Peter Laviolette’s return to Madison Square Garden came with all the familiar trappings: the spotlight, the history, and a Rangers crowd that gave him a respectful reception before the night turned into a 6-3 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Oct. 26.
It was Laviolette’s first game back at MSG since being let go by the Rangers in April of 2025, closing the book on a two-year stint that went from the top of the NHL regular season to a much rougher second act. He coached the Blueshirts for two seasons, with the first bringing a Presidents’ Trophy and a trip to the conference final, and the second ending without a playoff berth.
Before puck drop, Laviolette made clear he still carries memories of his time in New York. “It was kind of a tale of two years,” Laviolette said per Mollie Walker of the New York Post.
“The first year was really good, I mean, most wins and most points and a very storied franchise. Took it to three rounds to Florida and lost in Game 6, and that was disappointing.
Not to win a couple more games and get that chance to play for the Cup. But, overall, looking back at that year, it was a year that was really good.
It was something that I’ll remember being here in New York. Obviously, the second year was not as smooth and had problems inside of it.”
He also didn’t hide how much he valued the city and the fan base. “I really enjoyed being here,” Laviolette also said to Walker.
“I love being at Madison Square Garden. I mean, the New York fans were just awesome.
I can’t tell you how many times I was around the country and somebody would come up to me and say, ‘I’m the biggest Rangers fan ever.’ And I’m like, ‘They’re all the biggest Rangers fans ever.’
And I think they are. They talk about the history of how their grandfather took them to a game like 50 years ago, and they’re 60 years old and now they’re taking their grandkids.
Because it’s been around for 100 years, you get stories like that.
“You can feel the passion from the people and the fans, and it’s pretty cool to be in a city like this. It’s one of the greatest cities in the country.
It’s a huge sports market. It’s Madison Square Garden.
It’s the New York Rangers. There was a lot of things that I loved about being here and part of New York.”
The loss itself featured a big night from Drew Doughty, who finished with three points on a goal and two assists. Laviolette’s old Rangers staffer Phil Housley is also now with him on the West Coast, along with Artemi Panarin, who was traded to the Kings.
Laviolette’s first year behind the Rangers bench was the peak of the run. New York won 55 games and piled up 114 points, both franchise records, on the way to the NHL regular-season championship.
His career coaching record now sits at 849-568-25-163, and the Kings’ next game is against the Ottawa Senators.
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