It did not take long for the hammer to come down after the Rangers’ season ended in first-round tears on Monday night.
The Rangers fired head coach Gerard Gallant the team announced Saturday, following the Blueshirts’ massive disappointment of a Game 7 loss to the Devils, a 4-0 no-show which rendered their 107-point regular season a footnote.
The Post’s Larry Brooks was the first to report the news.
“I want to first thank Gerard for his work and commitment to the Rangers during his time as head coach,” Rangers GM Chris Drury in a statement. “I have a ton of respect for Gerard as both a coach and person and truly appreciate everything he did for us on and off the ice these last two seasons.
“After my evaluation of the season and discussions with Gerard, we mutually came to the conclusion that a change would be beneficial for both parties. I wish he and his family all the best in the future. Our search for a new head coach will begin right away.”
In two years as the Rangers’ head coach, Gallant compiled a 99-46-19 record on Broadway, taking the Rangers on a Cinderella run to the conference finals last season before they played the role of a slain Goliath this time around.