Latest news with #Trouba
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
How Chris Drury avoids failing grade despite atrocious Rangers season
The day he fired Peter Laviolette as coach on April 19, New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury took his fair share of the blame for an absolutely atrocious 2024-25 season, perhaps the most disappointing in franchise history. 'Leading into the season, given the success we had the last few years, we had high expectations. Quite simply, we fell short across the board,' Drury told reporters that day. 'Nobody here takes it lightly. We know our fans are frustrated and they deserve a better season than this. It starts with me. I need to do a better job and give the staff and players the opportunity to succeed.' Advertisement He is right, of course. It always starts at the top of the organization, and this season is no different. Drury's fingerprints are all over this mess But that doesn't mean Drury deserves a failing grade, even if the season itself was an epic fail. Let's break it down. Related: J.T. Miller weighs in on Mike Sullivan hire, after participating in U.S. Open golf qualifier Grading Rangers GM Chris Drury: The bad Peter Carr/The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Might as well start with the negative. And there's no hiding from the fact that there's plenty of it. First and foremost, Drury miscalculated how much he'd disrupt the locker room with how he handled the departures of respected veterans Barclay Goodrow and Jacob Trouba. He placed Goodrow on waivers to get past his no-trade clause and didn't communicate his plan in advance to the two-time Stanley Cup winner, who was claimed by the San Jose Sharks, one of the teams on his no-trade list. Advertisement But that was just the start. Drury mishandled trying to trade Trouba last summer, and was misguided in bringing the captain back to start this season. That was painfully evident at the start of training camp and in Trouba's lackluster effort and admitted lack of leadership, his biggest strength to the team. True, not many of us could've predicted that the whole house of cards would fall inside the Rangers room because of the GM's heavy-handed approach in dealing with Goodrow and Trouba. But the bottom line is, it did. Drury didn't have a good read on his own players and it blew up in his face big time, not to mention submarined the season. Then there was the leaked memo to the other 31 GMs in the League, saying that the Rangers were open for business, specifically naming Trouba and the longest-tenured Rangers player, Chris Kreider, by name. How exactly this became public is a great question, because Drury is notoriously private and tight-lipped about everything. But, again, bottom line, this backfired badly on the GM and his team. Advertisement Kreider had a litany of injuries this season. But it was clear that one of the great goal scorers in franchise history was gutted by his name being dropped by Drury in trade talks. It was just another messy situation that caused more dissatisfaction and lack of motivation within the room. That he botched these three things, and did so in such a public manner, certainly makes his grade this season trend down, way down. Complaints from Mika Zibanejad about lack of communication from management appear to be more on the player than Drury, so that shouldn't affect his final grade here. Hamstrung by a tight salary cap, Drury's biggest move last offseason was trading for veteran forward Reilly Smith, with the Pittsburgh Penguins retaining some of his salary. That move didn't move the needle at all, both at the time of the trade and for the brief stretch he played for the Rangers before he was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights ahead of the deadline in March. It's too early to grade New York's 2024 draft class. But top pick E.J. Emery clearly has a ways to go to develop his game after a so-so freshman season at North Dakota. Advertisement Related: Key takeaways from 1st Mike Sullivan press conference as Rangers coach, including 'partnership' with GM Chris Drury Grading Rangers Chris Drury: The good One thing that gets overlooked is that Drury, no dummy here, recognized during and after the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs that the Rangers needed to shake up their core. To do so, he needed to create more room under the salary cap. That's why he waived Goodrow and tried to get Trouba's no-trade list early on. Drury clearly had eyes on a big move or two, either in free agency July 1 or via trade — or perhaps both. Without more available cap space, his hands were tied. Trouba and his agent didn't submit the no-trade list until the required July 1, leaving Drury no time to move the captain and his $8 million AAV in order to make a splash when free agency started. Jessica Alcheh-Imagn Images Though he erred badly in not moving Trouba at some point over the summer, Drury did well once he finally did trade the veteran defenseman Dec. 6 to the Anaheim Ducks. Drury got the Ducks to take on all of Trouba's contract, which carries through the 2025-26 season. That alone was a home run. But the Rangers also got serviceable defenseman Urho Vaakanainen back in the trade, as well as a fourth-round draft pick in 2025. Well done. Advertisement In removing the contracts of Goodrow and Trouba, Drury created nearly $12 million in cap savings. A small part of that went to Smith and veteran center Sam