Rangers GM Staring Down Hot Seat

The general manager of the New York Rangers is staring down a potential trip to the hot seat.

Aug 27, 2013; Arlington, VA, USA; Former NHL player and Olympic team member Chris Drury walks onto the ice during a ceremony unveiling the 2014 Olympic hockey jersey as part of the 2013 U.S. men's national team camp at Kettler Capitals Iceplex. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers sit two points back of the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference with 12 games remaining in the regular season. With 30 regulation wins and 72 points, there's plenty of reasons for optimism in New York. The playoffs are well within reach and once you're in, anything can happen.

With the Rangers on the bubble, however, the question has to be asked: how secure is the job of team general manager Chris Drury? The Rangers President and General Manager has been in his position since 2021 and the team has enjoyed success over the past few seasons.

Over the last two seasons, however, there's been a noticeable shift in the roster and it calls into question Drury's vision for the organization.

The big move that is facing scrutiny is the trade for JT Miller. After completing a blockbuster trade with the Vancouver Canucks, Miller arrived in New York red hot for his reunion. He scored seven goals in his first 11 games as a Rangers forward, but he's sputtered since. He's goalless in nine straight games, and it's no surprise the Rangers have lost eight of their 10 games in that span.

Miller's cold streak aside, the trade also required the Rangers to part with players Filip Chytil and Victor Mancini. They were two of the best players in the organization 25 years old or younger.

The move continued a trend that's stood out during Drury's tenure. As GM, he's given up a bit too early on young players in favor of veterans. Since assuming his role, the list of players he's sent out includes Brett Howden, Kaapo Kakko, and Pavel Buchnevich. Each has had success with their new franchises, and it's very possible that both Chytil and Mancini become important players with their new organization as well. Meanwhile, the Rangers have seven players aged 30 or older on their roster signed through the 2025-2026 season.

If you're keeping track, that's three former first-round picks, including Kakko who was the organization's second overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, who have been sent out under Drury. In return, the Rangers have made it only to the Eastern Conference Finals. It's true that you have to give up to get, but it's fair question whether or not what the Rangers got was worth what they've given up.

That unfortunately falls on the shoulders of Drury and his staff. If the Rangers miss the playoffs, it could be the final straw for the organization. It could also put the team's GM on the hot seat entering next season.

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