The New York Rangers announced (Twitter link) that they have agreed on a two year contract extension with head coach Alain Vigneault. Vigneault was in the fourth season of a five year deal signed back in 2013 and this extension will keep him with the team through the 2019-20 season. The contract also carries a considerable raise from the $2MM he’s currently receiving. ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun notes (Twitter link) that the final year of his existing contract has been ripped up and that he will now receive $4MM for 2017-18. He’ll also earn that amount in 2018-19 and $4.25MM in 2019-20. That will make him the third highest paid coach in the league behind Toronto’s Mike Babcock and Chicago’s Joel Quenneville.
The 55 year old is in his fourth season with the Rangers, who presently sit fourth in the Metropolitan Division with a 31-17-1 record through 49 games. That mark currently gives them the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Through 295 games behind the New York Bench, Vigneault has a 175-97-23 record with a Presidents’ Trophy in 2014-15 and a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2014. In that span, the Rangers have the fifth most points in the NHL and the third most in the East behind only the Capitals and Penguins. His 175 victories are the fourth most in franchise history; he’ll likely hit third place later this season as he’s just six wins behind Frank Boucher.
The Rangers are the third team Vigneault has coached in his NHL career having had spans with Montreal from 1997-2001 and Vancouver from 2006-2013. The Canucks finished first in points during the regular season twice during his tenure there while also making a Stanley Cup Final appearance back in 2011. His 597 career victories rank 15th in NHL history.
Larry Brooks of the New York Post was first to report the deal.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
They are also behind the Blue Jackets in the Metropolitan not the East thus being the first wild card.
Great move. Rangers fans who dislike AV should go watch the Islanders.