Rangers double down on Drury with fresh contract after playoff miss

Four days after parting ways with head coach Peter Laviolette, the New York Rangers announced Wednesday that president and general manager Chris Drury has agreed to a multi-year contract extension.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Drury, 48, said in a statement he is honored to continue in his role with the franchise he grew up supporting in Connecticut.

“As I said when I began in this role nearly four years ago, there isn’t a more special organization in hockey,” Drury said. “I look forward to continuing our work this offseason to help us reach our goals for next season and in the coming years.”

Top priority for Rangers

A top priority now is hiring a new head coach after Laviolette and associate head coach Phil Housley were dismissed Saturday. The Rangers went 39-36-7 this season (85 points), finishing six points outside of a playoff berth.

Just a year earlier, New York captured the Presidents’ Trophy with an NHL-best 55-23-4 record (114 points), before falling to the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final.

Laviolette, hired in 2023 to replace Gerard Gallant, becomes the second straight coach to last only two seasons behind the Rangers’ bench.

Drury was promoted to president and general manager in May 2021 after six years in the organization’s front office. Under his leadership, the team has gone 193-105-30 in the regular season, qualified for the playoffs three times, and reached the conference finals in both 2022 and 2024. Those 193 wins represent the most over any four-year span in franchise history.

“Over his tenure, Chris has shown passion for the Rangers, relentless work ethic, and a tireless pursuit of excellence,” said James L. Dolan, MSG Sports Executive Chairman and CEO. “While we are all disappointed in what transpired this past season, I am confident in his ability to guide this organization to success.”

A former Rangers team captain, Drury played 892 games in 12 NHL seasons with the Colorado Avalanche (1998-2003), Calgary Flames (2002-03), Buffalo Sabres (2003-07) and New York (2007-11).

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