Carrick, a free-agent steal with an AAV of $1 million. Another chunk went to J.T. Miller, whom the Rangers acquired from the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 31. It can be argued that you or I could've made that trade, since Vancouver was backed into a corner with limited options where to deal the contract-protected Miller, who was in a messy feud with Elias Pettersson. Miller wanted New York and got it when Drury shipped Filip Chytil, rookie defenseman Victor Mancini and a conditional first-round pick this year out west. Miller's arrival begins the re-shaping of the Rangers core. His style of play and no-nonsense direct approach as a leader are a good fit for the Rangers. Though 32 years old, Miller was a solid add by Drury. And the fact that Chytil again sustained a head injury in Vancouver further justifies why it was important to move on from him, and get something of true value in return for the oft-injured center. Advertisement To make this an even better trade, Drury needs to make the right decision on the conditional pick. The Rangers must decide 48 hours before the draft begins June 27 whether to keep it and give the Penguins their first-rounder in 2026, or retain next year's selection and pass along the No. 12 overall pick this year to Pittsburgh. Drury also acquired rugged defenseman Will Borgen to fill Trouba's vacated spot on the right side of the defense corps. Borgen was a pleasant surprise, and landed a multi-year contract worth $4.1 million. Time will tell if Drury rushed too quickly into that extension for Borgen or if surrendering Kaapo Kakko in this trade was a big mistake. This season, though, Borgen's emergence made this move a net positive. Adding more draft picks and young forward Juuso Parssinen ahead of the trade deadline in moves to unload pending UFAs Smith, Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy Vesey made sense. Adding defenseman Carson Soucy for a third-round pick was more of a head scratcher, though he remains under contract for next season. On the prospects front, it was good to see two of Drury's first-round picks play some in the NHL this season. 2023 top pick Gabe Perreault got his feet wet over five games with the Rangers after he finished up strong sophomore season at Boston College and won another gold medal with the United States at the 2025 World Junior Championship (along with 2023 third-round pick Drew Fortescue). Advertisement Brennan Othmann, the 2021 first-round pick, showed flashes in 23 games with the Rangers, largely in a bottom-six role. However, he didn't score a goal and finished with just two assists. Next season is a big one for the 22-year-old. And a couple of Drury's later-round picks emerged. Mancini (fifth round 2022) made the big club out of training camp and then was a trade chip used to acquire Miller. Dylan Roobroeck (sixth round, 2023) led Hartford of the American Hockey League with 20 goals in his rookie pro season. Final 2024-25 grade for Rangers GM Chris Drury: D+ Drury doesn't deserve nor receive a good grade for being in charge of this trainwreck of a season. Advertisement But he doesn't get a failing grade either. D+ sounds about right. Now, let's see if he learned from his mistakes and can right this ship again in 2025-26. Related Headlines
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NHL Insider Believes Rangers' Reputation Is Damaged After Disastrous Season
Sam Navarro-Imagn Images The New York Rangers will have to make changes both with the roster and internally in terms of their culture. After winning the Presidents' Trophy and reaching the Eastern Conference Final just one year ago, the Rangers failed to make the playoffs in what was a disaster of a season. Advertisement Not only did the Rangers miss the playoffs, but the team dealt with issues of tension and dysfunction within the organization that spiraled out of control. It started in the summer when the Rangers waived Barclay Goodrow without giving the player much notice as he was claimed off waivers by the San Jose Sharks. Goodrow was an important leader in the Blueshirts' locker room and the manner in which he was released didn't boil over too well with Goodrow. During the offseason, the Rangers' desire to trade Jacob Trouba became public and that situation carried into training camp when Trouba remained on the roster. Advertisement After some struggles to start the season, Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury sent out a league-wide memo indicating his willingness to shake up the team's core while specifically mentioning Chris Kreider and Trouba's name. That also ultimately became public, which only plummeted the Rangers' level of play even further. Things quickly escalated and Trouba was shipped off to Anaheim after the Rangers threatened to place him on waivers if he did not waive his no-trade clause. Now, the Rangers need to improve the roster and also do some damage control on their reputation which one NHL insider believes was badly hurt due to everything that transpired. 'I do think reputation wise, the Rangers have taken a hit this year,' Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman said. 'Players notice how things like that happen. For them it is easier to bounce back because of who they are and where they play. You can recover quickly from that.' The Rangers fired Peter Laviolette on Saturday, but it will take far more than just a coaching change to fix the damage that has already been done.
