Just over 24 hours after his unique soliloquy in which Alain Vigneault proudly, defiantly, meticulously and pre-emptively declared himself a coaching success wherever he’d worked in the NHL, the former coach of the Rangers struck a somewhat different tone in a statement released through the club’s media relations department.
“I would like to thank the New York Rangers management — Mr. James Dolan, Glen Sather and Jeff Gorton — for allowing me the privilege to coach the Rangers,” Vigneault said. “I spent five wonderful years in New York and I want to express my gratitude to all the coaches, players and staff that I worked with during that period of my life.