It was revealed earlier this week that the New York Rangers have released former assistant coach Michael Peca after the team had hired former Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan.![New York Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan #nhl #rangers]()
This leaves a vacancy on the Rangers bench and there are several people available who could fill this role well.
Several candidates would fit the mold of the Rangers
Rangers general manager Chris Drury along with Sullivan will look for their next assistant coach and one coach would like to restore himself after being fired from Anaheim Ducks who is Greg Cronin.
Cronin went 62-87-15 in Anaheim in his short tenure as head coach. Additionally, the Ducks' 80 points this most recent season were a 21-point improvement over last year but weren't enough to contend for a playoff spot - and not enough to save Cronin's job. - Jennifer Streeter
The 61-year-old still has plenty of gas left in the tank and would likely have another shot at a job and where better to revive your career with the New York Rangers and Sullivan.
Another potential candidate who could help the Rangers would be Edmonton Oilers assistant coach Glenn Gulutzan. He currently runs the power play for the team which has been clicking well throughout the playoffs and over the past couple of years.
In the 2024-25 NHL season, Edmonton's PP percentage was 23.7%, placing them 11th in the league compared to the Rangers' power play finishing 28th out of 32. - Jennifer Streeter
The Rangers power play in need of a shake up and bringing Gulutzan may be the answer as the team will attempt to change the lineup throughout the summer especially with the potential move of Rangers centre Chris Kreider.
Rangers have one candidate who worked with them recently
Last but certainly not least would be former Seattle Kraken assistant coach Jessica Campbell. Campbell has made history as the first female coach in the NHL and has extensive knowledge of hockey as she played the game herself but the Ivy League's Cornell University and was captain of her squad in her final year.
Unlike the other candidates on this list, the female play-caller already has a history with the Blueshirts. In 2022, Campbell joined the Rangers' 2022 Development Camp as a coach, becoming the first woman in the history of the Original Six franchises to serve in such a role. - Jennifer Streeter
It's safe to say that the coaching staff will take its time to search their next assistant but with those names and others becoming available as the season ends will certainly give the team plenty of opportunities to scour the league for people who
are looking to help turn around the Blueshirts.
