Rangers Reunite with Kevin Maxwell, Who Returns as Pro Scouting Director
A bit of a shake-up in the St. Louis Blues front office led to the New York Rangers reuniting with a respected veteran front office executive.
Kevin Maxwell rejoined the Rangers on Wednesday as director of pro scouting. He’ll work alongside John Lilley, who’s their amateur scoring director, when it comes to running the Rangers player personnel department.
TSN hockey insider Darren Dreger reported back on March 27 that Maxwell was likely to rejoin the Rangers after leaving his role as pro scout and general manager of the Blues’ American Hockey League affiliate in Springfield, Mass.
Maxwell, who recently turned 66, spent 14 years scouting in the Rangers organization and was their director of pro scouting for 11 seasons from 2011-22. He left to become the Blues’ AHL GM in 2022.
Kevin Maxwell back in Rangers front office under Chris Drury
The Blues are in a bit of flux, with Maxwell and vice president of hockey operations Peter Chiarelli leaving the team to “pursue other opportunities” per Dreger. Chiarelli reportedly interviewed with the Nashville Predators for their general manager vacancy. He was GM of both the Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers previously.
Maxwell brings a wealth of experience to the Rangers. He’s worked more than 38 years in NHL scouting and management, with the Hartford Whalers, Dallas Stars, New York Islanders, Rangers, and Blues.
The British Columbia native also played professionally from 1980-88, including 66 games in the NHL with the Minnesota North Stars, Colorado Rockies, and New Jersey Devils.
Former Rangers president and GM Glen Sather hired Maxwell as a scout in 2008, and he climbed the ranks to pro scouting director in just three years. The Rangers made the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 11 of his 14 years in the organization and reached the Eastern Conference Final four times during his tenure, including three times in a four-year span between 2012-15.
Maxwell was let go by the Rangers back in 2022 when current GM Chris Drury made a slew of moves to their scouting department.
Kevin Maxwell had hand in some of biggest deals in recent Rangers history
Though the general manager has the final say with drafting, player trades, and signings, the director of pro scouting plays a key role helping to inform those decisions.
The Rangers made several marquee deals during Maxwell’s tenure on Broadway, including two of the best acquisitions in franchise history, when they landed Ryan McDonagh in a lopsided trade with the Montreal Canadiens, and pilfered Mika Zibanejad from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Derick Brassard.
The Rangers also made a blockbuster move to acquire Rick Nash from the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the Martin St. Louis-for-Ryan Callahan deal. In addition, with Maxwell in the front office, the Rangers signed Artemi Panarin in 2019, likely the best free agent acquisition in franchise history.
Of course, not all the player acquisitions worked out. Maxwell was here during the Rangers rebuild after that successful run in the 2010s. His return to the Rangers organization comes amid their current retool, following two straight playoff misses.
