But Davidson sounded very calm and reassuring about the future of the Rangers despite their terrible showing this season, when chatting with Neil Smith and Vic Morren on the NHL Wraparound podcast recently.

“I honestly think, in knowing a number of them, that they’ll battle back (next season),” Davidson said on the podcast. “I know them. And I know they compete. I just have a sense that they’re going to come back and battle and get back to a team that’s going to make some noise.”

Now a senior advisor with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Davidson was Rangers president for two season after he was hired in May of 2019. Working with then-general manager Jeff Gorton, Davidson help oversee the two pandemic-shortened seasons, the final two of David Quinn’s tenure as Rangers coach.

Artemi Panarin signed a massive contract on his watch. Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider were key players on his teams. Adam Fox played his first two NHL seasons when Davidson worked for the Rangers and won the Norris Trophy as the League’s top defenseman in 2020-21. Igor Shesterkin established himself as the No. 1 goalie in that time.

So, yes, JD knows the core of this current Rangers team.

But, even from afar and working for a division rival, can Davidson explain what happened to the Rangers this season after making the playoffs three straight years, reaching the Eastern Conference Final in 2022 and 2024, and winning the Presidents’ Trophy last season?

“What I found interesting is that the majority of their best players, and there’s quite a few of them, they all kind of fell backwards at the same time. And you’ve got to figure out why that happened,” Davidson said.

Of course, it’s been well-documented that the Rangers were a soap opera this past season. Players were upset with management. Jacob Trouba admitted he was unable to lead before he was traded to the Anaheim Ducks because his legs were cut out from underneath him by general manager Chris Drury. Zibanejad’s malaise about everything. Kreider’s name leaked in a trade memo from Drury to the other 31 GMs in the League.

You know the story. JD’s heard it, but doesn’t comment on those specifics because he wasn’t part of the team. But that sure doesn’t stop him from being confident that the Rangers will right the ship. Especially now that the Rangers hired Mike Sullivan as coach.

“Mike Sullivan as head coach? That’s going to help,” Davidson explained. “He gets it and he knows how to deal with players that are at the top of the heap. So, I think in looking at that situation, when he speaks, people are going to listen. That, I think, will be very helpful to the organization.

“They had a lot of off-years there. And I think after self-reflection, a strong summer, and I really believe Sullivan is good. I think he’s really good. He’s got a presence, he’s smart, he’s unrelenting. I think that’s going to make a world of difference for them going forward.”

Related: How Chris Drury avoids failing grade despite atrocious Rangers season

Part of John Davidson remains with Rangers, but excited about Blue Jackets rise, future

There’s Still a busy offseason ahead for the Rangers, but Davidson’s Blue Jackets could be a thorn in their side moving forward. The Blue Jackets (40-33-9) stunned the hockey world this season, arriving ahead of schedule to finish two points back of a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. Even after the tragic death of star forward Johnny Gaudreau, the Blue Jackets were four points ahead of the Rangers (39-36-7) when the season ended.

“When you analyze it after all the disappointment (of just missing the playoffs), we’re in good position. The Columbus Blue Jackets are in good shape right now,” Davidson stated. “I really think there’s genuine room for optimism.”

So, you can say JD is optimistic about both his current team and his old one. And though his allegiance lies with the Blue Jackets, he still has Rangers blue running through his blood.

Remember, he wasn’t just here for two years as president. JD was a Hall of Fame broadcaster, partnering all those years with Sam Rosen. And before that, Davidson was a popular goalie, who led the Rangers to the Stanley Cup Final in 1979. Only two Rangers goalies have done that since — Mike Richter in 1994 and Henrik Lundqvist in 2014.

But as you turn the page on the 2024-25 season, hear JD’s words about the Rangers and believe better days are ahead.

That’s 40 seasons, four decades, behind the mic of Rangers games. But the 77-year-old believes the time is right for a final lap, hopefully ending with another Stanley Cup championship, like the one he called in 1994.

