Chris Drury was appointed as the New York Rangers’ president and general manager in the summer of 2021. Under his leadership, the team has reached the Eastern Conference Final twice in his first three seasons. This includes the 2023-24 season, when the Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy and set franchise records with 55 wins and 114 points.
Despite not yet achieving the ultimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup and not reaching the Cup Final since 2014, Drury has contributed to a roster that has secured three consecutive 100-point seasons for just the second time in the franchise’s history. As we are currently in what may be his most critical offseason yet, let’s review Drury’s top moves as the Rangers’ general manager.
While it’s too early to evaluate this current offseason’s transactions, all other moves since he took charge in June 2021 are up for consideration.
Best moves by Chris Drury as Rangers GM
Honorable Mention: Extending Adam Fox
Several months into his tenure as GM, Drury secured Adam Fox with a long-term contract after Fox won the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman. Fox was in the last year of his entry-level contract when Drury proactively signed him to a seven-year, $66.5 million deal, marking him as a key player for the Blueshirts’ future.
With an average annual value of $9.5 million, which is currently the fifth-highest among NHL defensemen, it’s not the cheapest contract — but it’s justified given Fox’s talent. Locking him in long-term was a wise decision, providing stability for both the team and one of its most crucial players.
While it may not be as economical as other deals, it was a necessary move that Drury tackled proactively.
5. Signing Jonathan Quick in 2023 offseason
When Jonathan Quick signed a one-year deal worth $825,000 with the Rangers for the 2023-24 season, expectations were low. The future Hall of Famer, known for leading the Los Angeles Kings to two Stanley Cup championships and winning another as a backup with the Vegas Golden Knights, had a tough age-37 season. He posted a 3.41 goals-against average and a .882 save percentage in 2022-23, both career lows except for his debut season in which he played only three games.
Jonathan Quick, the winningest American-born goaltender in NHL history.
⁰Congrats, Quickie! pic.twitter.com/TdepbM6RIf— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 31, 2024
However, under the guidance of goalie coach Benoit Allaire, Quick was a revelation in New York. He achieved a 2.62 GAA and a .911 save percentage, his best since 2017-18 when he finished in the top 10 for the Vezina Trophy. Quick’s excellent performance came at a crucial time, as the Rangers’ No. 1 goalie, Igor Shesterkin, faced early-season struggles. Quick’s contributions helped the Rangers start strong. Off the ice, he was a respected leader in the locker room, earning New York’s Players’ Player Award and maintaining a steady presence throughout the postseason despite not playing in a game.
Quick also became the winningest American-born goaltender in NHL history while with the Rangers. His impressive season earned him a one-year extension to continue as Shesterkin’s backup for 2024-25. The Rangers have had many excellent backup goaltenders in the past decade, but Quick’s performance was one of the most surprising and proved to be a brilliant acquisition by GM Chris Drury.
4. Signing and extending Jimmy Vesey in 2022 offseason
Jimmy Vesey may not have met the high expectations during his first stint with the Blueshirts, but his second time around has been a significant success.
Drury signed Vesey to a one-year, $750,000 contract for the 2022-23 season. Expectations were modest for the 29-year-old forward, who was joining his fifth different team in four years. The former Hobey Baker Award winner, given to the best player in NCAA men’s hockey, has transformed his game, becoming an excellent defensive forward and penalty killer, and solidifying his role in New York’s bottom six.
Recognizing his value, Drury and the Rangers extended Vesey’s contract with a two-year deal worth $800,000 annually—a bargain for a quality bottom-six player who has contributed 10-plus goals and 25-plus points in each of the past two seasons, along with strong defensive play.
At nearly the league-minimum rate, this is an exceptional value.
3. Selecting Gabe Perreault in 1st round of 2023 NHL Draft
Evaluating this move is challenging since Gabe Perreault has not yet made his NHL debut. However, Drury deserves recognition for selecting a highly regarded prospect late in the first round. The Rangers picked Perreault at No. 23 overall in the 2023 NHL Draft, drawing from the USA Hockey National Team Development Program.
Perreault excelled in his freshman year at Boston College, finishing fourth in Division 1 hockey with 60 points and second in assists with 41. He was named a Second Team All-American and helped BC reach the NCAA National Championship game, where they lost 2-0 to the University of Denver. Additionally, Perreault contributed to the United States’ gold medal win at the 2024 World Junior Championship, recording 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in seven games.
At just 19 years old, Perreault is now considered the Rangers’ top prospect and a future star. He has announced his return to BC for another season but could sign his entry-level contract after his sophomore year.
Perreault’s performance in the NHL will ultimately determine the value of this pick. Nonetheless, finding such a highly-rated prospect late in the first round is rare, especially for a Rangers team that hasn’t been strong in drafting over the past two decades. Drury deserves credit for that alone.
2. Trading for Andrew Copp and Frank Vatrano before 2022 deadline
Drury’s first trade deadline as GM was arguably his best. At the time, the Rangers were tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins for second place in the Metropolitan Division and needed a boost to make a serious playoff push.
Drury made significant acquisitions, including defenseman Justin Braun and bottom-six forward Tyler Motte, who were both solid additions. However, the standout acquisitions were forwards Andrew Copp and Frank Vatrano.
Copp and Vatrano assumed top-six roles and excelled, significantly enhancing the team’s offensive capabilities. Their contributions were pivotal as the Rangers advanced to Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final, eventually losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning. It’s hard to imagine this run happening without their impact.
Copp scored 14 goals and 30 points in his 36 games between the regular season and postseason, standing out as one of the strongest performers throughout the playoffs.
Vatrano thrived on the top line, playing right wing alongside Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. He remains one of the few wingers to find success on New York’s top line since Pavel Buchnevich was traded in the summer of 2021.
Although both players left in free agency that offseason, their contributions sparked a lengthy and unexpected playoff run, marking the end of the rebuild and reshaping expectations in New York.
1. Signing Vincent Trocheck in 2022
Vincent Trocheck is undoubtedly the best free agent signing of Drury’s tenure and the highlight of his three-year term as general manager.
During the 2022 offseason, key players from the Rangers’ conference final run, such as Ryan Strome, Copp, and Vatrano, left in free agency. To mitigate these losses, Drury signed Vincent Trocheck to a seven-year deal worth $5.625 million annually.
Trocheck had a strong first season, recording 22 goals and 64 points. He excelled even further in his second year in New York, achieving an NHL career-high 77 points and one of the League’s top face-off win percentages at 58.4 percent. Centering a line with Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere on the wings, Trocheck was part of one of the best lines in the NHL, with all three players setting career-highs in points.
Trocheck plays significant roles on both the power play and penalty kill and makes a substantial impact at even strength. In the Rangers’ latest postseason, he averaged 23:08 of ice time per game, second only to Fox, and led the team with 20 points (eight goals, 12 assists) in 16 playoff games.
Additionally, Trocheck participated in the 2024 NHL All-Star Game and won the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award.
With five more seasons on his contract, which now seems like a bargain given his recent performance, it’s hard to recall a better 2C for the Rangers than Trocheck.
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