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The New York Rangers were the first out of the gate when they gave coach Alain Vigneault his walking papers only hours after the club’s final regular-season game against Philadelphia on April 7 because they felt he wasn’t the right fit with a rebuild on the way.

Vigneault is believed to have two years left on his contract at a whopping $4.5 million per year. The talk is the Rangers are willing to eat some of that money to get the contract off the books and Vigneault back to work.

The Dallas Stars are also looking for a head coach after Ken Hitchcock announced his retirement a couple of days after the club missed the playoffs.

There are officially three openings right now, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be more soon.

Carolina Hurricanes coach Bill Peters, who has never made the playoffs in his four years with the organization, reportedly has an out clause until Friday in his $1.6-million-per-year contract, and with no general manager in place there you’d have to think he’s trying to move on.

You also have to wonder about the future of some of the guys who are currently in the first round of the playoffs.

The Capitals got up off the mat with 3-2 double-OT victory Tuesday to cut the Columbus Blue Jackets’ series lead to 2-1, but if Washington doesn’t get its act together and find a way into Round 2, then Barry Trotz, in the final year of his deal, could be fired.

Would the Tampa Bay Lighting make a change with Jon Cooper if the club doesn’t beat the New Jersey Devils in Round 1?