Chris Drury’s tenure as the New York Rangers’ General Manager since 2021 has been a mix of successes and failures. His initial offseason was marked by a series of strategic moves, some of which have since been re-evaluated with a critical eye.
One significant event recently was Barclay Goodrow being claimed off waivers by the San Jose Sharks, which not only freed up $3.6 million in salary cap space for the Rangers over the next three seasons but also symbolized the end of Drury’s first offseason acquisitions, as Goodrow was the last remaining player from that period.
Drury stepped into his role as president and GM of the Rangers on May 5, 2021, taking over from John Davidson and Jeff Gorton. At the time, the Rangers were coming off a disappointing season, failing to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 27-23-6 record in a pandemic-shortened 56-game season.
One of Drury’s initial major decisions was to fire coach David Quinn shortly after the season ended and replace him with Gerard Gallant. During the 2021 NHL Draft, Drury selected forward Brennan Othmann with the 16th overall pick. While the rest of the draft class has not stood out, Othmann shows promise for a regular role with the team in the 2024-25 season.
The incident on May 3, 2021, where Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals assaulted Rangers players Pavel Buchnevich and Artemi Panarin, motivated Drury to prioritize adding size and toughness to the roster. This led to several key offseason moves, including signing defenseman Patrik Nemeth, trading for forward Ryan Reaves, and acquiring Barclay Goodrow’s RFA rights, subsequently signing him to a six-year, $3.6 million contract.
The trade of Pavel Buchnevich to the St. Louis Blues for Sammy Blais and a second-round pick, which was later used to acquire forward Andrew Copp, was a particularly controversial move. While the trade was seen as somewhat necessary due to salary cap constraints, it has since been widely criticized. Blais struggled with injuries and production during his time with the Rangers, recording only nine points in 54 games before being traded back to St. Louis as part of a package for Vladimir Tarasenko and Niko Mikkola. This trade was more favorable for New York.
Drury’s attempt to acquire Jack Eichel from the Buffalo Sabres did not materialize, as he was unwilling to part with young stars Alexis Lafreniere or Kaapo Kakko. Eichel was eventually traded to the Vegas Golden Knights.
Goodrow, while valuable, was deemed overpaid for his role and was eventually placed on waivers to clear his cap hit. Nemeth’s three-year, $7.5 million contract was another misstep, leading to a trade that required the attachment of two second-round picks to offload his contract to the Arizona Coyotes.
Ryan Reaves, though initially adding needed toughness and character, became a liability due to his lack of skill and defensive prowess. He was traded to the Minnesota Wild early in the 2022-23 season.
Gallant, Drury’s coaching hire, led the Rangers to two consecutive 100-point seasons and an Eastern Conference Final appearance but was fired after two seasons due to falling out of favor with management and the team.
Despite these challenges, Drury’s trade deadline maneuvers in 2022 were impressive, bringing in players like Copp, Frank Vatrano, Tyler Motte, and Justin Braun, which helped the Rangers reach the Eastern Conference Final in his first season as GM.
As Drury enters his fourth offseason, the pressure is mounting. While he has earned respect as a GM, the next few seasons will be crucial in defining his tenure with the Rangers, especially as they strive to reach the Stanley Cup Final.
