Rangers and Chris Drury still have work to do
Reports have surfaced today that the New York Rangers have not granted teams permission to speak with Chris Drury. The former Rangers’ captain is considered one of the rising young stars on the management scene.
From the Garden Ice to the Office
Chris Drury dreamed of playing for the Rangers as a child. He finally got that opportunity back in 2007 when he signed a 5 year deal as a free agent. His first season on Broadway saw 25 goals and 58 points but the dream would turn into a nightmare.
The Rangers failed to get past the 2nd round during his tenure and injuries mounted. In his 4th season, Drury only played 24 games leading to a Rangers buyout at its conclusion. It wasn’t the storied ending he envisioned when signing with the Blueshirts.
In 2015, the Rangers hired Drury to be their Director of Player Development. He excelled in that role and was promoted to Assistant General Manager in 2016 and now runs the Hartford Wolf Pack. The former Olympian was also named GM of the U.S. national team in 2019.
Unfinished Business
While the reports clearly state that the Rangers did not allow Buffalo and Minnesota to speak with Drury, I believe that he may also feel like he has unfinished business in NY. Since taking over the Wolf Pack they have failed to qualify for the playoffs and he just helped bring in a rising star head coach in Kris Knoblauch.
It could be, and I’m just speculating that Drury may not feel ready to leave the Rangers just yet. New York also has a pipeline of prospects that need grooming and he is going to play a huge role in their development. A look at the future shows that the Rangers could be competing for a Stanley Cup in a few years and he may very well want to be a part of that.
Another thing is also clear, Chris Drury is still building a very impressive resume as an executive. When the time is right, there’s no doubt he will make a fine GM. If the Pack, Rangers and Team USA all have success, he will be able to punch his ticket anywhere.
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