“I think Andy Murray, the tennis pro, said it perfectly for me at Wimbledon (in July) when he said ‘The heart says I want to do this for the rest of my life. The head says you can’t.’,” Rosen explained. “So, it’s a time where I’m on top where I feel very positive, I’ve gotten great reception from the fans. The last few years have been exciting for the Rangers. … so, it’s been real good and you want to go out on top and I feel that’s the way I’m going to leave.”

Rosen is already in the Hockey Hall of Fame, winning the Foster Hewitt Award in 2016, and was enshrined in the New York State Hockey Hall of Fame this summer. The kid from Brooklyn who was a Rangers die-hard growing up, has now been the voice of Blueshirts hockey for multiple generations of fans. That’s something not lost on Rosen.

And he’s loved every second of the ride. Beginning with those mid ’80s Rangers teams featuring John Vanbiesbrouck, Ron Greschner and Ron Duguay to the 1994 champions of Mark Messier, Adam Graves, Mike Richter, Brian Leetch and, yes, Mike Keenan. And then the ups and downs since the turn of the century, and years of Henrik Lundqvist, and now two conference final runs in the past three seasons after a swift rebuild.

“There are mixed emotions because this has been such a huge part of my life for so long,” Rosen said. “Every year I’d wake up and know I’ve got Rangers hockey … that was always in front of me. Now, it’s coming down toward the end. The feeling is bittersweet because I know the time has arrived.”

Among a variety of topics discussed on the Rink Rap podcast, Rosen dished on his three main color analysts over the years.

“I’ve been blessed that way to have great, great partners at MSG Network,” he said. “It’s made my job so much easier because you don’t have to worry about the guy next to you. You know, he’s got it down.”

WATCH: Exclusive 1-on-1 interview with Sam Rosen

Sam Rosen shares insight about Rangers color analysts

Through four decades of calling Rangers game on television, Rosen has worked primarily with three color analysts: Phil Esposito, John Davidson and Joe Micheletti. Rosen discussed each on the podcast, and also had this to say about Dave Maloney, whom he’s worked with on the radio side, as well.

“He doesn’t just bleed, he explodes Rangers blue,” Rosen said in descriptive fashion. “And if the referee makes a bad call, he’s pounding on the table. And if as player makes a bad play, it’s ‘What is he doing?!’

Phil Esposito

Rosen’s first partner on Rangers games was Esposito, the Hall of Famer who was Blueshirts captain after a storied career with the Boston Bruins. Esposito would later go on to become general manager and coach of the Rangers.

“Espo, gregarious personality, loved to have fun, would not go to the rink in the morning for the morning skate. ‘No Sam, you do that,'” Rosen explained. “I would say 90 percent of the time he didn’t know half the players on the ice during the game. ‘Where did this guy come from, Sam?’ So, that was my job. But with him, as soon as the puck was dropped I knew he knew the hows and whys of the game.”

Esposito was a straight shooter and a big personality. So, it didn’t take much for Rosen to draw the hockey legend out nor to have a good time together on the air.

“He loved to have fun,” Rosen said. “One time in Montreal, there was a delay on the ice and I said, ‘What do you think we should do, Phil.’ And he said, ‘Let’s schmooze!’ So we schmoozed until they dropped the puck again. We had a lot of fun.”

Related: Die-hard begs Rangers to honor Sam Rosen with this power-play plan

John Davidson

Former Rangers goalie John Davidson was Rosen’s broadcast partner for 20 years before he became an NHL executive, including two seasons as Blueshirts president from 2019-21.

“J.D. is the gold standard of broadcasters in hockey,” Rosen stated.

The two had an outstanding on-air rapport and are close personal friends. To this day, Rosen cannot gush enough about Davidson’s skills behind the mic or his work ethic preparing for broadcasts.

“He set the standard because he related to everyone at every level. He helped teach the game,” Rosen said. “I can’t tell you how many people came up to me and said ‘I learned the game of hockey from you and J.D.’ And J.D. was the man. He related to the fans, related to the players — spoke to them on their level, related to executives — which he became, related to ownership. He just set the standard.”

