Rangers stars make their feelings known about new HC Peter Laviolette

The anticipation of the upcoming NHL season has already brought excitement and curiosity among the New York Rangers players, especially with the arrival of their new head coach, Peter Laviolette. At the Shoulder Check Showcase charity event, key players like Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, Adam Fox, and Barclay Goodrow shared their thoughts on their initial interactions with Laviolette and his reputation as a coach.

Having spoken with Laviolette before the start of the training camp, the Rangers stars expressed their eagerness to learn from a coach with a remarkable track record around the NHL. Adam Fox acknowledged:

"Everything I’ve heard, he’s a great coach. Obviously, you learn more about him as you actually play for someone. Seems like a pretty good coach."

Chris Kreider emphasized:

"My impression is that his teams have always been very hard to play. Obviously, recently remember the Washington team, but even more so those Nashville teams [were] incredibly hard to play against."

For Zibanejad, Kreider, and Fox, change is nothing new, having had three different head coaches in the past four seasons. They acknowledged that entering training camp with a fresh perspective and a new voice in the locker room is part of the game. Zibanejad shared his perspective, saying:

"When we come into training camp, we’ll see how it is. I don’t expect my game to change by any means like that, but definitely some change in the team structure."

While these talented players are confident in their abilities, they understand that Laviolette's arrival may bring changes to the team's structure and playing style. Zibanejad expressed his hope that he could maintain his game's essence but acknowledged the likelihood of adapting to the coach's system to leverage their strengths effectively. He said:

"Obviously, it’s going to be probably a different structure-wise and the way he wants the team to play. I’m sure he knows most of us and how we play and how we can use our strengths through the system and go from there."

Throughout the NHL, Laviolette's reputation as a great coach precedes him, and the Rangers stars are eager to have him guide their team to new heights.

Updates on the New York Rangers' cap space

The Rangers have around $6.175 million in cap space after initial free-agency activities. Signing restricted free agents K'Andre Miller and Alexis Lafreniere is their priority.

They made smart acquisitions, including Jonathan Quick, Erik Gustafsson, and Connor Mackey for less than $1 million each, aligning with their financial goals. The team also strengthened its forward lineup with Blake Wheeler, Tyler Pitlick, Nick Bonino, Riley Nash, and Alex Belize.

These moves set a promising foundation for the Rangers' future success on the ice as negotiations with restricted free agents continue.