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The New York Rangers fired coach Alain Vigneault hours after they missed the playoffs for the first time since 2010.

General manager Jeff Gorton announced the firing Saturday night Carlton Davis Color Rush Jersey , a full day before the end of the NHL regular season but long after New York’s playoff hopes were gone.

The Rangers will begin searching for his replacement immediately.

The Rangers made the playoffs in four of Vigneault’s five seasons as coach, including a 2014 trip to the Stanley Cup Final. They went 226-147-37 in the regular season under Vigneault, who is third in regular-season and playoff wins in franchise history.

New York’s front office decided in the middle of this season to go young, sell at the trade deadline and begin a rebuilding process in the hopes of becoming a title contender again. Vigneault repeatedly said he believed the Rangers would have made the playoffs if they didn’t go in that direction.

”I believe and some other people also believe that we would have gotten in, but a tough decision was made for the long-term future of this organization and you have to respect it,” Vigneault said recently.

After a 5-0 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday afternoon, the veteran coach said he expected to be back next season.

”I think my staff is the right staff for this job,” Vigneault said. ”This is just my opinion, but I think one of the strongest assets of this organization is its coaching staff. They’re experienced, we’ve been able to do it with veteran players, we’ve been able to do it with younger players Kemoko Turay Jersey Elite , our development record.”

It’s unclear if assistants Lindy Ruff and Scott Arniel will return or be considered as head-coaching candidates.

When Gorton announced the Rangers’ pivot toward a youth movement, he said Vigneault’s future would be decided after the season. Before being fired, Vigneault made a passionate case to keep his job.

”I’ve gone through every facet, whether it be a young team, an old team, once we know the team, every year is the same thing,” Vigneault said. ”Once we know the team we try and put in a system, it maximizes their talent and their potential and try and mask and work on the areas that we need improvement.”

Vigneault, who turns 57 in May, has coached 16 NHL seasons for the Montreal Canadiens Preston Tucker Atlanta Braves Jersey , Vancouver Canucks and Rangers. His team made the playoffs 11 times, and he took Vancouver to the 2011 Cup Final.

Because of that track record, Vigneault should be a candidate to coach in the NHL next season, which would take the Rangers off the hook for his contract, which was extended in early 2017.

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More NHL hockey: Johnny Manziel will make his CFL debut against his former team on Friday night.

The Montreal Alouettes announced that Manziel will be their starter when they host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

The 2012 Heisman Trophy winner began the season with Hamilton and was dealt to Montreal on July 22 in a five-player deal that also included two first-round draft picks.

"I feel fortunate enough this week to be going against a team, a defense that I've seen more than any other defense since I've been in the CFL," Manziel said Tuesday. "I feel like I really know this personnel very well, I feel like I know this team in and out because I was a part of it.

"It's definitely going to be a little weird playing against those guys, but at the end of the day it's business and I'm in a new home. It will be good to see some familiar faces this week, but also a challenge and a very good defense."

Montreal acquired Manziel and offensive linemen Tony Washington and Landon Rice for receiver Chris Williams, defensive lineman Jamaal Westerman and 2021-22 first-round draft picks. The move reunited Manziel with Alouetes coach Mike Sherman Oren Burks Jersey Elite , who recruited Manziel to Texas A&M.

Manziel dressed for Montreal's 44-23 loss last week to Edmonton but didn't play. Vernon Adams Jr. completed 15 of 28 passes for 217 yards and an interception while rushing for 72 yards and a TD on eight carries.

Adams, a former teammate of Manziel's in Hamilton, wasn't surprised by the move.

"We all knew he wasn't coming just to sit," Adams said. "We helped him learn the offense as quick as possible, he's still learning.

"Now, I'm going to be here for him, back him up. Whatever he needs help with, I'm here for him."

Manziel made headlines in May when he signed a two-year deal with Hamilton. He played in both of the Tiger-Cats' exhibition games 鈥?completing 21 of 31 passes for 168 yards and a TD while rushing six times for 19 yards 鈥?but remained on the sidelines as Jeremiah Masoli's backup once the regular season began.

"We obviously traded for John for a specific reason," Sherman said. "I think we have two very good quarterbacks but we're going to give the nod to John for this ballgame. I'm very impressed by the knowledge that he does have at this point."

The contest is between two struggling teams as Hamilton (2-4) and Montreal (1-5) have each lost three straight games.

The 6-foot, 210-pound Manziel was taken in the first round, No. 22 overall Authentic Korey Toomer Jersey , by the Cleveland Browns in the 2014 NFL draft but was released in March 2016 after posting a 2-6 record over two tumultuous campaigns on and off the field.

Manziel, 25, appeared in 14 games overall, throwing for 1,675 yards and seven TD passes.

The game Friday will be Manziel's first regular-season start since Dec. 27, 2015, when he completed 13-of-32 passes for 136 yards and an interception while running for 108 yards in Cleveland's 17-13 road loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

"I felt like the thing I've been missing ... is reps," Manziel said. "I don't think there's anything to be nervous about. I feel like as the game comes around this week I'm going to know what I'm doing on each and every play and know what my job is.

"I think there's going to be some times where we're not going to win every single play as the game goes along. There's going to be some mistakes made, that's just the facts of this. I think I'll come out and do some things well, and I'm sure I'll have some things I want back. That's just the way that football is anytime and anywhere I've started."


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