The New York Rangers are well aware of what’s at stake ahead of the 2026-27 NHL season. Coming off a deplorable campaign during Mike Sullivan’s first year in Manhattan, the Blueshirts have a lot of ground to make up. As for Chris Drury, fans may not like it, but it appears his time in New York City will last at least two more years.
Indeed, the 2026-27 NHL season is paramount for New York, but the way the Rangers have gone about their business suggests the president and general manager should be relatively safe through the upcoming campaign—if not beyond.
“By the time the 2027-28 season rolls around, the grace period will be over,” Vince Mercogliano stated on an article on The Athletic. Because the Rangers still own the rights to their first-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft, they could live with a draft-lottery finish in the upcoming campaign. However, that could be as far as the patience runs for Drury’s tenure.
NY Rangers’ draft picks
New York’s offseason paints a clear picture of how the organization sees the future. The Rangers parted with their first-round selection in 2028 in the trade for Pavel Dorofeyev, as well as the 2030 first-rounder, which was sent to the Vancouver Canucks in the Marcus Pettersson trade. Both are conditional (top-10 protected), but the point remains.
Chris Drury of the NY Rangers at the 2024 NHL Draft.
The Broadway Blueshirts are setting a two-year window for their retool. The goal remains to become a playoff team next season, but even if they fall short, it wouldn’t be catastrophic.
Moreover, if they end up with yet another lottery pick in 2027-28, the Rangers could still keep their first-rounder and then, finally, enter a sink-or-swim campaign in 2028-29, because they would give up their first-round selection in 2029 regardless of where they finish in the standings.
What it means for Drury’s future
When every moving piece is put together, it indicates Drury could have a two-year cushion. There is a scenario in which the Rangers carry out Drury’s plan without the president and GM, but the latest signs from the organization may put such a path to rest.
Drury is under contract
Not too long ago, Drury and the Blueshirts agreed to a multi-year contract extension (in April 2025). A lot has happened since then; key players have come and gone, and confidence in Drury may have wavered. Still, it’s one of those topics that can only be known for certain once an official announcement is made.
For the time being, fans should go about their days under the presumption that Drury is in New York to stay.
