As the New York Rangers continue reshaping their roster, general manager Chris Drury addressed the reasoning behind recent trade decisions that sent Sam Carrick and Brennan Othmann elsewhere.
“This allows us to be opportunistic as we retool the team. The decisions we made give us flexibility in the months ahead as we continue to work toward our goal, which is to become a Stanley Cup contender again. With the trades we made, we’ve added draft capital and two young players. We’re excited about that. At the end of the day, we have to make decisions in the best interest of the organization, both short and long term.”
Drury’s comments highlight the delicate balance teams must strike between remaining competitive in the present and preparing for the future. By acquiring additional draft capital and younger talent, the Rangers are positioning themselves with more options heading into the offseason and beyond.
Brennan Othmann’s departure and a fresh opportunity
As the New York Rangers face the end of the season with no playoff hopes, Chris Drury also explained why things didn’t work out with Brennan Othmann. Now, he’ll have a fresh star with the Calgary Flames.
“He’s a terrific kid and worked extremely hard to try and make it work here. For a number of reasons, it just didn’t. To no one’s fault. I think he’d been looking for a new opportunity, and really wanted to give him that chance. Just like any other deal, not going to give him away. Think he’s a good young player and we were able to get the prospect we did with Calgary and made the deal. Certainly, no hard feeling on our end and wish him luck.”
Adam Fox might leave NY Rangers
Chris Drury was asked if he was concerned about Adam Fox’s ambiguous comments about his future with the team and if that’s something he has to smooth over. Fox doesn’t seem committed to being part of a rebuilding process in New York.
“Adam’s obviously a terrific person, a great player, local guy. I’ve known him for a long time, as have our coaches. We’re thrilled he’s a Ranger and continues to be. We’re certainly happy he’s here and look forward to seeing him back more on the ice now. He’s had a rough year with some injuries. It’s nice to have him back. Again, couldn’t be happier he’s a Ranger and we’ll continue to be happy about that.”