The coach will not be returning to the New York Rangers’ coaching staff next season under new head coach Mike Sullivan. Instead, he is set to join the Chicago Blackhawks as an assistant coach under recently appointed head coach Jeff Blashill.
He spent the last two seasons as an assistant with the Rangers on Peter Laviolette’s staff. Following Laviolette’s dismissal in April—after the Rangers missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in four years—associate coach Phil Housley was also let go. However, fellow assistant Dan Muse remained with the team and were considered for roles under Sullivan.
There’s currently no set timeline for Sullivan to complete his coaching staff. Jeff Malcolm continues as the team’s goaltending coach, but several bench roles are still vacant. Sullivan, who replaced Laviolette on May 2, previously led the Pittsburgh Penguins for a decade, guiding them to back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 2016 and 2017.
Speculation suggests Sullivan’s long-time assistant Mike Vellucci might join him in New York, though that has not been officially confirmed.
This marks Peca’s second NHL coaching role. Before joining the Rangers, he served as an assistant with the AHL’s Rochester Americans. The 51-year-old is a former NHL player with 864 games over 14 seasons, having captained both the Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders. He won the Selke Trophy twice as the league’s top defensive forward, in 1996–97 and 2001–02.
News of Michael Peca joining the Chicago Blackhawks came shortly after the team officially announced Jeff Blashill as the 42nd head coach in franchise history. Blashill, who previously led the Detroit Red Wings for seven seasons, had most recently spent three years as an assistant coach under Jon Cooper with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
“Jeff is a highly intelligent and skilled coach with over 25 years of experience across various levels of hockey, including developmental leagues, the NHL, and international play,” said Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson in a statement. “He’s excelled in developing young talent and translating that into team success — a vision that aligns perfectly with our current direction and long-term goals. We’re thrilled about the future under Jeff’s leadership.”
In an interesting move, the Blackhawks have decided to keep Anders Sorensen on Blashill’s staff. Sorensen served as interim head coach after Luke Richardson was dismissed on December 5. During his 56-game stint guiding a rebuilding roster, Sorensen posted a 17-30-9 record, equating to a .384 points percentage.
Meanwhile, three NHL teams — the Boston Bruins, Seattle Kraken, and Pittsburgh Penguins — are still searching for a head coach. Former Rangers bench boss David Quinn has emerged as a potential candidate for the Kraken job and is currently serving as an assistant with the Penguins. As for Laviolette, his name has not been publicly linked to any of the remaining coaching vacancies.