from Larry Brooks of the New York Post,

Gerard Gallant’s ire in answering questions about his job security at Wednesday’s breakup day was understandable but misplaced.

For the rampant speculation that the Rangers might make a coaching change in the wake of their first-round, seven-game defeat to the Devils would stop in an instant upon a signal — not even a statement — from the organization that Gallant will indeed and of course be behind the bench next season.

Instead, crickets.

The only deduction to be made is that a decision is pending, whether that is or is not fair to Gallant after steering the club to 110- and 107-point seasons that features last year’s run to the conference finals.

The pool of potential replacements appears shallow. A year ago, Barry Trotz, Paul Maurice, Bruce Cassidy, Pete DeBoer, Rick Tocchet and John Tortorella would have been available. Now, not one of them is. Who’s out there, Peter Laviolette, whose teams in Nashville and Washington have failed to win a playoff round since 2018?

That might be giving pause to president-general manager Chris Drury and to Garden chairman Jim Dolan as the hierarchy processes this early elimination.

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