smartest angle, however, after his success with the expansion Golden Knights, Gallant may decide to pack his bags for Seattle if they miss out on Brind’Amour. Don’t forget, Kraken general manager Ron Francis played with Brind’Amour during his last five seasons in the league and witnessed him lead the Canes to a Stanley Cup victory in 2006.
If you’re looking to wager on other head coaching openings, Bovada also has odds on who will be the next head coaches for the Arizona Coyotes, Buffalo Sabres and the Columbus Blue Jackets.
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
