It felt like time to examine Chris Drury’s tenure from 2021 to 2025, combing through the highs and lows of his managerial decisions—from firing coaches to complex trade deadlines and controversial contracts. As hindsight kicks in, it's more and more apparent that there has been some good, some bad, and some ugly.
2021–2023: A Promising Start?
Drury was named President and GM on May 5, 2021, following the surprise firings of Jeff Gorton and John Davidson. Within days, he made what many considered his first right move—firing head coach David Quinn. He then brought in Gerard Gallant, a coach with a proven record of exceeding expectations.
Gallant had led the Florida Panthers in 2015–16 to a 7th-place league finish and took the Vegas Golden Knights to a Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season, earning the Jack Adams Award along the way—given annually to the coach who contributes the most to their team’s success. Gallant was viewed as a covetable hire, culminating in an Eastern Conference Final appearance in his first season with the Rangers. Unfortunately, Gallant also had a track record of regression in later seasons following initial success. Drury ultimately fired Gallant after two seasons—a move fans largely supported at the time.
Among Drury’s more contentious decisions during this era was the trade of Pavel Buchnevich. The return of Sammy Blais and a draft pick was widely seen as inadequate, and Buchnevich went on to have a career year. It’s a deal that looked bad then and has only aged worse. Another polarizing move was the signing of Barclay Goodrow. While few questioned Goodrow’s value—coming off back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning—it was the six-year, $3.64 million AAV contract that drew concern. If you zoom out for a moment, Goodrow likely would have been paid regardless of where he went—though I know it doesn’t make the pill any easier to swallow. Goodrow was waived this offseason, ironically after one of his best playoff performances.
Drury’s trade deadline work in these years was better received. Fans embraced additions like Frank Vatrano, Tyler Motte (acquired twice), and Andrew Copp, who all contributed to playoff pushes. His 2022–23 deadline work—managing to bring in stars like Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko under severe cap constraints—was arguably his flashiest moment. The sense at the time was that players like Kane and Tarasenko would push an already good Rangers team over the hump, but we all know that story ended with a disapointing first-round exit against the New Jersey Devils.
2023–2025: Turning Tides
Back to personnel for a moment. Considering the pool of possible NHL head coaches at the time, the hiring of Peter Laviolette, in my opinion, didn’t come as a surprise. Of the crop of available bench bosses, Laviolette had what many didn’t: a Stanley Cup. While I’m aware that Cup win may be older than some of you reading this, Laviolette does sit 7th all-time on the NHL head coaching wins list. Ultimately, after a similar experience with Laviolette as the team had with Gallant, the Rangers saw regression from their Conference Finals appearance, and Laviolette was removed by the man who hired him. Again, this move was widely met with acceptance.
Drury didn’t hesitate to appoint Mike Sullivan as the 38th coach in franchise history. Though he has yet to serve as head coach behind the bench for the Rangers, fans are and should be excited to see Sullivan reunite with the team. Mike Sullivan’s coaching legacy precedes him: two Stanley Cups, strong development chops, and a leadership style that emphasizes accountability—a trait sorely lacking on a team without a captain.
Player transactions during this time, however, became murkier. The failed defensive rebuild and mishandling of the Jacob Trouba situation stood out as major missteps. Still, fans were elated when Drury managed to shed the combined $11.6 million cap hits of Trouba and Goodrow without retaining salary. Months later, however, those same moves were scrutinized after player comments suggested team morale had been damaged. Drury then used that cap space to sign Igor Shesterkin to the largest goaltender contract in NHL history—an aggressive, necessary move. If he had let Igor walk, the backlash would’ve been even louder.
So, Where Do We Stand?
Chris Drury’s tenure with the New York Rangers has been anything but simple. His decisions have sparked both celebration and outrage, often depending more on timing than substance. Even his most polarizing moves have usually come with a clear rationale—whether or not the outcome matched the intention. The reality is that being a GM in a market like New York means every move is magnified, and hindsight always sharpens the pitchforks. Whether Drury ultimately builds a winner or becomes another chapter in the Rangers’ cycle of near-misses, his legacy is still being written—one heavily scrutinized decision at a time.
While the “Rangers can’t develop prospects” narrative remains, many of the busts that fans point to weren’t Drury picks. As the former GM of the Hartford Wolf Pack, though, he’s not blameless. Where are the angry mobs when it comes to Kris Knoblauch? Why do so many fans think the same coach who failed to develop our own prospects in Hartford would somehow have better results in Manhattan? Whether or not it’s fair, the convenient excuse will always be Drury.