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OFFICIAL: #NYR have named David Oliver and Greg Brown as Assistant Coaches.
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) July 17, 2018
Oliver, a former Blueshirt, joins the Rangers after spending the past 11 seasons with the Colorado Avalanche organization.
Brown joins the Rangers after spending the past 14 seasons at Boston College. pic.twitter.com/tD1Obf7rYA
Oliver served as Lake Erie’s GM when the team hired current #NYR Head Coach David Quinn to be the Monsters’ Head Coach prior to the 2009-10 season, and Oliver also served as an Assistant Coach on Quinn’s staff in Lake Erie during the 2011-12 season.
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) July 17, 2018
In his role as Colorado’s Director of Player Development, Oliver assisted in the progression of several of the Avalanche’s top prospects, including #NYR Kevin Shattenkirk, who was selected by Colorado in the first round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) July 17, 2018
Brown was a teammate of David Quinn's on the 1985-86 USA World Junior team.
He played at BC for three seasons in the late 80s and played 94 games in the NHL with the Sabres, Penguins and Jets (so he has NHL experience).
Brown has been with BC since 2004-05 and was promoted to associate head coach under Jerry York in 2012-13. He was at BC for all of Chris Kreider and Kevin Hayes' time there (giving him connections to current Rangers).
“It was important for me to have people I could trust, have confidence in and have had relationships with, but it’s not like I just hired a couple of buddies,” Quinn told The Post on Tuesday. “In David and Greg, we have two guys who are extremely well-respected throughout the hockey world, even if they don’t have that kind of NHL experience. They’re going to be major factors in helping us become the team we want to be and can be."
“David has a tremendous amount of experience working with NHL players,” said Quinn. “And I think Greg is as well-respected as anyone at any level for his ability to develop high-end players.
“We’re not talking about kids here. These are two guys who are accomplished in the game and are going to have great influence on what the New York Rangers become.”
We’re looking for someone who can develop players and develop a team,” Garden executive chairman Jim Dolan told The Post during a conversation at his MSG office on Wednesday. “We want someone who is going to be able to work with young players — all of our players, really — so that they and we improve from one stage of the season to the next and we’re better at the end of the year than at the beginning.
“We need a coach who is going to be able to coordinate with the assistants and the training staff in putting a program in place. He’s going to have to be able to delegate authority in identifying deficiencies and fixing them. Scolding a player doesn’t fix the problem. He can’t try to do everything by himself. The job is just too big.”
Ahh, of course, need to keep Ruff around for his Defensive expertise. #NYR pic.twitter.com/PKPUZADX4J
— Rob Luker (@RLuker12) July 18, 2018
The plan calls for Oliver and Ruff to accompany Quinn behind the bench while Brown will be upstairs. Brown and Ruff will work with the defense. Ruff, who along with goaltending coach Benoit Allaire survived the purge that cost Vigneault and assistants Scott Arniel and Darryl Williams their jobs, will be responsible for the penalty kill, while Oliver and Brown will share responsibility for the power play.
OFFICIAL: #NYR have agreed to terms with restricted free agent forward Jimmy Vesey on a two-year contract. pic.twitter.com/PHcOe1pWag
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) July 17, 2018
ICYMI #NYR @19Vesey is back with the Blueshirts! https://t.co/72eyN8oNjO pic.twitter.com/lsmBVOhkyW
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) July 18, 2018