The Vegas Golden Knights are expected to make the announcement official at some point today. With the NHL playoffs beginning, the Vegas Golden Knights are ensuring they aren't forgotten about.
Expected to be named head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights, Gerard Gallant led the Florida Panthers to their franchise-best season last year. He was eventually fired early in his third season with the club. The Panthers had a decent, mediocre record of 11-10-1 when Gallant was fired, and the team failed to improve after his dismissal.
Gallant also spent parts of three seasons coaching the Columbus Blue Jackets during the 2003-04, 2005-06, and 2006-07 seasons.
For the Golden Knights, their first head coach hire will allow the franchise to start taking its form. Gallant is known for being a player's coach. Most of his players will go to war for him, and that is a very important attribute to have when you are at the helm of a team that will be on the wrong side of the win column in the first few seasons.
Hockey Night in Canada's Elliotte Friedman was the first to post anything of notice about Gallant's expected impending hiring. Friedman looked at Vegas Owner Bill Foley's comments about finding a player's coach and connected the dots.
It will not be an easy task for Vegas' new bench boss, as most inaugural coaches do not last very long. Aside from Barry Trotz in Nashville and Jacques Lemaire in Minnesota, expansion franchises normally only make it three seasons or less with their first head coaches.
GM George McPhee is a smart hockey man, and he knows it will take some time to turn a nothing team into a winner, and continuity in coaching is an important aspect of that stretch.
Congrats Gerard, I'm willing to bet you do well in Sin City.
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