New York Times
23-04-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Rangers sign GM Chris Drury to multiyear extension
Chris Drury has agreed to a multiyear contract extension to remain New York Rangers team president and general manager, the team announced Wednesday. After the Rangers missed the playoffs and Drury fired coach Peter Laviolette on Saturday, this extension takes any other major changes off the table for the time being. Advertisement 'I am pleased that Chris will continue to lead the Rangers hockey operations in his role as president and general manager,' Rangers owner James Dolan said in a statement. 'Over his tenure, Chris has shown passion for the Rangers, relentless work ethic and a tireless pursuit of excellence. 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 have alternated successful seasons with disappointing ones in Drury's four years as GM, with the 2021-22 and 2023-24 teams coming within two wins of the Stanley Cup Final. But after down years in 2022-23 and this past season Drury made hasty coaching changes, firing Gerard Gallant two years ago to hire Laviolette and now embarking on a third coaching search in his short time at the helm. The Rangers locker room fell apart this season under the weight of Drury's desired changes, which he began to implement last summer. He waived Barclay Goodrow and tried to trade captain Jacob Trouba, failing to do so when Trouba exercised his no-trade clause as a preemptive veto. After a 12-4-1 start to the season was punctured by three losses, Drury sent out a leaguewide text to his 31 fellow GMs putting Trouba and Chris Kreider on the trade market. That sent the Rangers into a tailspin, and Drury moved out five regulars, including Trouba, in a bid to remake the roster on the fly. Dolan addressed the team before Monday's exit interviews in a show of support for Drury. This extension solidifies that support despite the recent turmoil.
New York Times
21-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Rangers reflect on poor season, Drury's trade memo and accountability: ‘Something broke'
TARRYTOWN, N.Y. — Coming into the 2024-25 season, the New York Rangers did not envision being at the team training center in April for exit interviews. Why would they? They were coming off a Presidents' Trophy season paired with an Eastern Conference final appearance. They entered the year considered a near-certainty to at least make the playoffs if not go on a deep run. Advertisement But after a season of underperformance, a third coach firing in four years and, in Mika Zibanejad's words, 'a lot of noise,' the Rangers were at the facility preparing to break for a summer that could bring plenty of change. Sixteen other teams are in the postseason, and all the Rangers can do is watch. 'It's the worst feeling ever,' Zibanejad said. 'The last couple days have sucked,' K'Andre Miller added. 'Watching the playoffs and realizing the position we're in and not being there, it's hurting.' Owner James Dolan addressed the Rangers as a group, according to a team source, and the players went through exit meetings and physicals Monday. Many will leave town in the coming days. While fighting for their playoff hopes in recent weeks, some Rangers veterans delayed going in depth on specific elements of their season that went wrong. Now that it's all over, Monday was a chance to reflect publicly. 'In my mind, something broke during the season,' goalie Igor Shesterkin said. Now they're faced with the difficult task of fixing it. Drama engulfed the Rangers from before the season began. General manager Chris Drury put alternate captain Barclay Goodrow on waivers to get around his no-trade list, and the San Jose Sharks — a team on his list — claimed him. Drury then tried to trade captain Jacob Trouba before free agency opened July 1. 'It's part of professional sports, but obviously at a certain point it does become somewhat of a distraction,' said Chris Kreider, the team's longest-tenured player. 'Two guys that were massive leaders for us and a big part of our room.' After Drury finally traded Trouba in December, the defenseman told reporters the summer made it hard for him to lead. Adam Fox referenced that Monday, saying Trouba was open with fellow leaders on the team about those struggles. Advertisement '(The team) started off good, even with some noise,' Fox said. 'Once it started to spiral, it was hard for us to grab that back.' 'We didn't get up to the level of play we can,' Zibanejad added. 'There was a lot of noise around our team this year. I'm not saying that is the cause of (the season), but it wasn't the calmness I felt we had the year before.' In November, with the Rangers off to a 12-6-1 start but having been outplayed in losses against the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers, Drury sent a memo to other teams saying he was open to trading roster players. He mentioned Trouba and Kreider by name. 