Related: 5 iconic Rangers play-by-play calls by Sam Rosen

Joe Micheletti

Joe Micheletti replaced Davidson and will be working his 19th season alongside Rosen in 2024-25. A former NHL player, coach and executive, Micheletti honed his analyst skills working with Howie Rose on Islanders broadcasts before moving to Broadway.

“Joe Micheletti is right out of that (J.D.) mold,” Rosen explained, referencing how detailed his partner is and how much time he puts into gathering pertinent information.

“Again, another person where players know him, he’s worked in different scenarios — working the sideline, being at ice level, working up in the booth. So, the players know him. He knows the game inside out and is able to present it in such a fashion where I don’t have to worry about it. I know if I stop talking, Joe will jump in with something relevant to what’s going on because he’s seeing the big picture.

But Rosen did point out a funny oddity with Michelletti.

“Joe has his little yellow sheets of paper that he folds up and scribbles his notes, which you can’t decipher. Nobody could read it except him.” Rosen said with a laugh. “He’s got all the notes that he needs to relate the game perfectly to the fans.”

As the anticipation builds for what this team can do after an exciting run to Eastern Conference Final, it’s time to look back on the franchise’s rich history.

The Blueshirts have been in the NHL since 1926 and have had some amazing moments. Of course, being around that long they have their share of some embarrassing ones too.

So we decided to take you back to a few true blooper gems from the Rangers archives.

Rangers bloopers: The Hockey Sock Rock

In 1979, some of hockey’s greats decided it was a good idea to get into the Rock N’ Roll business. This is a classic but pretty embarrassing when you look back. I think Phil Esposito’s induction into the Hall of Fame was delayed because of this. “How was I to know he was a ref-er-ree!!!”

Maybe it was really cool back in the day, but this is definitely cringeworthy now.

Ooooh Lala… Oh No

Was there something funny in the air in 1979? Anders Hedberg, Ron Duguay, Dave Maloney and of course…Phil Esposito were featured in a popular jeans commercial that totally backfired. The line ‘Ooh La La Sasson’ would be changed to Ooh La La So Soon whenever the Rangers were eliminated from the playoffs.

The jeans were really nice though.

Hockey Sock Rock Rangers edition

Ok, ok…if Hockey Sock Rock wasn’t bad enough, John Davidson did a segment for an NHL direct to video release in the 80’s that will make you shake your head.

Phil Esposito led the charge again with Ron Duguay and Dave Maloney. Also in the video is a song by the some L.A. Kings stars which include Marcel Dionne, who later would play for the Rangers too.

John Giannone rare blooper

John Giannone is one of the best in the business, but this moment during an old MSG broadcast in 2015 is one he would love to forget. In fairness to John, it wasn’t his mistake alone because someone in the truck aired the wrong clip.

After a brief commercial break the appropriate clip aired and Giannone captured the moment beautifully as he always does.

The Great Mistake

It’s spelled G-R-E-T-Z-K-Y! Not G-R-E-T-K-Z-Y!

Did the Rangers really do that? Yes, on October 30th, 1997 the Rangers misspelled the name of the greatest hockey player in the world to ever lace up skates. AGAINST THE ISLANDERS NO LESS! I bet many of you have locked this embarrassing moment away. Sorry to shed light on this debacle again. Wayne Gretzky we apologize…again…and again.

Wayne Gretzky’s amazing career spanned 20 years beginning with the Edmonton Oilers. He was then traded to the L.A. Kings in what is still considered one of the most shocking moves in sports. Gretzky made a pit stop with the St. Louis Blues before ending his illustrious career on Broadway.

The all-time leader in NHL scoring with 2,857 points: Wayne Gretkzy– I mean Gretzky.

Lias Andersson falls on opening night

Lias Andersson suffered one of the most embarrassing moments for a Ranger. The setting was Opening Night against the Winnipeg Jets on October 3, 2019.

