Quick, thrown-together blog, forgive me if it is incomprehensible:
Wow, wow, wow. A lot of “Holy $%&@“ from people around the league via text message.
Less than 24 hours after issuing a stunning post-Tom Wilson statement that turned the hockey world on its ear, the New York Rangers did it again — firing president John Davidson and GM Jeff Gorton.
I’m sure I had the same reaction as many of you, that this was tied into Tuesday’s twitter bombshell, where the Rangers stated “we view this as a dereliction of duty by NHL head of player safety, George Parros, and believe he is unfit to continue in his current role.”
With an hour or two to process initial information, I don’t believe that’s the case. Those comments came directly from owner James Dolan, not Davidson nor Gorton.
This is more about the direction of the team. In February 2018, the Rangers released a statement to their fans, preparing them for a rebuild. While they won’t make the playoffs this season, they’re definitely headed in the right direction.
But, according to multiple sources, it wasn’t moving quick enough for ownership. Dolan generally leaves the Rangers alone, but if you’re a Knicks fan, you’re familiar with his impulsiveness. He’s not known for patience. Apparently, Dolan also expressed frustration that he didn’t receive enough communication on the plan.
Chris Drury, who has had multiple opportunities elsewhere, ascends to President & GM.
The team released the following statement when they made the front office moves official:
“We want to thank JD and Jeff for their contributions to the organization. They are both great hockey professionals who worked hard for the Rangers, however, in order for the team to succeed in the manner our fans deserve, there needs to be a change in leadership,” said James L. Dolan, executive chairman, MSG Sports. “Chris is a very sought-after executive and a strong leader, who has proven himself to be one of the top young minds in hockey. We are confident he will effectively guide the team to ensure the long-term success we promised Rangers fans.”
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