'It wasn't the first time, won't be the last time that kind of stuff comes out,' Kreider said. 'It's part of professional sports, unfortunately. I'm lucky I don't have any social media. I wasn't really aware of it until people close to me brought it to my attention. Just try to show up and do your job to the best of your abilities. Guys come and go, unfortunately.' The Rangers went through a 5-14-0 stretch in November and December that dropped them out of the playoff picture. Vincent Trocheck mentioned it felt like 'the end of the world' after the Calgary and Edmonton games, the first two losses in the stretch. Did Drury's memo contribute to those feelings of pressure? 'For sure, especially if you're one of the guys being named,' Trocheck said. 'It's tough not to feel that way. But pressure is going to happen. Everybody has pressure on them. We're the New York Rangers. In a city like New York, we're going to have pressure every year. It's on us to harness that pressure and use it for good.' Clearly, the team struggled to do that. Zibanejad said he was unhappy with how he played, especially the first half. 'Mentally, what I went through the first few months was probably the toughest I've ever been through in my career,' he said. His confidence took a downturn, he said, and he struggled to play freely, which he believes he needs to do to be at his best. Advertisement Looking beyond his personal play, Zibanejad also stressed the need for communication throughout the organization. 'Us players, we have to take ownership of what we do and how we go about things, but it has to be cohesive with everyone,' he said. 'This organization doesn't work without the players. The organization for us players doesn't work without the people that work above us. We have to work together as one.' The center emphasized that they all have the same goals — winning the Stanley Cup — but noted they're not at that level. Everyone, in his eyes, has to take accountability. 'I think there could be better communication from us players, too,' he said. 'It's not about blaming people. If you start blaming each other, we're not going anywhere. But we have to be able to realize what our areas of growth could be.' Given the fact Drury mentioned Kreider in the November memo, the general manager could look to trade or buy out the left wing this summer. Asked if he's concerned his time with the Rangers could be coming to a close, Kreider said he's focusing on what he can control: getting healthy and in position to play as many games in 2025-26 as possible. 'This is home for me,' Kreider added. 'This is the organization that gave me an opportunity to live out my dream. I have so many incredible relationships, spent so much time in this area. Obviously, this is where I want to be.' The Rangers fired coach Peter Laviolette and associate coach Phil Housley on Saturday. Laviolette lasted two seasons, just like Gerard Gallant, his predecessor. 'I wish it didn't go down like this,' Miller said, adding that it's been difficult having three coaches in four years. 'I thought our coaches were great for us this year in standing up for us and really taking the heat of the season.' Advertisement 'After a season like last year, to come in here and not perform the way we needed to, to make another run, you always have worries,' Trocheck added. 'Coaches are often looked at and blamed. It's tough. I love Lavi and (Housley).' Matt Rempe referred to Laviolette as a mentor and expressed appreciation for giving him an NHL shot. 'Me and Lavi were really close,' he said. 'He was great to me. … He helped me a lot, and I wish him nothing but the best.' 'I thought he was a great coach,' Braden Schneider added. 'Last year, we had a great season, and I felt with him as coach, I thought I learned a lot. … I grew a lot with him. It's more just unfortunate that we weren't able to figure it out this year.' Kreider, whose production dipped this season, said he dealt with multiple ailments. He dealt with back spasms, as he told reporters in November, over the first part of the season. When he felt that had stabilized, he had an illness coming out of the Christmas break that went to his inner ear. It resulted in vertigo. As he started to feel good again, he hurt his left hand against the Buffalo Sabres in the first game after the 4 Nations Face-Off break. 