Report: Ex-NHL coach Gerard Gallant to lead KHL team

Gerard Gallant, who spent 11 seasons as a head coach in the NHL, has accepted a coaching position in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League, TSN reported Thursday.An official announcement is expected s

Report: Ex-NHL coach Gerard Gallant to lead KHL team

Gerard Gallant, who spent 11 seasons as a head coach in the NHL, has accepted a coaching position in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League, TSN reported Thursday.

An official announcement is expected soon.

Gallant, 61, last coached in the NHL with the New York Rangers (2021-23) but previously coached the Columbus Blue Jackets (2003-04, 2005-07), Florida Panthers (2014-17) and expansion Vegas Golden Knights (2017-20).

He took the first-year Vegas squad to the Stanley Cup Final in 2018, where they lost to the Washington Capitals in five games. He won the Jack Adams Award as the league’s coach of the year.

In this first season with the Rangers in 2021-22, he led the team to the Eastern Conference final with a 52-24-6 (110 points) record, with the Rangers losing in the Eastern Conference final to the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games.

The next season, despite a 47-22-13 (107 points) mark, the Rangers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in seven games by the New Jersey Devils.

He was fired after that season.

Gallant has a career record of 369-262-4-70 in 705 regular-season games.