Less than eight years after Jeff Gorton penned his letter to Rangers fans, it was Chris Drury’s turn.
The Rangers president and general manager addressed the Blueshirts Faithful Friday afternoon amid the team’s season-high five-game losing streak and rock bottom positioning in the Eastern Conference standings.
Specifically stating this is not the start of a rebuild, Drury instead described a retooling plan that will be “built around our core players and prospects.”
Rangers GM Chris Drury, during a press conference. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“We know and feel your disappointment with how the season has gone to this point,” the statement read. “We are just as frustrated and want nothing more than to deliver an on-ice product you can be proud of – it’s what drives us every day. No one in the organization is happy with what has transpired – from management, to coaches, to players. Over the last few years, we’ve had some successes and moments to cherish, but ultimately it was not the end goal. We are working relentlessly every day to bring a Stanley Cup back to New York because that is what our fans deserve.
“With our position in the standings and injuries to key players this season, we must be honest and realistic about our situation. We are not going to stand pat – a shift will give us the ability to be smart and opportunistic as we retool the team. This will not be a rebuild. This will be a retool built around our core players and prospects. We will target players that bring tenacity, skill, speed and a winning pedigree with a focus on obtaining young players, draft picks and cap space to allow us flexibility moving forward. That may mean saying goodbye to players that have brought us and our fans great moments over the years. These players represented the Rangers with pride and class and will always be a part of our family.”
The whole team was informed that the above statement would be released on Friday, before they made their way to Philadelphia for a matinee matchup with the Flyers on Saturday.
Drury also conducted individual meetings with members of the leadership group. That included impending unrestricted free agent Artemi Panarin, who was informed he would not be receiving a contract extension, per source.
The message to the fanbase comes on the heels of a particularly rough week and a couple disastrous games at Madison Square Garden, where the Rangers have largely served as a doormat to opponents rolling through New York this season.
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As the team was outscored 30-12 over the last five games, it was clear that frustration was beginning to boil over inside MSG. The boo birds have been out to play, and the chants for the dismissal of Drury have only grown louder.
The Rangers organization evidently felt the need to address the current state of the team.
With less than a month until the Olympic break, a course of action had to be decided.
Significant changes are on the horizon, and now everyone knows they’re coming.
“As we start on this new strategic plan, we will continue to play hard with pride and passion for our fans,” the statement continued. “We appreciate your unwavering support for the Rangers more than we can describe and thank you for all that you do for our organization. You will begin to see some of our plans come to light in the coming weeks and months. LGR.”