'Tried to tape it up a bunch and play through it,' he said. He said he might need surgery to repair his hand in the offseason. Rookie Adam Edström, who played the first 51 games before suffering a season-ending lower-body injury, did not disclose exactly what ailed him but said he got surgery. He has resumed skating and will be ready for the start of next season. Schneider, who missed the final two games, had surgery to repair a torn labrum and has a large sling on his right arm. Schneider said he first suffered the injury in the 2022-23 season and felt soreness. In 2023-24, he knew there was a tear, and then this season, 'They said it was pretty bad.' Advertisement 'Us and the staff did a really good job at communicating and making sure that I was able to go, and I wanted to go because we had a big run and I wanted to be here for this year,' Schneider said. 'It's something they said I could go the rest of my career playing with it, but it puts me at more risk for down the road in my life.' Schneider found the injury didn't take away from his shooting ability or puckhandling, but it led to him being more hesitant playing with physicality. He expects to be ready for the start of next season. • Artemi Panarin again declined to comment when asked if he was ready to speak about The Athletic's report that he and Madison Square Garden Sports, the company that owns the team, 'paid financial settlements to a Rangers employee last year after she alleged that Panarin sexually assaulted her.' • J.T. Miller was not at exit interviews after the death of a close friend. • K'Andre Miller is a restricted free agent, but he did not comment much on a potential extension. He said his agent will help him through the process. 'I love New York,' he said. 'I wouldn't want to play anywhere else right now.' • Miller said he is thinking about the possibility of joining Team USA for World Championships but hasn't heard from the team. Mika Zibanejad is also considering going with Team Sweden. The tournament is in Stockholm, where he's from. Juuso Pärssinen will represent Finland, the country's hockey association tweeted out. Urho Vaakanainen is considering joining Pärssinen on the Finnish team but isn't sure yet. He has 'a couple things physically' he wants to get sorted. Alexis Lafrenière said he's talking with his agent about the possibility of representing Team Canada. • Calvin de Haan again expressed frustration at playing only three games after coming over from Colorado in the Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy Vesey trade. Advertisement 'I'm old in hockey years,' the 33-year-old said. 'My career could be over this summer for all I know. Just not having that opportunity to compete and use that as a tryout for the rest of the NHL was very frustrating.' He thought communication 'could've been better' and, going into his exit interview, did not feel he was given enough of an explanation as to why he wasn't playing. (Top photo of Chris Kreider: James Guillory / Imagn Images)
New York Times
20-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
After firing 3rd coach in 4 years, Rangers GM Chris Drury stands alone — and is running out of cards to play
The news hit on Saturday afternoon, and it began with a familiar turn of phrase from the New York Rangers. 'I would like to thank (coach's name),' began the statement from general manager Chris Drury, this time about Peter Laviolette being fired after two seasons on the job. Those two seasons included a Presidents' Trophy, a postseason that ended two wins shy of a Stanley Cup Final and then this season, when the whole thing crashed and burned. Advertisement Drury has issued two previous statements like that one — the first a week into his job as GM when he fired David Quinn, the second two springs later when he fired Gerard Gallant. There have also been a multitude of staff firings — those don't get public statements — as well as trades and waiver placements and the like. Jacob Trouba was being rueful and a bit snarky when he chirped to reporters after being traded to the Anaheim Ducks in December, 'It's a rite of passage to be fired by the Rangers.' But he ain't wrong. The Madison Square Garden culture under Drury has turned into one of success, alternating with everyone waiting for a shoe to drop. Drury is a shrewd operator and saw that his Presidents' Trophy team of 2023-24 might not have the juice heading into this season, so he took action. He pushed Barclay Goodrow out onto waivers and tried to get Trouba out the door in June, but he didn't succeed. Drury was correct, in hindsight, to identify the problem. The way he tried to fix it left a lot to be desired. There is blame to go around the organization, including through the coach's office, for what happened after that. The Rangers started 12-4-1, but Drury pushed further on Nov. 24, texting the league's other GMs that his players — Trouba and Chris Kreider, in particular — were