NHL Rangers agree to terms with general manager Chris Drury on a multiyear contract extension
'Over his tenure, Chris has shown passion for the Rangers, relentless work ethic, and a tireless pursuit of excellence,' Dolan said in a statement. 'While we are all disappointed in what transpired this past season, I am confident in his ability to guide this organization to success.'
The Rangers had Stanley Cup-contending aspirations coming off a trip to the Eastern Conference final. Instead, they struggled through off-ice drama involving captain Jacob Trouba, who was traded to Anaheim in December.
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Drury, who took over as GM and president of hockey operations in 2021 when Dolan abruptly fired John Davidson and Jeff Gorton and directed the former captain-turned-executive to speed up the rebuilding process. New York reached the playoffs in each of his first three seasons in charge, winning four series over that time.
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'I am honored to sign this contract extension and continue in this position with the team I grew up supporting,' Drury said. 'As I said when I began in this role nearly four years ago, there isn't a more special organization in hockey and I look forward to continuing our work this offseason to help us reach our goals for next season and in the coming years.'
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The 48-year-old former Boston University star has a massively important stretch ahead of him to hire a coach and make changes to a roster that proved to be flawed, falling six points short of the East's second and final wild-card spot.
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New York Times
30 minutes ago
- New York Times
Bills minicamp takeaways: Keon Coleman's ups and downs, Maxwell Hairston injury, and more
After the Bills successfully completed their first day of mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, Wednesday served as a chance to build on those early reps to spot some trends throughout the three-day event. While no jobs are won or lost this time of year, if spring goes well enough for a player, they can begin training camp at a point on the depth chart that leads to more reps. Advertisement After the defense dominated much of Tuesday's practice, quarterback Josh Allen and the top offensive unit were far more effective as a passing offense on Wednesday. But the defense still had its moments late in the practice, with the likes of top cornerback Christian Benford having another strong day. The Bills have one final minicamp practice scheduled this week before the entire team breaks until training camp begins in late July. What stood out from Wednesday's practice? Here are several observations from Day 2 of minicamp. Bills head coach Sean McDermott set the tone on Tuesday for what was to come in 2025 when he said that they would be expecting their young players on defense to contribute this year. Whether that means starting or rotational roles, the expectations for near-immediate dividends were clearly important to the Bills and part of the reason they hammered defense so furiously throughout the offseason and in the draft. One player likely to play a big role on the Bills defense before long is 2025 first-round pick Maxwell Hairston. They've been coaching him hard, but after going through most of Wednesday's practice, Hairston went to the sideline with an apparent injury and was immediately checked on by two members of the athletic training staff. Hairston looked to be in discomfort when staffers were doing some early tests on his left leg. Hairston remained on the ground with the athletic training staff until practice wrapped up a few minutes later, and they helped him up. Hairston walked to the McDermott-led huddle with a slight limp. Once the huddle broke, the defensive backs sectioned off and did their usual post-practice drill work. Hairston went over to the drill with his teammates and had his helmet on, but did not participate. Once that let out, Hairston made a long, slow walk with head athletic trainer Nate Breske from the furthest outdoor field through the fieldhouse and into the training room area. Considering Thursday is the last day of minicamp before an extended break, and that Hairston remains unsigned on his rookie deal, the likeliest outcome is that the rookie won't be a full participant for the final minicamp practice. Advertisement Despite the injury, it's notable how much of a vested interest the Bills, and most notably, cornerbacks coach Jahmile Addae have taken in Hairston. Addae and Hairston are in constant communication, whether immediately after a rep or on the sideline while others are on the field. Hairston has produced some good moments through the weeks of work, but also some teachable moments that resulted in receptions for the offense. The Bills are feeling optimistic about Hairston, though it remains to be seen if he can win the starting job outright to begin the 2025 season. Health is a big factor for training camp, so the results of their testing on the injury he suffered Wednesday loom large. To say that the 2025 season is big for Keon Coleman