The Rangers’ goaltending guru, Benoit Allaire, is scaling back his workload.
Allaire will continue to serve as the organization’s director of goaltending, but the well-respected 60-year-old has opted to no longer serve as the club’s goalie coach on a day-to-day basis, according to a source.
ESPN’s and NHL Network’s Kevin Weekes was the first to report the possibility of Allaire scaling back.
This was Allaire’s decision as he wraps up his 20th year with the Rangers, who plan to lean on him during their process of finding a new goaltending coach.
Rangers goalie coach Benoit Allaire (r.) with Henrik Lundqvist (l.) Paul J. BereswillWord is Allaire will still be heavily involved in working with all the goaltenders in the organization, as well as prospects.
Allaire has been a staple on the Rangers coaching staff for two decades for a reason. Named an assistant and goalie coach in July 2004, Allaire has since made his mark on the organization’s goaltending in big ways and was ultimately promoted to director of goaltending by president and general manager Chris Drury in June 2021.
A portion of the Rangers’ dominance in net is credited to Allaire, who has forged a strong bond with current star goalie Igor Shesterkin.
Allaire was in his second year with the Rangers when Henrik Lundqvist came in as a rookie in 2005, and he is said to have helped with the King’s early success.
Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin makes a save during Game 6 against the Panthers on Saturday. Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post
The Swedish netminder finished among the NHL goalie leaders in several categories his first year. While owning a fourth-ranked save percentage (.922) and a fifth-ranked goals-against average (2.24), Lundqvist was selected to the league’s All-Rookie Team.
Going on to earn more wins (459) and appear in more games (887) than any other NHL goalie who only played with one franchise in his career, among many other Rangers records, Lundqvist also ranks second among netminders in career wins and career regular-season appearances with one franchise, trailing only the Devils’ Martin Brodeur.
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Lundqvist made a point to give Allaire a heartfelt “thank you” in his Hall of Fame induction speech in November.
“There’s one coach I want to thank a little extra tonight, my goalie coach for 15 years, Benoit Allaire,” Lundqvist said. “He’s incredible. Thinking back, every day, you inspired me in so many ways and you made it fun. The best coach and best friend you could ask for.”
Other notable goaltenders that Allaire has worked with in his career, which included stops with the Coyotes and Canadiens, include: Jose Theodore, Jean-Sebastian Giguere, Mathieu Garon and Sebastien Caron.
Jonathan Quick, who signed with the Rangers last summer, also saw considerable improvement in his game during his time working with Allaire. After finishing a tumultuous season in 2022-23 with a record of 16-15-6 and career-lows in save percentage (.882) and goals-against average (3.41) for a full season, Quick looked like a modernized version of his vintage self.
Posting an 18-6-2 record with his highest save percentage (.911) and his lowest GAA (2.62) since 2017-18, Quick played a major role in the Rangers’ regular-season success this year.
