Bobby Bevilacqua

Alain Vigneault has done a tremendous job as head coach of the Rangers this season, overcoming tons of obstacles to pilot the Rangers to a potential 50+ win season. Photo courtesy of John Minchillo/Canadian Press.

For most of the season, the Rangers have been overlooked as one of the elite teams in the NHL. Despite having one of the best records, including that impressive three month streak of success, they were overlooked, with teams like the Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning, Anaheim Ducks, and even the Los Angeles Kings ranked amongst the strongest teams in the league.

With that in mind, Alain Vigneault has also been overlooked for the Jack Adams award, given to the best coach for that season. With everything that Vigneault has done for the Rangers, he deserves to take home the award come season’s end.

Vigneault’s biggest disadvantage is the fact that the Coach of the Year award generally goes to the team with the biggest turnaround. The Rangers came into the season expecting to return to the playoffs, and have a solid season. When you look at the current frontrunners, they are coaching teams like the Nashville Predators, Calgary Flames, and the Vancouver Canucks. Read the rest of this entry →