The hunt for a new president for the New York Rangers can focus on one man now that the Columbus Blue Jackets have been eliminated from the playoffs. John Davidson is the top candidate for the Rangers job and now it is up to him to make the decision.
The New York Rangers need a new team president to replace the outgoing Glen Sather. There has been little messaging coming from Madison Square Garden, but all reports are that John Davidson is the team’s only choice. The problem is that he is under contract to Columbus.
Throughout the playoffs, Davidson has remained mum on the Rangers opportunity. Following the the Blue Jackets’ elimination by Boston in six games, here’s what he told the Columbus Dispatch:
"“I don’t know,” Davidson said. “I haven’t heard a word about anything. I haven’t thought about it. It’s the last thing on my mind, to be honest with you. I haven’t spent 16 seconds on it. I’m just disappointed because (this spring) was an opportunity. “I know these guys (the Bruins) would be tough and they’d battle as the series (went) along — and we were right there in Game 5 and we let it slip toward the end. Tonight, we were right there, right there, right there…”"
Okay, it’s all well and good that Davidson is maintaining his stance about the Rangers job, but history tells us otherwise.
A history lesson
John Davidson’s first job after leaving the Rangers’ broadcast booth was as President of Hockey Operations for the St. Louis Blues. In 2006, he had been hired by Dave Checketts, former Madison Square Garden President who was part of a group that bought the Blues. He held the job for six years, building a last place team into a Stanley Cup contender.
Despite the success, the Blues had financial issues and the Checketts ownership group that hired Davidson in 2006, sold the team to a new group led by Tom Stillman in the summer of 2012. It was reported that the new ownership was looking to cut costs and on October 5, 2012, the team agreed to a buyout of Davidson’s contract. He still had three years and $6 million remaining on the deal.
After the buyout, he told the Associated Press “I leave all doors open,” he said. “I sit back and wait for the phone to ring.”
Well, that phone rang pretty quickly. Less than three weeks later, on October 23, he took the job as President of the Columbus Blue Jackets.