Benoît Allaire, who served as the New York Rangers’ goaltending coach from 2004 to 2026, is retiring following the NHL Draft and free agency, the team announced Saturday.
Allaire originally joined the Rangers as goalie coach in 2004 and scaled back his duties after the 2023-24 season. For the past two seasons, he served as director of goaltending while Jeff Malcolm handled day-to-day coaching responsibilities.
“Benoît Allaire’s contributions to the Rangers over the past two decades have been immeasurable,” president and general manager Chris Drury said in a statement. “Whether it was teaching a Hall-of-Famer or a rookie just starting his career, Benny made everyone he worked with better. On behalf of the Rangers organization, we wish him and his wife, Lyne, all the best in retirement.”
Goaltending has been a cornerstone of the Rangers’ success over the past 20 years, with Allaire playing a critical role. He worked closely with Hall of Famer Henrik Lundqvist, who won a Vezina Trophy and reached the 2014 Stanley Cup Final under Allaire’s guidance. Lundqvist acknowledged Allaire during his Hall of Fame induction speech. Igor Shesterkin has been the team’s primary starter for the last six seasons, winning a Vezina Trophy in 2022.
“He does a great job of simplifying things so that they don’t come across in a confusing way,” then-Rangers backup Jonathan Quick told The Athletic in 2023. “It’s very clear-cut in what he wants to see out of his goalies in different situations. The communication’s been great.”
The 62-year-old Allaire previously worked with the Montreal Canadiens (1996-97) and Phoenix Coyotes (1997-2004).
