Happy birthday, Chris Drury! Since May 5, 2021, he has held the roles of both the 12th general manager and the 12th president in New York Rangers history. Drury enjoyed an impressive NHL career, highlighted by a Stanley Cup victory with the Colorado Avalanche in 2001. During his time with the Rangers, he recorded 58 and 56 points in the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons, respectively, and posted 32 points in the 2009-10 season.
New York Rangers General Manager Chris Drury
Let’s review Chris Drury’s tenure as GM in light of his recent birthday. To celebrate the now 48-year-old, we’ll highlight some of his best moves and signings. We’ll begin by ranking and presenting Drury’s top four decisions as Rangers GM, starting with the very best.
Top Four Chris Drury Moves and Signings as Rangers General Manager
On July 13, 2022, just two days after turning 29, Pittsburgh native Trocheck signed with the Blueshirts as a free agent. He agreed to a seven-year contract worth $39.38 million. Drury showed significant confidence in the former Carolina Hurricane and Florida Panther by committing $5.63 million annually to him. This decision proved wise, as Trocheck played a key role in New York’s Presidents’ Trophy win last season and established himself as a standout playoff performer.
1. Signing Centreman Vincent Trocheck As a Free Agent
To say that Vincent “Troch” Trocheck has been a reliable presence on the ice for the Rangers would be an understatement. In his first two seasons with the team, 2022-23 and 2023-24, the now 31-year-old played all 82 regular-season games each year. Troch proved his strength as a center by leading the Rangers in faceoff percentage this past season, achieving 58.7%. He also reached career highs in both points (77) and assists (52) during the season. Among the Rangers, he was second in points, trailing only star left winger and former Calder Memorial Trophy winner Artemi Panarin, who recorded 120 points this past season.
Troch was also a key player in the Rangers’ deep playoff run this year, setting new personal records in the 2023-24 playoffs with 20 points (eight goals and 12 assists) in 16 games, marking his best NHL playoff performance to date. This includes a dramatic double-overtime winner in Game 2 of the second-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes.
2. Trading Future-Round Picks for Forward Reilly Smith
It can be challenging to assess the value of adding a new player before the season begins, especially if their previous season wasn’t their strongest. This was the case with Smith, who had a less-than-ideal year with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2023-24. Nevertheless, Rangers General Manager Drury expressed enthusiasm about the veteran player, highlighting that they’ve been evaluating and discussing him for some time.
“We’re thrilled to bring in Reilly,” Drury mentioned to the NHL. “He’s someone we’ve been considering for a while. He adds a lot of flexibility to our lineup and has a strong winning track record from his time in Vegas. He’s a proven playoff performer and fits well with our team.”
On Canada Day this year, Reilly, formerly of the Penguins, was traded to the Rangers. In exchange, the Penguins received a 2025 fifth-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick.
For the Rangers to make another deep playoff run next season, Reilly’s recent playoff performance with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023 demonstrates his capability. He recorded 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in 22 playoff games that year. His best offensive playoff showing came in 2017-18 with the Knights, where he scored 22 points (five goals, 17 assists) in 20 playoff games. Reilly has also been a precise shooter, boasting a 14.4 shooting percentage in the 2022-23 season with the Knights, the sixth-highest among Vegas players that year. He will also contribute to the Rangers’ power play, playing on their second unit.
3. Signing, and Re-Signing, Goaltender Jonathan Quick
Not only was signing him initially a smart decision, but bringing him back was also a wise choice. On Canada Day, July 1st of the previous year, the Blueshirts signed the then-37-year-old Quick as a free agent. The Milford, Connecticut native, a three-time Stanley Cup champion, is best known for his victories with the Los Angeles Kings in 2012 and 2014, and he earned another championship with the Knights in 2023.
Drury’s decision to acquire Quick proved to be a sound one. In the 2023-24 regular season, Quick won 18 of his 27 games with the Blueshirts, with a 2.62 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage. His stats were above average compared to other NHL goalies, and his two shutouts also ranked him favorably.
Following a successful 2023-24 season, the Blueshirts re-signed him on March 3, extending his contract for another year with a $1.275 million cap hit for the 2024-25 season.
“It’s a good feeling knowing I’ll be back,” Quick said after the signing, as reported by the NHL. “It was maybe a week of negotiation, a little back and forth. Nothing too crazy. It worked out that they wanted me back for another year and I wanted to be here for another year.”
Soon after, Quick made 27 saves in a game against the Arizona Coyotes, leading the Blueshirts to an 8-5 victory at Mullett Arena on March 30, 2024. This win marked his 392nd NHL victory, making him the winningest American-born goalie.
4. Extending Defenceman Adam Fox
On November 1, 2021, shortly after Drury became GM, Adam Fox, then 26, signed a seven-year contract with the Rangers valued at $66.5 million, averaging $9.5 million per year from 2022 to 2029. The 2020-21 James Norris Memorial Trophy winner has recorded over 70 points in each of his last three seasons with the team. This past season, Fox set a career-high in goals with 17 in 72 games. Additionally, his defensive performance in the 2023-24 season was impressive, with 123 blocks and a career-best 44 hits in 72 games.
Be the first to comment