Rangers coaching rumors: 5 replacements for Alain Vigneault

NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31: Head coach Alain Vigneault of the New York Rangers speaks to the media after practice at Citi Field on December 31, 2017 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. The team will take part in the 2018 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic on New Years Day. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) /

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3. Patrick Roy

Roy’s late exit from the Colorado Avalanche in 2016, in an apparent power struggle over personnel decisions, looked kind of smart as the team put up the lowest point total in the league in 2016-17. But the Avs have rebounded to a playoff berth this year under Jared Bednar, so Roy’s eccentric personality did him in with a short-sighted view over personnel input and more likely, a desire for credit on his part.

Roy’s first season as Colorado’s coach finished with a surprising division title (52-22-8 record, and the team posted 90 points (39-31-12) in his second season. Even in his in third and final season, the Avalanche hovered around .500 (39-39-4-82 points).

After his retirement as a player, Roy spent a number of years in various roles (including co-owner, general manager and eventually head coach) with the Quebec Remparts in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. That gives him a level of experience in all parts of an organization which most NHL head coaches don’t have on any level, while also given him an out-sized confidence in his ability to do more than coach.

The Rangers probably won’t offer Roy a dual job title like he had in Colorado (head coach and vice president of hockey operations), with Jeff Gorton in place as general manager and Glen Sather not going anywhere as team president. But he is an interesting candidate, and in the Big Apple that’s enough to put him on this list.

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