The Rangers’ decision to put Jay Leach behind the bench in Hartford didn’t come out of nowhere. There’s a clear thread running through the hire, and it leads back to Mike Sullivan.
This offseason, New York brought Leach in as the head coach of the Hartford Wolf Pack in the American Hockey League. That move carried some familiarity, too, because Leach had already been a head-coaching candidate for the Rangers in 2023 before they ultimately hired Peter Laviolette.
Sullivan’s connection to Leach goes back even further. He was the one who handed Leach his first coaching job before the 2015-16 season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL, a starting point that helped shape Leach’s path through the game.
“When I got a chance to work right next to him in Wilkes-Barre, I was really impressed, but not surprised, with his work ethic. He rolls his sleeves up, he works hard at being a good coach, he brings a certain humility to the job every day that I think is so important for all of us.”
Leach has built on that early break with stops as an assistant coach for the Seattle Kraken from 2021 to 2024 and, most recently, for the Boston Bruins from 2024 to 2026.
His arrival in Hartford came shortly after the Rangers moved on from Grant Potulny and assistants Jamie Tardif and Paul Mara.
Bob Woods and John Stevens were also added as assistant coaches under Leach with the Wolf Pack.
In Other News...
Vladislav Gavrikov Just Became A Rangers Question Fans Didn't Expect
The Rangers brought in Vladislav Gavrikov expecting a stabilizing presence on the blue line after the KAndre Miller trade, and he delivered the kind of season that usually quiets a lot of debate. He logged heavy minutes, showed up every night and gave New York a dependable two-way defenseman during a difficult year, the sort of player coaches lean on when the rest of the roster is trying to find its footing.
What makes Gavrikov interesting now is that his first season in New York did more than fill a hole. He produced at a level the Rangers had not necessarily banked on, setting career highs while looking like one of the teams most reliable pieces. For a club still sorting out its identity, that kind of steady value is a gift, but it also creates a new kind of question about just how central he has become to the future of the defense. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Suddenly Have A Real Dylan Garand Problem
Dylan Garands brief NHL look last season gave the Rangers a reason to believe he could be part of the goalie picture sooner rather than later, and the two-year contract he signed looked like another sign that his time was arriving. After a strong debut late in the year, he entered the summer with a legitimate chance to push for a bigger role, especially with the organization continuing to look for stability behind its starter.
Instead, the path has gotten crowded fast. The addition of veteran Joonas Korpisalo changes the backup conversation in a meaningful way, and Garands standing around the league took a hit too, with the young netminder left off a recent top prospects list after previously being included. Unless something changes, he appears headed back to Hartford for the upcoming season, and the only real question now is whether he can get there cleanly. [Read more 🡒]
Wolf Pack Camp Has A New Name To Watch Early
Hartfords first training camp under a largely new coaching staff and roster will have a fresh face to sort through in Justin Nachbaur, who signed with the Wolf Pack as a free agent. For a group trying to establish its identity quickly, the addition gives the Rangers AHL affiliate another player to evaluate as camp opens and roles start to take shape.
Nachbaur said he is excited about the opportunity and offered a clear snapshot of what he hopes to bring. He describes himself as a power forward who leans on a hard, physical style, the kind of profile that can stand out early in camp if the pace and tone get a little heavier. [Read more 🡒]