would be an understatement. The Bills liked what they saw from Coleman enough as a rookie to stop them from taking a significant swing at the receiver position. While Joshua Palmer looks the part of a good weekly contributor, he has yet to be the high-impact type during his NFL career. That leaves Coleman perfectly positioned for a massive role in his second season, and what he does with it will likely determine how much of a need receiver is during the 2026 offseason. On Wednesday during minicamp, we saw both the good of Coleman's game and the areas that he needs to improve upon. Coleman played to his strengths early on in the session, putting together some quality routes and catches on shorter area targets as he corralled two receptions from Allen during 7-on-7s and then another during the second go-round for the Allen-led offense during 11-on-11 work. It was all trending toward a strong showing from the second-year player, but after that third reception, the day got away from Coleman and some of the consistency questions popped back up again. A few plays after that third catch, Coleman encountered a contested situation where the throw from Allen might have been slightly behind the route, but without much separation from the defensive back, Coleman dropped the pass. Then in the team's final 11-on-11 drill, Coleman dropped another pass, this time with Benford in coverage. Two plays later, Allen saw an open Khalil Shakir over the middle of the field and tried to feather the pass to him past the first down marker, and Coleman skyed into the air to try and catch the pass well out of his reach, managing to get a hand on the ball as it fell incomplete. It would have been a first down if he had stayed away from the pass. The day was quite similar to the give and take of his rookie season. He'll make some big plays occasionally, but then he'll have some regrettable reps that question his ability to be a consistent playmaker for the team. Those on-ball concerns, along with his intermediate to deep separation skills, are questions he'll need to answer this season. Even though that was the result of his minicamp practice, it's wise not to get too far ahead one way or another on Coleman from just these few instances. There are a lot of practices and games ahead that will ultimately dictate what he'll be to the Bills' offense. They just need him to operate more consistently as training camp practices start to rack up this summer. Since minicamp began on Tuesday, the Bills have been without starting center Connor McGovern during most of practice due to an injury, which has opened the door of opportunity for second-year player Sedrick Van Pran-Granger. A fifth-round pick in 2024, Van Pran-Granger said he has been taking the first-team reps at center with Allen and between their two usual starters — left guard David Edwards and right guard O'Cyrus Torrence. It's a big deal for Van Pran-Granger, who was effectively redshirted throughout the 2024 season, outside of a handful of garbage time snaps and one start with all the backups in Week 18 against the Patriots. He hasn't received many first-team reps since being drafted, so this minicamp has been a big deal for him. Advertisement 'I think the biggest thing for me is just making sure that I make everybody else confident,' Van Pran-Granger said in working with Allen and the usual starters. 'You don't want to come in, and they're different, and they're trying to learn about you. No, you need to learn how to do it the way that Connor does it. You learn how to make those guys feel safe, feel comfortable. So it just keeps running like a well-oiled machine.' Van Pran-Granger said he spent most of his offseason in Buffalo working on getting stronger, more powerful and more explosive. And despite working at guard a bit throughout his rookie year, the Bills have had him focus mainly on center to begin his second season, which is a comfortable place for him, considering he started at that spot for three full seasons at Georgia. It's a big summer for Van Pran-Granger because not only does he need to convince the coaches that he's the first substitute in case of an in-season McGovern injury, but he could also be their starter in 2026 should the Bills move on from McGovern, who is a free agent after the year. Van Pran-Granger will also have to contend with Alec Anderson, who didn't practice during team drills for the second straight day, but has also worked at center throughout his time in Buffalo. For now, with the deck cleared, Van Pran-Granger has his best opportunity to show his abilities since arriving in Buffalo. Any time there's a spring practice that doesn't have full pads, and there's an enhanced focus on restricting physicality to coincide with the league's rules for the offseason program, it's tough to gauge offensive and defensive line play. It's mostly a game of hypotheticals in being where you're supposed to be and executing assignments, as opposed to training camp being about winning one-on-ones, splitting double teams and showing the true nature of the position. However, every now and then there's a standout play, and 2025 second-round pick T.J. Sanders delivered one on the final play of