DETROIT — When Gerard Gallant talks about what he wants to see from the Rangers as they embark on the final 25 games of the regular season, beginning with Thursday night’s matchup with the Red Wings, shades of Mariano Duncan’s mantra for the Yankees’ 1996 World Series win comes through.
“We play today, we win today,” the Yankees former starting second baseman said.
That is the way Gallant has operated since he assumed the role as the Rangers head coach in June 2021. The 59-year-old bench boss is in the business of winning hockey games. From what it sounds like around the NHL, he always has been.
It’s not about development. It’s not about whether it’s the right time or not. It’s about the here and now, and stacking wins at this very moment with the hope of moving closer to the ultimate goal.
This philosophy is perhaps what made Gallant the perfect fit to satisfy what Rangers owner Jim Dolan wants, which became very clear when he sacked the former Rangers staff of John Davidson, Jeff Gorton and David Quinn. Spoiler: It’s a Stanley Cup. Not just in a couple years, but now.
Gallant’s outlook is what makes him the guy for the job. He knows it’s a results business, and every day, Gallant is looking to deliver on that. Knowing what we know now of his win-first mindset, the hiring of Gallant essentially slammed the book of the Rangers’ rebuild shut.
Asked if he’s the type to look at the club’s recent hiccups as a positive because it means that they can still peak closer to — if not during — the playoffs, Gallant balked at the idea (baseball pun intended).
“I want to get as many points as we can,” he said after the Rangers held an optional morning skate at Little Caesars Arena Thursday morning, before they faced the Red Wings. “If you’re playing good, you’re worried about your team getting those points. You always look at the standings and you want to get a little higher. I want us playing the best games every night. It’s a two-and-a-half-hour game, get out there and play your best and work your hardest and get the two points.
“That game in Calgary, we were fortunate to get a point there. We didn’t play well, but we got a point and we found a way to battle back so. I want us to play 25 good hockey games, prepare to play 25 good games and see where we end up.”
You’ll be hard-pressed to find any level of satisfaction around the Rangers room regarding their current position in the standings. Sitting in sixth place in the NHL with 75 points heading into Thursday night’s game, the Rangers are just four points behind the Devils and trailing the Metropolitan Division-leading Hurricanes by nine.
Gallant’s attitude just seems to have a trickle effect down to the players, who are being led by guys who are still searching for their first Cup like Jacob Trouba, Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin.
The Rangers are gearing up for the playoffs, on and off the ice, mentally and physically. There will be no settling for what they’ve already accomplished, which includes turning their season around 180 degrees after the first two months of the season. Not while Gallant is in charge.