As we inch closer to the start of the 2025-26 season, the New York Rangers have officially set their hockey operations staff. Along with hiring Blake Wheeler as a Hockey Operations Advisor, the Rangers have decided who their Assistant General Managers will be.
Jim Sullivan and Ryane Clowe have both been named Assistant GMs, while Ryan Martin has been named an Associate General Manager. But who are these people, and how will their roles impact the Rangers' decision-making?
Getting to know Chris Drury's staff
Martin is a guy many Rangers fans should already be familiar with. He's served as the General Manager of the Hartford Wolf Pack since the 2021-22 season. While in this new role, he will continue to be the GM for the Wolf Pack. Over his tenure in Hartford, he has led the team to the playoffs in two of his four seasons. He also won two Calder Cups when he was the GM of the Grand Rapids Griffins. Fielding competitive teams will do wonders for player development. Being in a winning environment and chasing a Calder Cup will motivate the players to get better and give them a taste of what's expected of them in the NHL.
He can also help Chris Drury determine when prospects and young players are ready for the NHL. With guys like Brett Berard, Brennan Othmann, and Gabe Perreault, all sitting on the NHL/AHL bubble, they should spend time with both teams. With Martin watching these players every game, he can be the one to inform Drury which ones are ready to be Rangers and which ones need more time in Hartford.
Sullivan is another name that Rangers fans should be familiar with. While he has no relation to new head coach Mike Sullivan, he's been a part of the organization for 17 seasons. He has served in many different roles with the Rangers, with the most recent one being Vice President of Hockey Strategy and Data Management. With his analytical background, he should help Drury find those undervalued players. With him serving as Director of Player Care & Development/Analytics, he understands what analytics translates to good NHL players, allowing him to give Drury well-informed advice.
Clowe comes to the Rangers with some interesting timing. On Sunday morning, Clowe announced that he was stepping down as Assistant General Manager of the San Jose Sharks. Then, just 24 hours later, is announced as the new Assistant GM of the Rangers. The timing is very interesting, and I wonder if we will hear more about the sudden job change.
That said, it's still an interesting homecoming for Clowe. From 2021-22 to 2023-24, Clowe worked in the Rangers' player development department. He also spent time behind the bench and is a 10-year NHL veteran. He can become one of the voices to the front office to the players.
One of the main criticisms you can make about Drury is that he's not good at keeping the players informed on his moves. With Clowe being a former player and coach, he can improve the communications between the front office and locker room, and the drama between the two to a minimum.
With these three, along with Wheeler assisting Drury, the hope is that it'll help the Rangers go back to the playoffs. It's the first step in proving that last season was nothing more than a fluke.