practice. As quarterback Mike White dropped back to pass on a fourth down situation, Sanders held his spot at the point of attack, kept his jersey clean and kept his eyes on White the entire rep. When White reared back to pass, Sanders timed his jump and batted down the fourth down pass at the line with authority. It was a nice moment for the rookie, who has generally been acclimating himself to the new defense. The big test for Sanders will be when the pads go on at training camp and we'll get to see how his speed and power as a pass rusher look against NFL competition. • CB Tre'Davious White had a tough day in one-on-one coverage, but made one of the biggest defensive plays of the day when an Allen pass was thrown a bit behind Shakir, it bounced off Shakir and into the arms of White for a pick-six. • WR Elijah Moore, working with various quarterbacks throughout the day, caught all five of his catch opportunities in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 work. Three of his catches came when working with Allen, and the other two were with White. • WR Laviska Shenault, after participating fully on Tuesday, was a non-participant on Wednesday due to an undisclosed injury. He was in attendance for the practice, however. Not taking part in 11-on-11 work: RB Ty Johnson, WR Laviska Shenault, WR K.J. Hamler, C Connor McGovern, IOL Alec Anderson, LB Baylon Spector, LB Shaq Thompson, NCB Cam Lewis, S Cole Bishop, S Damar Hamlin Up next: The Bills will hold their final day of minicamp practice at 11 a.m. on Thursday. (Top photo of Keon Coleman: Gregory Fisher / Imagn Images)
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Jockey Of The Week: John Velazquez Won Six Stakes During Belmont Festival
Jockey Of The Week: John Velazquez Won Six Stakes During Belmont Festival originally appeared on Paulick Report. Just as the Belmont Stakes Festival of Racing got underway on June 4, John Velazquez began accumulating stakes wins at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. By the end of the five-day festival, Velazquez had won a total of six stakes including three designated Grade 1 and one Grade 3 for a total of nine wins for the week. The panel of racing experts voted the Hall of Famer the Jockey of the Week for June 2 to June 8. The weekly honor recognizes jockeys for significant riding accomplishments and who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 1,050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States. Advertisement On Wednesday, New York Showcase Day, Velazquez posted a 2 1/2-length win in 1:43.27 aboard Spinning Colors in the Mount Vernon Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile inner turf route for older fillies and mares for trainer Mark Hennig. Friday was one of Velazquez's single best days highlighted by three graded stakes wins. Riding for trainer George Weaver in the G1 Ogden Phipps, Velazquez was aboard Dorth Vader. Under the patient handling of Velazquez, Dorth Vader raced in third until the top of the stretch when the 5-year-old took command cruising to a 4 3/4-length win in 1:49.10 for the 1 1/8 miles over a main track labeled as 'sloppy.' The G1 Ogden Phipps is a 'Win and You're In' for the Breeders' Cup Distaff. Originally scheduled for two miles on the turf, the G3 Belmont Gold Cup was moved to the main track at 1 3/4 miles. Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Parchment Party drew into the race as a main track only entrant with Velazquez picking up the mount last minute. The 4-year-old colt raced near the back until the field entered the backstretch when Parchment Party began to pick off his opponents to draw off powerfully and win by 8 1/2 lengths in 2:57.86. Velazquez capped his day aboard 4-year-old She Feels Pretty for trainer Cherie DeVaux in the G1 New York Stakes at 1 3/16 miles on the yielding turf. Off as the overwhelming favorite in the field of seven, She Feels Pretty stalked the pace until the top of the stretch when she engaged Beach Bomb with Luis Saez. At Velazquez's urging, She Feels Pretty gained the upper hand to win by a half-length in 2:00.76. Velazquez added another stakes win on Saturday aboard 3-year-old A.P. Kid for trainer Todd Pletcher in the off-the-turf Pennine Ridge moved to the main track at one mile. A.P. Kid drew away from his five opponents to post a 6 1/4-length win in 1:36.83. On Sunday, Velazquez picked up the mount on the 5-year-old mare Ag Bullet from Flavien Prat who had prior riding commitments as a result of the G1 Jaipur being rescheduled from Saturday. Ag Bullet bested the boys with a two-length win in 1:03.62 for trainer Richard Baltas in the 5 1/2-furlong turf test. The race is a 'Win and You're In' for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. Other nominees for Jockey of the Week included G1 Kentucky Derby hero Junior Alvarado with his first win in the G1 Belmont Stakes, Kendrick Carmouche who won the G1 Manhattan, Dylan Davis with wins in the G1 Acorn and G1 Just a Game, and Frankie Dettori who won the G1 Met Mile. This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
Should Bruins fans want Brad Marchand back, or should they instead look toward a new chapter for the Black & Gold?
