Reports: BU’s Quinn to Rangers

Boston University men’s hockey coach David Quinn is expected to become the next coach of the New York Rangers, according to multiple reports.

The Rangers could make an official announcement as soon as tomorrow, when general manager Jeff Gorton returns from the world championships in Denmark, according to reports.

Quinn would replace Alain Vigneault, who was fired April 7 after five seasons. The Terriers coach spent the last five seasons on Commonwealth Avenue, where he compiled a record of 105-67-21 and led BU to the Hockey East championship and an NCAA runner-up finish in 2014-15.

The Terriers went 2214-4 in 2017-18, reaching the Hockey East final before falling to Providence. They played in the NCAA tournament for the fourth year in a row, beating Cornell in the opening round of the Northeast Regional in Worcester before losing to Michigan.

Quinn would become just the sixth coach in NHL history to make the jump directly from an NCAA program to the NHL, but the second in the last two weeks, following Jim Montgomery’s move from Denver to the Dallas Stars. Flyers coach Dave Hakstol (North Dakota) also followed a similar path.

Quinn does have previous NHL coaching experience, working as an assistant with the Avalanche under former Terrier and current Bruins assistant Joe Sacco in 2012-13 before returning to BU following the retirement of the legendary Jack Parker. Quinn also served as a BU assistant under Parker from 2004-09, and coached the Avalanche’s AHL affiliate (Lake Erie) from 2009-12.