Glen Sather steps down as GM, Get to know Jeff Gorton

Gordie Clark (l), JT Miller (c) and Jeff Gorton (r)

In what has long been rumored since last 2013, Glen Sather will officially step away from his GM responsibilities. He will continue to serve as the club’s president, but highly coveted hockey mind Jeff Gorton will officially be taking over as the team’s 11th GM.

So who is Jeff Gorton?

The names, Tuukka Rask, Milan Lucic and Brad Marchand were drafted by Gorton in 2006. Think that’s good? He also signed Zdeno Chara that summer as well. All that from March to July 2006 before being let go in 2007 and scooped up by the New York Rangers. While with the Rangers he guided player development until being promoted to assistant GM in 2011.

Now, Gorton will take over complete control in building the NY Rangers in his own image. Make no mistake, the deals that were consummated at the NHL draft should be attributed to him and not Sather.

Eyebrows began to raise when Gorton and not Sather addressed the media after the draft. His first unofficial “official” move was getting maximum return for RFA, Carl Hagelin. In return, he moved up from 59 to 41 in the draft and acquired a competent replacement with upside in Emerson Etem.

Gorton is hard at work today and has added several pieces to the current roster and stocked the Wolf Pack as well. Raphael Diaz was brought back to serve as the Rangers 7th defenseman, and he added Viktor Stalberg. At 6’3″ and 209lbs, the strapping 29 year old RW should see time on the Rangers 3rd or 4th line.

Glen Sather walks away from his GM responsibilities without completing his #1 goal – winning the Stanley Cup.  In his 15 years as President and GM, he led the team to 1 Eastern Conference Title and 1 Presidents’ Trophy. Still, if Jeff Gorton can complete the mission under Sather as president, the former Rangers defenseman will leave a very proud legacy behind.

 

 

Anthony Scultore has been covering the New York Rangers and the NHL since 2014. His work also appears at... More about Anthony Scultore

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