Head coach of Team Canada at the Spengler Cup, a team which easily beat Davos on Thursday (2-6), Gerard Gallant (61 years old) was the first coach in the history of the Las Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL championship. He also managed the New York Rangers, members of the “Original Six” of the North American professional league. But it is not because he occupied these particularly exposed positions that the native of Prince Edward Island has built a reputation across the Atlantic.
Gerard Gallant made his mark on November 28, 2016, the day he was fired by the Florida Panthers, the first team to entrust him with the boss’ cap two years earlier.
The coach was fired after a defeat against the Carolina Hurricanes at the PNC Arena in Raleigh (3-2). While the Florida club had to fly to Chicago for its next match, Gallant found himself with his luggage in front of the ice rink, hailing a taxi. Once a vehicle was available, a Hurricanes employee helped him put his belongings in the trunk.
At the time, photos of the scene had caused a buzz in North America and Gerard Gallant, who had extended his contract ten months earlier, was seen as an unfortunate victim of an employer with a heart of stone. “Numerous images of the scene have also circulated on the web, a situation decried by many supporters and journalists on social networks,” wrote “Le Journal de Montréal”.
The story had grown to such an extent and the image of the Panthers had been so damaged that Gerard Gallant spoke three days later to reestablish the truth. “I know everyone saw the photos of me getting into the taxi,” he said. Stiles Burr (Editor’s note: Panthers team services manager) is a good boy. What happened is exaggerated. They called a car service, but I didn’t want to wait.”
During the 2017-2018 season, the first in Golden Knights history, Gallant led the Nevada club to the Stanley Cup final (won by Washington). On Twitter, several fans mentioned that “Gerard Gallant took a taxi to the Stanley Cup final.”
In Davos, his hotel is located only 300 meters from the ice rink. So he won’t need to call a taxi if general manager Joe Thornton were to force him out (which obviously won’t happen)…