Andersson was feeling really good coming out of training camp after making the team for the 2019-20 season. The Rangers first-round pick from the 2017 Draft was on the opening night roster and was being introduced to the crowd.

Stick raised in the air triumphantly to acknowledge the fans’ cheers, Andersson forgot about the perilous TV wire that took him down on the way to center ice.

The Rangers did go on to win that game 6-4 with Artemi Panarin recording three points in his Garden debut.

In the end, this was Andersson’s final season with the Rangers. He was eventually traded to the L.A. Kings for a second round pick in the 2020 Draft.

Wait a minute? Is there a trend between the Rangers and Kings when it comes to bloopers? We may have to investigate that in the future.

NHL News and Rumors

• Was the Jack Eichel trade worth it
• Did last year’s conference finalists get better?
• Nazem Kadri heading for the Islanders?

Back in March, with the Rangers still very interested in the 24 year-old center, I was given indication of just what that package might have been. A roster player (presumably Ryan Strome), Vitali Kravtsov, Zac Jones, and a first round pick. And who approved that package? Former team President, John Davidson now back with the Blue Jackets.

Blue Jackets having in-depth trade talks for Jack Eichel

When news of Jack Eichel’s neck injury surfaced, coupled with the Sabres still very high asking price, the Rangers interest cooled significantly. This was told to me in late May by a very reliable source who cited those two factors and cap implication starting in 2022.

Although no one has officially ruled the Rangers out of it, new President and GM Chris Drury has put the clamps down on any information leaks. That could be the reason why over the last week the teams often mentioned linked to Jack Eichel are the Ducks, Blue Jackets, and now Blackhawks.

Elliotte Friedman was on NHL Network yesterday evening and provided this update. “I believe the Sabres have entered some pretty in-depth trade discussions on Eichel,” he began. “I think they know what the market is, I think they know who is interested.”

As far as the situation with Eichel’s injury, teams have not been granted to speak with him direct and must go through the Sabres. “I understand the Sabres are asking for a ton,” Friedman continued. “I think they are deep in discussions with several teams. I’d be lying if I said I knew it was close. I’ll tell you this, I believe those conversations with teams like Anaheim and Columbus among them, are pretty in-depth.”

John Davidson has an advantage

Of all the teams that are possibly chasing Jack Eichel, only the Rangers and Blue Jackets now for sure what that reasonable offer was the Sabres almost accepted. John Davidson going after Eichel also isn’t some personal vendetta to get back at the Rangers for releasing him.

JD doesn’t operate that way, this is a business decision and the Blue Jackets have publicly stated they are in the market for a number one center dating back to the trade deadline. I even had the Columbus as a wild card to land Eichel back in May.

The problem for the Rangers, if they still are trying to trade for Eichel is that they will likely need to up the ante. Since JD knows exactly what they offered, he simply has to put forth a slightly better package to force Drury’s hand. Something as significant as replacing Kravtsov with Kaapo Kakko to get the deal done.

What could that better package be? Max Domi seems like a logical starting point. The Blue Jackets also have the 5th pick in the draft to use. Another piece they could include in a trade is recently signed prospect, Yegor Chinakhov.

So either JD gets Eichel, or at least he made a division rival pay a little more in order to get him. It’s just good business by a smart hockey mind.

NHL Betting Odds

Both the Lightning and Golden Knights continue to have the best odds to win the Cup. Read more here.

“I want to be respectful as I can to the Rangers. I don’t want to get into too many of the private discussions we had because that is really between Mr. Dolan and myself,” JD replied to questions about his abrupt dismissal. “We decided to part ways.” 

Where will GM Jeff Gorton land?

Jeff Gorton did a tremendous job with the Rangers. Well before JD got here, he was a quintessential component along with Glen Sather in the decision to begin a rebuild. After Davidson’s arrival, Gorton continued to do great work and JD gave him credit for it yesterday.

