New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury addressed the media Saturday following the firing of head coach Peter Laviolette.
During an impromptu Zoom call after releasing an unexpected statement announcing Laviolette's firing, Drury called the Rangers' 2024–25 season a failure and placed responsibility on all levels of the organization.
“Leading into the season, given the success we had the last few years, we had high expectations,” Drury said. "Quite simply, we fell short across the board. Nobody here takes it lightly. We know our fans are frustrated, and they deserve a better season than this. That starts with me.”
The Rangers went from winning a franchise-high 55 games and the Presidents' Trophy a year ago to missing the playoffs this season by six points, the first time New York won't play postseason hockey in four years.
“Everyone here—players, management, staff—needs to take ownership of the season,” Drury said. “(Work on next season) starts with evaluating what went on in the season: what moves worked, what players worked, what players didn’t.
“That’s an ongoing thing throughout the season. … With the extra time of not being in the playoffs, we’re going to continue to look up and down the roster, up and down the organization to see what we need to do to be back where we want to be next year.”
Drury declined to comment on his own job security following Laviolette's firing by team president James Dolan.
“I’m not going to get into personal, private conversations I have with Mr. (Dolan),” Drury said. “My focus is on doing everything I can to make sure we’re a playoff team next year.”
Along with Laviolette, the Rangers also fired associate coach Phil Housley, hinting at a top-to-bottom revamp of the coaching structure within the organization.
Drury said the coaching search is “wide open” and did not rule out hiring a first-time NHL head coach, something Dolan has rarely done.
The Rangers GM also confirmed that exit meetings will begin Monday and promised “direct, honest conversations” with players.
New York finished the season with a 39-36-7 record and 85 points, while Laviolette left the Rangers with a combined 94-59-11 record in two seasons at the helm.
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