Day: July 12, 2021

Two of the Rangers three assistant coaching roles have been filled today, with the hiring of Gord Murphy and Mike Kelly.  Both have been assistant coaches under the new Rangers’ head coach, with Murphy working with Gallant through his first head coaching term in Columbus, and Kelly being behind the bench with Gallant in Florida and Vegas.  Kelly also worked with Gallant in the QMJHL with the Saint John Sea Dogs, and has been part of the success in each of the three franchises have seen.

Murphy perhaps is best known as one of the Florida Panther defensemen where he spent six seasons from 1993-94 to 1998-99.  Overall he played 862 games in the NHL, before turing to the coaching ranks after his retirement.  He comes to New York with 16 years of experience, spanning stints with the Blue Jackets, Panthers and Flyers.  The past two seasons, he’s been an associate coach with the Rangers’ AHL team, the Hartford Wolfpack.