Rangers HC Peter Laviolette gets scorched by seasoned New York radio host after Blueshirts' lackluster loss to Flames

New York Rangers coach Peter Laviolette must go, New York radio host Boomer Esiason believes.

During the Boomer and Gio show on WFAN Sports Radio published on Wednesday, noted New York sports radio personality Boomer Esiason had some tough love for Laviolette and his team following their 2-1 loss to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night at home.

Esiason ripped into the Rangers, stating:

“You would think that since the Rangers had a day off that they’d be a little bit more rested. They were so disconnected, so disinterested.”

The comments come after the Blue Shirts mustered just 13 shots against the Flames. While Calgary peppered New York starting netminder Igor Shesterkin with 35 shots, the Rangers goalkeeper made 33 saves to keep the damage minimal.

The Flames took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission, and New York could not find the equalizer over the next 40 minutes.

Then, Esiason dropped a bomb by stating:

“Laviolette has got to go.”

In the former NFL quarterback’s assessment:

“You could tell that the players just, either they don’t give a damn, or something is amiss within the body of the team. Something has been amiss since they lost last year to the Panthers in the playoffs.”

The 2024 Presidents Trophy winners have struggled all season but are still involved in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Blue Shirts played Wednesday one point off the second wildcard spot in the East.

Given the stiff competition from the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens, New York faces a challenging battle against time to keep their playoff hopes alive.

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Looking at New York Rangers' playoff chances with 13 games to go

The New York Rangers remain in contention for one of the Eastern Conference’s two wildcard spots, given they trail the Montreal Canadiens by one point and the Ottawa Senators by five.

However, Money Puck assigns the Blue Shirts a relatively slim playoff chance, a 35.1 percent chance of making the postseason.

In contrast, the Senators have a 95.6 percent chance, while the Canadiens aren’t far behind at 31.2 percent. Additionally, the crosstown New York Islanders have a decent shot at nabbing a playoff spot, with Money Puck rating them at 26.9 percent.

With 13 games to go, the Blue Shirts will be looking to right the ship. Failing to make the playoffs would likely unleash an offseason debacle that might cost Laviolette his job. It remains to be seen if a more significant shake-up could happen, starting at the top with GM Chris Drury.