It took until Game 82 but the NHL finally has its first coaching casualty of the season. 

The New York Rangers didn't waste any time in firing Alain Vigneault following their final game of the season. They informed the head coach that he was out of a job just hours after the team closed out their campaign with a 5-0 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.

The Rangers labored through a disappointing season this year, finishing with just 77 points in the standings. They'll finish as the fifth-worst team in the Eastern Conference and miss the playoffs for the first time since 2009-10. Considering their struggles, the news of Vigneault's firing likely didn't come as a surprise to many.

However, it certainly seemed to come as a surprise to Vigneault himself, who said after Saturday's game that he expected to return next year.

Vigneault spent five seasons behind the New York bench, going 226-147-37 in the regular season and 31-30 in the postseason, including a run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2013-14 and a Presidents' Trophy season in 2014-15. He'll finish third in wins in Rangers' franchise history.

Midway through this season, the Rangers' front office announced plans to enter a rebuilding period -- a plan that moved into action around the trade deadline when the team moved several key pieces in exchange for future assets. They were upfront about seeking a change of direction for the franchise, and now that change of direction will continue without Vigneault.