“I think that Jeff Gorton and myself, who are gone, when you look back at the work, that team has a chance to spring ahead very quickly,” JD explained. “They’re in good shape. I’ll just leave it at that.”

Some of those moves were trading Ryan Strome for Ryan Spooner for one. Trading up to select K’Andre Miller and Braden Schneider. The steal of Adam Fox. Acquiring Ryan Lindgren in the Rick Nash trade etc.

So where will Jeff Gorton end up and will it be as a GM or as President of Hockey Operations? Let’s not rule out the possibility of it being both.

Potential Destinations

One team that stands out a needing a change are the Buffalo Sabres. They recently brought in Jason Karmanos to assist GM Kevyn Adams. Mark Jakubowski is the current VP of Hockey Operations and could be the one to go. If the Sabres wanted to make a significant change, bringing in Gorton to take the role of President would be an instant win for them.

When it comes to taking over as a team president, maybe Gorton wouldn’t have to look further than the New Jersey Devils. He could help Tom Fitzgerald who is the team’s Executive VP and GM. It’s not like the Devils didn’t see up close and personal what he did with the Rangers and getting them on a winning path. NJ is also in the infancy stages of a rebuild and he could move it faster.

There is one team that is screaming for a change and that is the Anaheim Ducks. A team that needs to really start a rebuild and could use Jeff Gorton’s expertise. In Anaheim, I can see Gorton taking both roles as President and GM replacing David McNabb (Hockey Ops) and Bob Murray (GM). The Ducks are also a rumored player for Jack Eichel this summer.

So far, there’s been little to no chatter about where Gorton might end up, but these teams stand out to me. The offseason is very young, and we will see how this plays out. I personally do not believe Gorton will be unemployed for much longer.

NHL News: Playoff action and John Tavares injury update

All of last night’s game’s recapped and the latest on John Tavares. Read here.

John Davidson and New York Rangers mutually agreed to part ways

The ever classy Davidson did not want to get into his leaving New York too much. He explained how he had some options, including retiring but wanted to go back to Columbus. When asked about the timetable of his dismissal from the Rangers he noted that there were several conversation with owner, James Dolan.

“I had a respectful conversation with James Dolan,” JD said. “We decided to part ways.” There wasn’t much more than that with regards to his departure. What you can take away from his comments is that Dolan must have brought his views about the hockey club forward and JD didn’t agree. Ergo the decision to part ways.

John Davidson: “I had a respectful conversation with James Dolan. We decided to part ways.” JD noted that there were a few conversations but didn’t want to go any further out of respect. #NYR

— Forever Blueshirts (@4EverBlueshirts) May 20, 2021

John Davidson views David Quinn as a potential coaching candidate

Colin Stephenson of Newsday asked JD if he felt recently released Rangers coach was a candidate for the Blue Jackets job. Davidson praised Quinn’s character and his work with the Blueshirts. He also said that Columbus wouldn’t be doing their due diligence if they didn’t consider all coaches.

Both Davidson and Quinn are presented by the same agency, the Montag Group.

A warm welcome to JD back to the @BlueJacketsNHL! https://t.co/1sEapO1Mkx

— The Montag Group (@TheMontagGroup) May 20, 2021

NHL News

Elias Pettersson and Canucks working on new deal. Read more.

John Davidson back with the Blue Jackets

Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch broke the story late last night.

Multiple sources indicated to the Dispatch on Wednesday that Davidson, the Jackets’ former president of hockey operations for seven years, will be re-hired to his former position in the near future, perhaps as soon as Thursday. 

Columbus Dispatch

This will be a busy summer for Columbus. They have to hire a new coach with John Tortorella’s departure and revamp the lineup. JD’s first order of business is to make sure that Columbus locks up Seth Jones for the long run. His mere presence back with the organization will help that.

How does this impact the Rangers?

