RALEIGH, N.C. — Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant was named Thursday as a finalist for the 2021-22 Jack Adams award, given annually to the coach “adjudged to have contributed the most to his team’s success.” It’s the third time in Gallant’s career that he has been a finalist.
No Rangers coach has ever won the award, but Gallant joins Alain Vigneault (2014-15), John Tortorella (2011-12), Tom Renney (2005-06), Roger Neilson (1989-90, 1991-92), and Fred Shero (1978-79) as Blueshirts bench bosses to be up for the top coaching award. Gallant won it in his first season with the Golden Knights, their inaugural season of 2017-18.
“It’s an honor,” Gallant said after the Rangers’ optional practice Thursday ahead of Game 2 of their second-round playoff series against the Hurricanes on Friday night. “Being out the last two years and to come back with the New York team, you know, the team has been excellent this year with a young team. It’s definitely an honor to be in that group.”
Gallant is up against the Panthers’ Andrew Brunette and the Flames’ Darryl Sutter, who told reporters he would like to see Gallant win the award.
Since he was hired by the Rangers last June, Gallant has played a major role in establishing a winning culture in New York. His hands-off approach has taken pressure off the Rangers, who were once very much in their own heads.
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Try it now“Just lets guys play,” Ryan Reaves said of how Gallant is able to make his players feel comfortable. “He doesn’t harp on guys, he doesn’t harp on mistakes. He lets you know if you made a mistake, but not in a way that’s gonna make you nervous to go out and do something next shift. I think he gives you the confidence to go out and rectify any mistakes you make and he lets you know when you’re doing a good job.
“I think the biggest thing is he allows guys to play with confidence, whether they have a good shift or a bad shift.”
Under Gallant, the Rangers finished the regular season with a 52-24-6 record for 110 points. Their 52 wins were tied for the second most in franchise history and their 110 points were the third most in a single season.
Gallant, who led the Golden Knights to 51 victories in 2017-18, became just the second head coach in NHL history to record 50-plus wins in his first season with multiple franchises. Mike Keenan is the only other NHL coach to accomplish that feat, with the Flyers in 1984-85 and with the Rangers in 1993-94.
“You look at what he did first year in Vegas, first year here,” said Reaves, who played for Gallant with the Golden Knights. “How many guys have career years under him. Takes a team that wasn’t in the playoffs last year and fighting for first in the division. No surprise to me.”
The Rangers held an optional practice Thursday that was relatively well attended. Sammy Blais, who is working his way back from an ACL tear, was back on the ice again after rejoining the team for the first time during morning skate before Game 1 on Wednesday.