Gerard Gallant Tenure
Led the Panthers to a club-record 47 wins and 103 points, earning a Jack Adams Award finalist nod.
Gerard Gallant was named head coach of the NHL's Florida Panthers on June 21, 2014, by then-executive vice president and general manager Dale Tallon. In his first season, he led the Panthers to a record of 38 wins, 29 losses, 5 overtime losses, and 10 shoot-out losses for 91 points — an improvement of 9 wins and 25 points over the prior season. In 2015–16, Gallant led the upstart Panthers to a 24–12–4 record at the All-Star break, earning him a spot in the all-star game as the head coach for the Atlantic Division All-Stars. The Panthers finished with a club-record 47 wins and 103 points, enough for the second division title in franchise history. For his efforts, Gallant was named a finalist for the Jack Adams Award. On November 27, 2016, Gallant was fired by new Panthers general manager Tom Rowe after posting an 11–10 record to start the season.
- Role
- Head Coach
- Affiliation
- Florida Panthers (NHL)
- Tenure Start
- June 21, 2014
- Tenure End
- November 27, 2016
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Gallant's first season in Florida saw the team jump from 29 wins to 38, a nine-win improvement that signaled a new direction. The 2015–16 campaign was the breakthrough: the Panthers hit the All-Star break at 24–12–4, and Gallant was chosen to coach the Atlantic Division All-Stars. The team finished with a franchise-record 47 wins and 103 points, capturing the second division title in Panthers history. Gallant was named a finalist for the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year. However, after an 11–10 start to the 2016–17 season, new general manager Tom Rowe fired Gallant on November 27, 2016.
In Their Own Story
The Panthers had just wrapped up a morning skate in late November 2016, and the mood in the room was still loose. Gallant had guided them to a 24–12–4 record at the All-Star break the previous season, earning a spot behind the bench for the All-Star Game. The team had set a club record with 47 wins and 103 points, capturing the Atlantic Division title. But the new general manager, Tom Rowe, saw things differently. On November 27, 2016, with the team sitting at 11–10, Gallant was fired. The news hit the locker room hard — players who had bought into his system were stunned. The man who had engineered the franchise's best regular season in years was gone before Thanksgiving.
Reader's Guide
Gallant's tenure with the Panthers spanned from June 21, 2014, to November 27, 2016. His first season (2014–15) produced a 38-29-5-10 record for 91 points, a nine-win improvement over the previous year. The 2015–16 season was the peak: a 24–12–4 start earned him the head coaching role at the All-Star Game, and the team finished with a franchise-record 47 wins and 103 points, winning the Atlantic Division title. Gallant was named a finalist for the Jack Adams Award. The 2016–17 season began with an 11–10 record before he was fired on November 27, 2016.
Did You Know?
- Gallant was hired by Panthers executive vice president and general manager Dale Tallon on June 21, 2014.
- In 2015–16, Gallant led the Panthers to a club-record 47 wins and 103 points, winning the Atlantic Division title.
- Gallant was named a finalist for the Jack Adams Award for the 2015–16 season.
- He was fired on November 27, 2016, by new general manager Tom Rowe after an 11–10 start to the season.
- Gallant coached the Atlantic Division All-Stars at the 2016 NHL All-Star Game.
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