Pissed-Off and Packed for China: Ex-Rangers Coach Gerard Gallant Takes His Talents to KHL’s Shanghai Dragons

Gerard Gallant is mad. He’s also moving — not just houses, but continents. After more than two years without an NHL coaching job and zero offers that matched his résumé, the former New York Rangers head coach has signed on with the KHL’s Shanghai Dragons. It’s not the return to North American hockey some fans expected, but it’s definitely a statement — and Gallant wants everyone to hear it loud and clear. If the NHL won’t have him, he’ll go somewhere that will. And if he has to go halfway around the world to do it, so be it.

At 60 years old, Gallant doesn’t exactly scream “new chapter” material. He’s an old-school coach in a league that’s started leaning young, experimental, and analytics-heavy. But he also has the kind of track record that, on paper, should’ve landed him a gig long ago. He’s taken multiple teams deep into the playoffs. He guided the expansion Vegas Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season. He brought the New York Rangers within two wins of the Stanley Cup Final in 2022. And yet, despite those achievements, the phone hasn’t been ringing — at least not from anyone in the NHL.

Instead, the offers — or the lack thereof — have left Gallant fuming. The word he used himself? “Pissed off.” Not frustrated. Not disappointed. Pissed. That’s a sharp, direct tone from a man who’s always kept things close to the vest publicly, but the silence from NHL general managers has pushed him into a new, more blunt era.

In an interview following the announcement of his KHL deal, Gallant didn’t hold back. He made it clear he feels ignored, overlooked, and straight-up disrespected by the NHL’s coaching carousel. Openings came and went. Names with far less experience or success got the nod. And Gallant? He kept waiting. Waiting turned into wondering. Wondering became anger. And now anger has fueled a decision to go abroad — not as a last resort, but as a challenge, a mission, maybe even a warning shot.

His new team, the Shanghai Dragons, isn’t exactly a powerhouse. They’ve been floating near the bottom of the KHL standings for years, struggling to find footing in a league dominated by traditional Russian clubs. But they’re ambitious. They want to build something bigger — a more global brand, a winning culture, and maybe one day a serious playoff contender. That’s where Gallant comes in. He’s not just a coach for them. He’s the centerpiece of a rebuild, the face of a project, and the proof that they mean business.

And for Gallant, it’s a chance to do what he does best — take underdogs and make them believe. That’s always been his coaching DNA. He’s never been the flashy tactician or the analytics savant. He’s the motivator. The guy who gets players to run through walls. The players’ coach who also holds his locker room accountable. In Vegas, he took a ragtag group of castoffs and turned them into Cup finalists. In New York, he transformed a young, inconsistent roster into a playoff force almost overnight.

That’s not to say he’s without flaws. There have been questions about his systems. Critics argue his teams often fizzle out after the initial spark. And his exits haven’t always been smooth — especially with the Rangers, where internal tension and philosophical disagreements reportedly played a part in his dismissal after the 2022-23 season. But even with all that, it’s hard to argue he’s not a proven winner.

So why didn’t he get another NHL shot?

That’s the million-dollar question, and it’s one Gallant himself is clearly still trying to answer. He mentioned “less experienced” coaches being chosen over him. He’s not wrong. Across the league, teams have been hiring younger coaches, first-timers, and guys with heavy video and analytics backgrounds. The NHL is shifting. Whether it’s a trend or a long-term evolution remains to be seen, but Gallant doesn’t fit the new mold — and that may be part of the problem.

Still, you’d think someone with his résumé would at least get a callback. A serious conversation. A bridge job. Instead, nothing. That silence seems to have hit him harder than the actual firing from the Rangers. Being fired happens — it’s the nature of the business. But being forgotten? That’s what stings.

So now he’s taking matters into his own hands. Heading to the KHL is no small step. It’s not just another league — it’s a completely different environment. Different systems. Different culture. Different pressures. And doing it in China, where hockey is still finding its foothold, adds another layer of difficulty. But that’s the point. Gallant isn’t running from the NHL. He’s marching into a challenge. He wants to prove he can still coach, still lead, still win — even in the most unfamiliar of places.

Shanghai is betting big on him. This isn’t a charity hire. They expect results. They want to climb the standings, bring in talent, attract attention, and make noise in the KHL. They’ve put their faith in a coach with a long record of flipping narratives. And if Gallant can pull this off — if he can turn a struggling team in a non-traditional market into something special — it could be one of the more remarkable coaching stories in recent hockey history.

What happens after that? That’s the intriguing part. Gallant isn’t saying it outright, but there’s a very real possibility this is his play to get back in the NHL’s good graces. A strong run overseas could turn some heads. A playoff berth or deep push could reset the narrative. It wouldn’t be the first time a coach used an international stint to reboot their reputation. But for now, Gallant’s not talking about the next job. He’s talking about winning — in Shanghai, with the Dragons, far from the NHL spotlight but just as determined as ever.

The fans, both in China and back in North America, will be watching. Some will be cheering him on. Others might be wondering if this is a swan song, the last big move of a coaching career that’s seen wild highs and frustrating lows. But if there’s one thing clear in Gallant’s voice, it’s this: he’s not done. He doesn’t see this as a step down. He sees it as a statement.

“If the NHL doesn’t want me, I’ll win somewhere else.”

It’s more than a soundbite. It’s a promise. And knowing Gallant, he intends to keep it.

So while the NHL gears up for another season with fresh faces behind benches, Gerard Gallant will be halfway across the world, drawing up game plans in Mandarin-labeled arenas, speaking the universal language of hockey, and coaching with a chip on his shoulder the size of the Hudson River. Whether the league realizes it or not, it just lit a fire under one of its most passionate competitors.

The Shanghai Dragons might not have been on anyone’s radar last month, but they are now. Because they just hired one pissed-off, battle-tested coach — and he’s ready to prove everybody wrong.