New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury has an important week ahead of him, as the trade deadline is this Friday at 3 p.m. ET. Drury is facing tremendous pressure from Rangers fans who want him to get the most value imaginable in trades that would solidify the retool. If not, the calls for his job will only grow louder.
Drury is not exactly a popular figure among the fans. Last Thursday, matters only got worse when star defenseman Adam Fox, making his return from injury, provided a noncommittal answer when asked about his future with the team. That sent some fans over the edge, as Fox had pushed his way to New York before playing in his first pro game. Now, it feels as though Fox is contemplating wanting off of the Rangers.
Discussing Fox's future, The Athletic's Vince Mercogliano reported that Drury and the defenseman have met in recent weeks. But Fox is going to take the next couple of months to evaluate the roster before making a commitment to be with the Rangers long-term (subscription required).
"There have already been multiple meetings between Fox and Drury in recent weeks, according to a league source, but Fox wants to see how Drury handles the coming months and assess the state of the roster this summer before making a full-throated commitment to stick it out, according to a different league source," writes Mercogliano."That’s not to say he’s unwilling to endure a transition period, but he’s looking for evidence that the Rangers have a way out of this self-inflicted mess."
Adam Fox will monitor Chris Drury's decisions before making commitment to Rangers
That isn't the most promising news for the Rangers fanbase. Fox wants to see some sort of a vision installed by Drury to see if it's worth hanging around for the foreseeable future.
After a 5-4 overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday, Fox was asked by reporters if he would give a commitment to stay for the foreseeable future. Again, Fox said he is just focused on playing the games this season.
"We’re just trying to focus on games, myself included," said Fox, h/t SNY. "There’s a lot going on with the deadline and everything, but I think all anyone can do right now is take it day-by-day, try to bring a good effort and good attitude and take it from there."
It's no secret that the Rangers need an influx of legitimate young talent. If there is one complaint surrounding the team, it's their inability to develop their younger players and prospects up to their potential. Look no further than Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko. Lafreniere had one breakout season in 2023-24, cashed in on a seven-year, $51.2 million contract extension, and hasn't replicated that kind of production since. As for Kakko, he never developed into the top-level scorer fans wanted, and was subsequently traded to the Seattle Kraken last season.
The Rangers received one top prospect thus far post-retool letter in Liam Greentree, who is looking like the real deal in the CHL. But can he actually develop into a top six forward for the Rangers? That's a huge question that will need to be answered within the next couple of years.
Drury's best chance of replenishing the prospect pool is by trading center Vincent Trocheck, who has been linked to the Minnesota Wild, Detroit Red Wings, and Carolina Hurricanes. Considering all three are teams in playoff position and are in the market for a center, Drury has to bank on the competition between them will cause the offers to become more lucrative. If the team doesn't get a strong return, then their future is going to look a lot bleaker.
The heat is rising for Drury. Not only does he have to crush the deadline, but also show Fox that staying around long-term is the right option. Because losing Fox will make the Rangers a significantly worse team.