GM Jeff Gorton announced today that Chris Drury has been named Director of Player Development for the Rangers. Drury previously played in New York for four seasons, serving as captain for three. It's an interesting out of the box move that really came out of nowhere as this didn't seem to be on anyone's radar..
The following was in the Rangers press release:
In his role, Drury, 39, will be responsible for working with the team’s hockey operations department to assist in the development of Rangers prospects, both on and off the ice. He will serve as a liaison between the hockey operations department and prospects in the organization, and assist in the evaluation of the team’s prospects. Drury will work closely with the Rangers’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, to further enhance the progression of Rangers prospects who are in professional hockey by providing encouragement and guidance. In addition, he will assist in overseeing and evaluating all players at the collegiate level."
On the changes, Gorton said "It was an opportunity to bring someone into the organization, a former New York Ranger, that can add so much. It's pretty obvious what he can do and how energetic he was for an opportunity to come back with the Rangers and work here. It's a smart move for us to spend effort and time on development...I enjoy his approach to the game. We're trying to add people in some key positions that have had different experiences...that can give us a fresh look. I'm pretty excited to have Chris come back to the Rangers."
To me the most interesting part if the part bolded. Fresh look and perspective. Think out of the box and differently. You also bring in a former captain who was successful in college, the NHL and internationally. Drury is a good role model for the younger players and maybe he can work with Stepan and Hayes on faceoffs. While his stint in NY didn't end well, he was well respected and is not that far out of the game that he has gotten stale in any way.