NYR Coach Hunt `13: Getting Interesting or Awkward?

This afternoon, reports surfaced that both Mark Messier and Wayne Gretzky are interested in becoming the new Ranger coach.   While that's sort of interesting, it's potentially awkward as well.  Messier, particularly,  has never done much coaching,  He did coach Team Canada in a couple of tournaments they lost, but he's never done anything at the NHL or even AHL level.   Though he is tremendously leaderly, that doesn't always translate into being a great coach.    If he's serious about coaching, the Rangers should offer him the WolfPack, but that creates even more problems.  First, Mess is 52 and that's almost geriatric to be starting your coaching career in the AHL.   Second, what coach is going to want to coach the Rangers knowing that Ranger Legend Mark Messier is a phone call away in Hartford ?     So the AHL idea seems too tricky.   What about hiring him and loading his staff with great and experienced coaches.   That's basically what they would HAVE TO do, if they decided to go down this road.   But I'm sort of hoping they stick with an ascendant coach like Dallas Eakins.

Gretzky is, perhaps, a little more interesting.    He was a .500ish coach with some really bad teams and a franchise that wouldn't pay him in Phoenix.   So he has coaching experience and possibly even impressive coaching experience.   He's also a hockey genius.   There are no two ways around that statement.  And though hiring The Great One over Messier might ruffle feathers - there's no crying in hockey   So, I'd be a little more interested in Gretzky if they decide to go the legend route, but I'm hoping they don't.

Anyway, it seems everybody wants the Ranger job, and that must at least speak to the overall health of the franchise, which should continue to improve.


 Let's get Eakins and Let's Go Rangers!