Unlike most of his teammates, Taylor Pyatt knows exactly what he’s getting with Alain Vigneault behind the New York Rangers bench.
The Thunder Bay forward, who has one-year left on a two-year contract he signed with the Broadway Blueshirts last summer, played under Vigneault for three seasons in Vancouver, before heading south to the Phoenix Coyotes.
Pyatt, who turns 32 next month, scored 49 of his 136 career NHL goals with Vigneault at the helm, and is looking to recapture that success in his 13th season, his second in New York.
“It’s a big change. I had Alain Vigneault in Vancouver in the past and probably played some of the best hockey of my career under him. So I’m pretty happy about the change. I think we still have a lot of good pieces together as a team and I’m looking forward to having a normal season.”
The lockout, which shortened the season to 48 games, took its toll, Pyatt said.
“I think with the new coach it will be good for us.”
The more low-key Vigneault, who guided the Canucks to the 2011 Stanley Cup final, takes the reins from the flamboyant John Tortarella, a vocal coach who didn’t shy from trading verbal shots with the media. It’s an act that wore a little thin after five seasons and just one trip beyond the second round of the playoffs.
“I was only there for half the year, but I think (John’s) was the sort of coaching style that can wear on guys after awhile. Every coach has his shelf life and I think it was time for a change. I think Alain will come in with a different philosophy and we’ll see how it goes,” Pyatt said.
Pyatt has been the subject of plenty of trade rumours over the summer as the Rangers, with a couple of extra forwards in tow, try to find a way to sign both Derek Stepan and Mats Zuccarello with just $3.33 million wiggle room under the salary cap.
But Pyatt, a veteran of 803 NHL games, one of four Rangers to play all 48 games last season, is focusing on returning to New York and building on a team just two seasons removed from a trip to the Eastern Conference final.
“Expectations were so high for the team going into last year. I don’t think we every really went through a stretch where we were really consistent. It was up and down for us all year. We were a little bit better in the playoffs, but we ran into a pretty good team there with Boston,” Pyatt said.
“I think all of the guys are looking forward to having a solid training camp and a normal season to get back into the schedule.”
Pyatt played more of a defensive role with the Rangers in 2012-13, scoring six goals and adding six assists, out-scored for the first time by younger brother Tom, a forward with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The older sibling knows he’ll have to fight for playing time if he stays in New York.
“Obviously they’ve got some young players coming up from the minors that are going to be looking to break in to the line-up. For me, I’m going to have to another good training camp and play hard for my spot in the lineup.
“It’s nice to have a coach that I’m familiar with. I’ve also played for the assistant coaches as well in the past. Nothing comes easy. I’m going to have to go in there and work hard.”
