The New York Rangers have taken their time in hiring a replacement for head coach Gerard Gallant, but Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury may be down to two candidates for the role in Peter Laviolette and John Hynes, according to Arthur Staple of The Athletic.

It has been a month since the Rangers and Gerard Gallant parted ways. Peter Laviolette has been viewed as a favorite for much of the process, but John Hynes has joined as a contender since being let go by the Nashville Predators.

Laviolette is an experienced coach, who most recently was with the Washington Capitals. He was fired after the team missed the playoffs in 2023. He has also coached with the Predators, Philadelphia Flyers, Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders. The Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup in 2006 under Laviolette's coaching. The Flyers reached the Stanley Cup Final in his first season with the team in 2010, losing to the Chicago Blackhawks. The Predators also reached the Stanley Cup Final under Laviolette in 2017, losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Hynes has head coaching experience with the New Jersey Devils and the Predators. He reached the playoffs one time with the Devils, and reached it three times with the Predators, before being let go after missing the playoffs in 2023. His teams never made it past the first round in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Hynes is a former teammate of Chris Drury from their days at Boston University.

The Calgary Flames and the Rangers are the two teams who still need to hire head coaches. Andrew Brunette, Spencer Carbery, Greg Cronin and Mike Babcock are off the market, as they have found teams.

It will be interesting to see who Chris Drury hires for a team that expects to win right away with a new coach behind the bench.