The Rangers discovered long ago it is bad policy to attempt to bribe free agents into coming to New York. The same holds true for coaching candidates.
And so while the Blueshirts were very impressed after interviewing Jim Montgomery and considered him a viable candidate to replace Alain Vigneault behind the bench, The Post has learned that general manager Jeff Gorton did not attempt to entice him with an offer once the Denver University coach indicated his preference for remaining in the Midwest.
On Wednesday, five years after Vigneault chose the Rangers over the Stars when each team sought to hire him, Montgomery agreed to become the head coach in Dallas, where he will succeed Ken Hitchcock.