The Rangers parted ways with Laviolette after the team missed the playoffs despite a promising start to the season. Laviolette departs with a 94–59–11 regular-season record and a 10–5–1 playoff mark in New York.

Todd Nelson has won five different minor league championships as head coach in the last two decades. That includes back-to-back titles for the Washington Capitals' AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears, the past two seasons. He also aided the Dallas Stars to the Stanley Cup Final in 2020 as an assistant who heavily guided team tactics.