Rangers coach: John Hynes seems to be the favorite, but...

Since the New York Rangers announced that Gerard Gallant would not be returning for next season, we’ve heard a ton of names floating around town. Peter Laviolette and John Hynes seem to be the ones most often mentioned, but Patrick Roy is also a name that has come up.

I don’t really believe in the possibility of seeing Roy in the Big Apple, but you never know.

And right now, the picture seems to be taking shape. According to Elliotte Friedman, John Hynes seems to be the favorite at the moment, and he reportedly met Chris Drury in person this week.

Friedman on NY Rangers head coach (32TP): “At the combine a lot of people were telling me they were hearing more and more Hynes who I believe met in person with Drury this week”.

– NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) June 9, 2023

If the Rangers hire Hynes, it won’t be long before he’s back on his feet. Remember that he was fired by the Predators a few weeks ago (he was replaced by Andrew Brunette) and his name has been circulating ever since.

But…

Still, there’s something fishy about the whole thing. As Friedman again notes, it’s a bit odd that it hasn’t yet been announced whether he’s the chosen candidate, and it’s much the same if it had been Peter Laviolette considering that both are currently “autonomous coaches”.

That’s why he’s raised the possibility that there’s yet another unknown candidate after whom the club is currently waiting.

However, Friedman warns the Rangers have him a bit confused, if it was going to be Laviolette, it would have been done, if they wanted Hynes, it would have been, could be another candidate or someone they are waiting for that we don’t know.

– NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) June 9, 2023

Of course, you have to wonder whether this would bring a guy like Patrick Roy back into the race. We know he’s been busy with the Memorial Cup recently, and maybe the Rangers wanted to wait for the dust to settle before interviewing him.

Otherwise, we know that Mike Sullivan’s name has been floating around town. He’s still under contract in Pittsburgh at the moment, and while he doesn’t necessarily seem to be on his way out, it’s a rumor that just won’t die. We know that the lure of New York is sometimes strong, and that could lead Sullivan to consider the job.

And if we’re really talking about a candidate after whom the Rangers are “waiting”, I can’t help but wonder if they wouldn’t wait to see how the situation develops on the Toronto side. Maybe the club would like to hire Sheldon Keefe if he loses his job, but then again, the team’s new GM, Brad Treliving, seemed to give him a vote of confidence when he took over.

He might actually survive the GM change in Toronto → https://t.co/6thRHgMJPW

– DansLesCoulisses (@DLCoulisses) June 3, 2023

The situation seems a little strange, then, and there may be another candidate whose identity is completely unknown who is at the height of the race right now. I still think it will ultimately be Hynes, but the fact that there’s been no announcement yet makes it curious.

In bursts

– It’s not a bad idea.

“If you want to push it to the limit, give (Swayman) more than Linus Ullmark, and make Boston make a decision there.”

– @martybiron43 on a potential offer sheet for #NHLBruins RFA goalie, Jeremy Swayman 👀

Are you going by Marty’s BOOK on this one?? 📕

– The Ray & Dregs Hockey Podcast (@rayanddregs) June 10, 2023

– That’s a good start, hehe.