Obviously it is unclear at the moment how JD’s move will impact the Rangers. This is a competitive business and the Jackets will be back in the same division with the Rangers next season. JD will likely start on the coaching front. You can expect that outside of John Tortorella, Davidson will aggressively pursue some of the same candidates starting with Gerard Gallant.

On the trade front, Columbus has been rumored to be a dark horse in the Jack Eichel trade talk. Knowing that he was a primary target for the Rangers, I would not be surprised if JD made sure to make it hard for Chris Drury to land him.

I would even be so bold to suggest that JD would try and get involved in a three-way trade. A deal where the Rangers land Eichel, but he gets certain players he likes including defenseman Braden Schneider. Remember he wanted desperately to draft him in 2020 as they tried to move up three times to select him.

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That being said, it’s very hard for me to understand what transpired to cause this 180 turnaround from just two seasons ago. It really doesn’t matter if I agree with the move or not, my role in covering the Rangers is to try and simply understand it.

However, when it comes to JD, there’s a little more to it than just “business” for me.

"I am excited and humbled to be named the President of the New York Rangers."
– #NYR President John Davidson

See more ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/osGXBZlINF

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) May 17, 2019

John Davidson comes home

When the Rangers made it official by naming JD the new President of the team, one team source told me, “You have to pinch yourself.” The excitement of his homecoming reverberated from 2 Penn Plaza to the far reaches of Rangers fandom around the world.

This was the man that coined the most popular phrase in the most important season in franchise history. His iconic delivery of “Oh Baby!” was the definition of the Rangers 1994 Stanley Cup season. Not because it was catchy, but because when he said it, we all knew it was coming from his heart.

JD came to New York as a 22 year-old kid from the St. Louis Blues. He replaced an icon in Eddie Giacomin which was no easy task. Then he captured the hearts of the Garden Faithful with an improbable run to the 1979 Stanley Cup that fell short.

The man who wore 00 then became the voice of the team along with Sam Rosen endearing himself to another generation of Rangers fans – in particular, me. I fell in love with the game of hockey and his voice became synonymous with it.

If my passion comes through in how I cover the Rangers here or the game in general at The Daily Goal Horn, I make no apologies for it. As a kid growing up, I consumed everything hockey and bought numerous NHL videos. One of my all-time favorites was Super Dooper Hockey Bloopers that featured JD in a skit I still find hilarious.

Not the end for John Davidson I envisioned

This is not how I saw this all ending for John Davidson when he was hired in May of 2019. I saw not one, but several “OH BABY!” moments with him holding the Stanley Cup over his head in triumph down the Canyon of Heroes.

There are a number of people around the organization that are disappointed too. Like me, they don’t need to agree with the move, but they do need to understand it and move forward. This article isn’t about being upset over the decision. It is about being thankful for what JD did here two seasons. Moves he made will echo for years down the road, very much like they did in St. Louis when they eventually won the Cup.

Since I started this digital magazine (as I like to call it – I hate the term blog) in 2014, our readership has grown into the millions per year. Somehow in my heart I know that John Davidson will at least get wind of this article. I hope he reads it. If he does, I want to thank you for not only these last two seasons but for everything you mean to me and my love of this sport. You have instilled a passion for the Rangers and this game that are irreplaceable. For that I can never repay you, I can only thank you.

This is not the end anyone envisioned for JD in New York as President. With that being said, he is a Ranger and will always be a Ranger. For many like myself, he’s so much more.

Thank you JD.

John Davidson first comments since New York Rangers dismissal

On Wednesday, James Dolan announced the dismissal of both John Davidson and General Manager, Jeff Gorton. He wanted Chris Drury in place for exit meetings this offseason. That’s why he didn’t want to wait to make these moves until the summer. In an interview with Larry Brooks of the NY Post he laid it all out.

“What I’m talking about is not just something that happens in the locker room,” Dolan said. “It’s an entire organization that has to be together as a team. It’s everybody from the president, the general manager, the coach, the players, the assistant coaches, the trainers. … Everybody has to be together as a team, because everyone makes a contribution. Our organization doesn’t have that.”