But Marchand plays for the enemy now, and he's been busy proving himself one of the best trade deadline acquisitions of all time. As he helps the dreaded Florida Panthers inch closer to a second consecutive championship with timely goals and timeless leadership, Marchand, two wins away from hoisting the Cup, spends seemingly every night reminding the Bruins of what they gave up. Advertisement And no doubt making them wonder if they should pony up the money to bring him back. Emotionally, it's a no-brainer. Marchand is beloved in Boston, a Stanley Cup winner in his first full pro season, a former captain, BFF to Patrice Bergeron, a direct link to better, more competitive times, a fixture among all-time franchise leaders in everything from games played to goals scored to penalty minutes logged. Whenever and however this Stanley Cup Final ends, Marchand will be on target to be an unrestricted free agent July 1. With a new, lucrative contract on his mind, the Bruins might well be among his suitors. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Unless they're not, a real possibility given the sides' inability to agree to an extension during the regular season. And when rational heads take over, there are as many cogent arguments to keep the chapter on Marchand closed for good, to celebrate from afar as he plays out the final years of an extraordinary career elsewhere, and then invite him back for an inevitable jersey retirement ceremony in Boston. Advertisement While the Bruins begin this next franchise phase under new coach Marco Sturm, they would be wiser to follow 'We've got to reestablish the whole thing, because these guys are not here anymore,' Sturm said. 'So now it's going to be up to us and the new group to lead this group to a new era.' Of course it's tough to watch Marchand during this postseason rebirth and not be tempted by his eight playoff goals (fifth among all players), 18 postseason points (seventh), and plus-minus of plus-15 (second) heading into Game 4 Thursday night, in which the Panthers held a 2-1 series lead. Marchand is the oldest player in Cup Final history to score in the first three games of the series. Seriously, what more could he do to prove there is gas left in his 37-year-old tank? Among those eight goals are the Advertisement Quite the impact from a deadline trade that saw Florida surrender only a conditional 2027 second-round pick (which has since become a first-rounder with the Panthers making at least Round 3 of the playoffs). 'He's an exceptional man,' Panthers coach Paul Maurice told reporters over the weekend. 'I've really enjoyed having him.' Sturm would likely enjoy it, too. But the reality of the Bruins' roster is nothing like the one Marchand is on in Florida, where depth reigns so supreme that a man with first-line talent has become a third-line force. Alongside the likes of Sam Bennett, Matthew Tkachuk, Carter Verhaeghe, Aleksander Barkov et al, Marchand is the cherry on the sundae. He puts the Panthers over the top. Back with the Bruins, he would be expected to shoulder the load, be the same player who was left wing on a top line, was first out on the power play, was first out on the penalty kill, all while setting the locker-room vibe. Seems wiser now to let younger players take those roles. Wiser now to watch Marchand earn the spoils of his contributions in Florida, where he has fit in seamlessly inside a locker room that tormented his former team out of the playoffs the last two years. 'I may never get back this late in the playoffs ever again in my career,' Marchand said during this playoff run. 'To be one of the last teams standing and being part of a great group of guys, these are memories that I want to remember and enjoy.' Advertisement Tara Sullivan is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at
