The well-respected Summerside native was officially introduced on Thursday as the inaugural head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights, who’ll begin play as the National Hockey League’s 31st franchise for the 2017-18 season.
“Since I got fired (as Florida Panthers head coach on Nov. 27, 2016) we started talking with each other,” said Gallant in a phone interview with the Journal Pioneer. “I’m real happy, real excited and it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Although Gallant and Golden Knights general manager George McPhee have been talking for a while, things intensified this week.
“It really heated up on Monday,” explained Gallant. “That’s when they gave me the contract offer, and three or four hours later I accepted.
“I’ve talked to them ever since I had my interview in January. Probably once a week or once every two weeks George and I talked on the phone to touch base and catch up.”
Gallant likes what he has seen in Las Vegas and from the Golden Knights.
“The new practice rink is going to be an unbelievable facility,” beamed Gallant. “T-Mobile Arena is an unbelievable facility, and I know our staff and players are going to be very excited with the facilities we have. Everything is going to be first class.”
No stranger
Gallant is no stranger to working with an expansion team. He was an assistant coach with the Doug MacLean-run Columbus Blue Jackets, who broke into the NHL in 2000.
The 53-year-old Gallant has a record of 152-140-4-31 (won-lost-overtime losses-shootout losses) as an NHL head coach with Columbus and Florida.
Prior to joining the Golden Knights, Gallant spent two-plus seasons with the Panthers, who he guided to franchise records in wins (47) and points (103) during the 2015-16 season, a campaign in which he was a finalist for the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year.
Gallant, who has been named an assistant coach for Team Canada at the upcoming world hockey championship, also served as an assistant coach with Team North America for the World Cup of Hockey 2016.
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Coaching staff
Gallant acknowledges one priority following his return from the world championship is to finalize his coaching staff.
“I have a pretty good idea of who I will put in there, and we’ll get back to work,” said Gallant. “The expansion draft is going to happen quick, the draft is going to happen quick and then free agency. I don’t have a whole lot to do with that stuff, but it will be fun to see our team get some players.”
Gallant said he’s “going to coach the team” while management and scouts will select the players.
“They have had a staff put together for a year now and they’ve been scouting players, and they have a pretty good idea of what they are going to get,” offered Gallant. “I’m sure there will be teams making trades with them before the expansion draft. It’s all exciting and once June rolls around it’s going to happen pretty quick.”
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