Rangers add two assistants to Gerard Gallant’s staff

The Rangers have added a pair of assistant coaches, The Post has learned.

The Blueshirts have elevated Gord Murphy from his associate coaching position with the AHL Wolf Pack to incoming head coach Gerard Gallant’s staff in New York while also hiring Mike Kelly as an assistant, The Post has learned.

Murphy, who worked as an assistant for Gallant with the Blue Jackets for parts of three seasons from 2003-04 into 2006-07, will handle the defense, as he did temporarily during the season when then-head coach David Quinn and his staff were sidelined under the league’s COVID-protocol.

The 54-year-old also handled the defense on an interim basis during the 2020 summer camp and qualifying round after Lindy Ruff left his post as a Blueshirts assistant to accept the head coaching job in New Jersey.

Murphy — who has also been an assistant for the Panthers and Flyers, the two teams with whom he spent the majority of his 14-year NHL career — replaces Jacques Martin, dismissed following the season.

The 61-year-old Kelly, who has served as an assistant on Gallant’s staff in Florida and Vegas (and in the QMJHL and, most recently, for Team Canada’s championship run in the recent World Championships), will act as the club’s eye-in-sky for two periods before joining the club behind the bench for the third period. Kelly is replacing Greg Brown.

The Rangers are still seeking a third assistant coach to in effect replace David Oliver, who was in charge of the forwards and power-play unit.

In addition, general manger Chris Drury and Hartford head coach Kris Knoblauch are conducting a search for an assistant to replace Murphy with the Wolf Pack.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Larry Brooks

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