Rangers owner James Dolan breaks his silence on today's firings and hirings

The big boss man speaks!

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 2 years ago
Rangers owner James Dolan breaks his silence on today's firings and hirings
Zuma Press

In case you missed the surprising news earlier today, the New York Rangers have unceremoniously fired general manager Jeff Gorton and president John Davidson.

This is obviously a shocking move given the admirable work that both Gorton and Davidson have put in since being hired by team owner Jeff Dolan. But then again... with Dolan in charge anything can happen at any time. Just ask a New York Knicks fan what what they think about the divisive owner.

Now, the Rangers have officially confirmed the news and have appointed assistant GM Chris Drury as the team's new GM and President. Dolan made the announcement in a prepared statement in which he both thanked Gorton and Davidson for their work, while stating that "in order for the team to succeed in the manner our fans deserve, there needs to be a change in leadership."

Check it out:

"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. 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."


Drury has long been a GM candidate whose name has been linked to different openings around the NHL, but the Rangers have always managed to keep him locked up and on the payroll. Now, it's clear to see why. 

Drury appears to be an astute evaluator of talent and has worked as an assistant GM for several years now but... this is the big leagues and he's taking over one of sport's most storied franchises as a rookie GM. Nevermind the fact that the Rangers are entering a critical stage in their rebuild, one in which Drury will be tasked with navigating them back to being a contender. Call me crazy, but I don't know if I want a rookie GM in charge when I'm trying to flip the switch from rebuilding mode to competing mode.

But then again... I'm not Jeff Dolan, so what do I know?

If nothing else it'll be interesting to see how this upcoming offseason goes for Drury and the Rangers.