Benoît Allaire, who was with the New York Rangers from 2004 to 2026, is retiring after the NHL Draft and free agency, the team announced Saturday.
Allaire became the Rangers’ goalie coach in 2004, then scaled back his workload after the 2023-24 season. He served as the director of goaltending for the past two seasons, but Jeff Malcolm took over the day-to-day responsibilities as goalie coach.
“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 strength of the Rangers for the past two decades. Allaire worked closely with Hall of Famer Henrik Lundqvist, who won a Vezina Trophy and reached the 2014 Stanley Cup Final under Allaire’s tutelage.
Lundqvist acknowledged the coach during his Hall of Fame induction speech. Igor Shesterkin has been the team’s primary starter the past six seasons. He won a Vezina in 2022.
“He does a great job of simplifying things so that they don’t come across in a confusing way,” then-Rangers No. 2 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).
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