available. No one in the locker room or behind the bench reacted well to that, and the 4-15-0 skid that ensued featured some of the most uninspired, aimless hockey Rangers fans have seen since the pre-lockout days. When the Rangers couldn't fully pick themselves out of that crevasse, Laviolette's fate was sealed. But it's important to remember how and why all this chaos began. Drury has been a tinkerer since he got the job. That style benefited the teams in 2021-22 and 2023-24, when the Rangers had cap space and assets to fill the roster holes at each trade deadline. The 2022 deadline was a master class, adding Frank Vatrano, Andrew Copp, Tyler Motte and even Justin Braun to a group riding a season-long high. They had the defending champion Lightning down 2-0 in the series and 2-0 in Game 3 of the East final, and who knows what would have happened had the Rangers finished that series off. Advertisement But Gallant quickly went from the wise, hands-off coach to distant and inconsequential in 12 months, aided by Drury's over-tinkering at the 2022-23 deadline. Vladimir Tarasenko was a decent add; Patrick Kane was overkill, and the Rangers looked lost in blowing a 2-0 series lead to the plucky Devils. Gallant and Drury had a blow-up after Game 4 that essentially sealed Gallant's fate. In came Laviolette. Good times were had. Team-building exercises were a joy. Trouba led the room the right way. An 18-4-1 start cemented the Rangers as a force; small additions were a big help, with Alex Wennberg and Jack Roslovic bolstering a solid lineup. Once again, the Rangers got the lead in an East final, only to miss out. And not even 10 months later, Laviolette is out too. Did these guys all forget how to coach in a year? It's an obvious point, but Drury better get this one right. Owner James Dolan can't be happy with Drury's revolving door of players and coaches, and the revelations on Thursday about the Garden and Artemi Panarin settling a sexual assault claim last summer are a stain on Drury's tenure, too. When you run guys like Trouba and Goodrow out in harsh ways but say or do nothing about Panarin in light of his incident and subsequent settlement, that's not only going to be noticed by fans but also by people around the league. So Drury stands alone now. One of the smallest front offices in the league. No advisers. An established shelf life on coaches that's slightly longer than your average carton of milk. Unhappy players, even if some of them aren't what they once were on the ice. And in the face of that, Drury has to turn this team back into a contender, and fast. Which might mean pushing Kreider out the door. Maybe Mika Zibanejad, too, if that's possible to do to a player with five years left on his contract plus a full no-move clause. If Drury fails to significantly upgrade his roster ahead of next season and the team is stuck in neutral once more, giving up more high-danger chances than 99 percent of the league, the ghost of Toe Blake behind the bench is going to get this team going. Advertisement Which could make this coaching search a bit more difficult than the previous two. Candidates with options might view the mess in New York as fixable, but only with the proper amount of time to fix it. Drury's quick trigger finger and Dolan's impatience might not entice a coach who would only be here a year before his own boss gets the boot. That also seems to indicate that a first-time coach has very little shot of succeeding in this environment. It just feels like chaos and desperation all the time with the Rangers now. When Quinn was fired, the word was he was too harsh on the many young players, so Gallant came in to be softer on them. Then the word was Gallant was too soft, too permissive with a now-veteran team that needed stronger guidance. In came Laviolette, who balanced an off-ice bonding side with a tough, high-tempo on-ice side. And then he wasn't communicating well enough, couldn't motivate the team well enough. This can't be the way to run a team, where coaches and players and even staffers are fearful of what's coming next. The Garden has been known to operate that way over Dolan's 25 years at the helm, so maybe this shouldn't all be dropped at Drury's feet, but he took the job after Dolan fired John Davidson and Jeff Gorton, knowing well what was expected. It's Drury's team, Drury's mess and he's running out of scapegoats to blame for its problems. Drury and the Rangers are starting over yet again, looking for a coach to revive them. They're looking for change in the locker room, for more leadership, for more skill, for more commitment to defense. They better find it. Or else the next letter won't be sent by Drury. It will be about him, and it will thank him for his time.