NY Post

The ever classy Davidson did not remark on any of these comments. Instead in his statement he continued to show love for New York and especially the fans.

“I first came to New York as a 22 year-old and it has been in my blood ever since,” he said “Most of all I want to thank you, the fans.”

pic.twitter.com/2oOFhAJvtO

— The Montag Group (@TheMontagGroup) May 7, 2021

JD will land on his feet

I don’t expect JD to be unemployed long. There are many organizations looking for an executive of his ilk. He may even return to Columbus as some have hinted. Another option is to get back in the broadcasting game for awhile.

Bottom line, John Davidson will always be a Ranger despite how this ended.

Tom Wilson wants to move on

Tom Wilson made his first public comments after wreaking havoc in NY. Read them here.

The New York Rangers announced today that team President John Davidson and General Manager Jeff Gorton are leaving the organization, and Associate General Manager Chris Drury has been promoted to President and General Manager, effective immediately. Senior Advisor Glen Sather will work with Drury during this transition and continue to consult with the team.

New York Rangers make management changes official

”We want to thank JD and Jeff for their contributions to the organization. They are both great hockey professionals who worked hard for the Rangers, however, in order for the team to succeed in the manner our fans deserve, there needs to be a change in leadership,” owner James L. Dolan said in the statement. “Chris is a very sought-after executive and a strong leader, who has proven himself to be one of the top young minds in hockey. We are confident he will effectively guide the team to ensure the long-term success we promised Rangers fans.”

Once again, this has been a stunning 48 hours with regards to the New York Rangers. According to Elliotte Friedman he’s phone has been buzzing like crazy with insane reactions from around the league.

Wow, wow, wow. A lot of “Holy $%&@“ from people around the league via text message. Less than 24 hours after issuing a stunning post-Tom Wilson statement that turned the hockey world on its ear, the New York Rangers did it again — firing president John Davidson and GM Jeff Gorton.

Sportsnet

Chris Drury now in charge

The statement went on to layout Chris Drury’s track record which is impressive.

Currently in his sixth season as part of the Rangers front office, Drury rejoined the organization on September 4, 2015. After serving as the team’s Director of Player Development for the 2015-16 season, he was promoted to Assistant General Manager on September 2, 2016. Drury was promoted to Associate General Manager on February 5, 2021.

Drury has served as the General Manager for the Rangers’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, since May 16, 2017. In 2019-20, after he helped assemble a new coaching staff in Hartford, the Wolf Pack posted a 31-20-6-5 record in 62 games. Hartford’s .589 points percentage in 2019-20 was the best the team posted since the 2014-15 season.

During his time working in the Rangers’ front office, Drury has also assisted in overseeing and evaluating all players at the collegiate level. In addition to his role with the Rangers, he has worked in an executive role at the international level. Drury served as the General Manager for the U.S. Men’s National Team at the 2019 IIHF World Championship, was selected to serve in the same capacity for the 2020 IIHF World Championship and will serve in that role for the 2021 IIHF World Championship.

What comes next?

Although the relationship between Drury and David Quinn seems solid dating back to the college coach’s hiring in 2018, he could be the next domino to fall. The young head coach has done a solid job infusing the Rangers young prospects into the lineup and developing them. However, in his now three (albeit two were short) seasons his team has failed to make the playoffs. As of today, Quinn is 95-85-25 for his NHL career. A solid start but likely not good enough.

Here’s what I know for certain in speaking with team sources, the management group of JD and JG loved David Quinn. He had their full support, but that is gone now.

Again, if this all performance based it will be hard to replace your President and GM but not fire the coach. There will also be a number of highly qualified candidates available this offseason. Gerard Gallant comes to mind as does Claude Julien. Could there be a possible reunion with John Tortorella on the horizon? Chris Drury knows Torts well having played for him in New York from 2008 until his retirement in 2011 where he served as captain.

A wild 48 hours indeed. And there’s a game tonight too.