Confirmed with Link: New York Rangers Hire John Davidson as President

[eco's bones]

Not against it but I don't know if this means a whole lot to me. I mean he's replacing Glen Sather and once Sather stepped down from the GM position--he did exactly what? Served as a conduit between Dolan and Gorton and/or Drury and and/or Clark? Gave his perspective when asked for advice? Shuffled some papers around on his desk between intervals of staring out the window? Showed up with the others for the draft--mainly staying in the background because he's not a scout but smoked a few cigars (that's almost for sure). Was around when someone wanted to go out for a fancy lunch and didn't want to eat alone? It's a great job mind you and someone's got to do it but it ain't the GM job but at a certain level of things those things are just going to happen anyway


All that said if he can get Panarin on board that's a big win for us. I think this improves our chances of that.

 

[Trxjw]

JD is the right hire. The last thing the Rangers needed 18 months into the rebuild was an outsider who wanted to put his mark on the team or shake things up. Familiarity with the organization and the ownership and will let Gorton continue to do his thing.

 

[NYRFANMANI]

It's like the stars are realigning.

 

[Ola]

He's been mad about JD since the rumor first started.

I was bitter about everyone around those post 94’ teams.

Everyone in the league trapped, but there was still some silly notion that you couldn’t trap in NY and that it was still possible to play that 80s EDM style.

It was just too bad. If you knew anything about hockey you noticed that, the guys we had didn’t. It’s really as simple as that. Pros make mistake and Sather and many others were totally lost here in NY from after the cup until the 05 lockout.

JD who seems like a great guy that I always loved in the booth, was one of the top clowns in that era. Just totally clueless, you can’t trap in NY gang. You either trapped or lost, it was as simple as that. Was losing possible?

This guy have never been employed by a decent organization (that have won two PO rounds). He has never worked as a scout, coach, GM, director of player personell or whatever. He had a shady president position for STL and was the spoke person for a tremendously gifted hockey mind from Europe who really is the first European GM to do well in the NHL. But that organization also quite possibly has the worst coach in the league bar none, and the biggest reason CBJ is getting into POs is because they have underperformed for so long getting high picks and being able to keeping players cheap since they haven’t don’t well.

Why did JD get a president position to start with? What did he know about running an organization? Building up a scouting organization from scratch? Had JD seen a single game from a WJC ever when STL hired him? How many AHL games the last 20 years had JD seen when STL hired him? I really doubt that. He knew nothing, and got a job because he is presentable. It’s those very guys that are the biggest risks, and it’s just sickening that we get again cannot get someone competent to run this organization.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

i guess this is the official announcement....should have been an 'OH BABY' clip

The person who posted that tweet is probably a 22 year old that watches more Kardashians than Rangers. They probably don't know shit about JD's time with the Rangers.

 

[Calad]

JD has been at the helm of rebuilding both St Louis and Columbus organizations, quite successfully might I add. Keyword here is organization, btw. Not just the team/roster, but management and structure of these teams as well.

I'm mad confused by the people who are upset with this move

 

[Ola]

JD is the right hire. The last thing the Rangers needed 18 months into the rebuild was an outsider who wanted to put his mark on the team or shake things up. Familiarity with the organization and the ownership and will let Gorton continue to do his thing.

Really, who is this guy? Who were we afraid of?

You must be patient in today’s NHL. It’s like JD is the only guy on the planet who wouldn’t come in and go Glen Sather in 00’ on this team. I just don’t get it — who would have done that? Mike Milbury?

Can’t we do better than this as an organization, than to go around being afraid of a total ghost?? No other candidate would even have considered that approach — of course.

 

[Crease]

OH BABY!

 

[Thirty One]

JD who seems like a great guy that I always loved in the booth, was one of the top clowns in that era. Just totally clueless, you can’t trap in NY gang. You either trapped or lost, it was as simple as that. Was losing possible?

I'm missing a key link here. Why is JD in any way responsible for what kind of system the team he was a color commentator for used?

 

[Irishguy42]

STL hiring him then with presumably zero hockey ops experience is indeed eyebrow raising.

But he's been PoHO for 13 years now for two difference franchises...but he's still not qualified?

It's also not like in his 20 years as a broadcaster, and years before that as a player, he was ignorant to what upper management is like. ESPECIALLY as a broadcaster. That's 20 years of not just interviewing players, but coaches/managers/etc. from all different franchises. It's not hard to believe that he just entered the STL PoHO position cold. Definitely learned a lot before he even got to St. Louis.

 

[JohnC]

I'm missing a key link here. Why is JD in any way responsible for what kind of system the team he was a color commentator for used?

I think that blurb went in there just so he can reach the word count minimum

 

[Deleted member 23124]

You may very well be right - in 1978 I was listening to The Clash and Elvis Costello - I couldn't have cared less about Peaches and Herb.

By then, I think he was on his third Peaches and I couldn't be bothered either. To be honest, I thought the song was pure drivel....

 

[Levitate]

I'm missing a key link here. Why is JD in any way responsible for what kind of system the team he was a color commentator for used?

maybe he's saying that JD should have called out the team mistakes at the time? I think it's usually hard for an employee to do that

 

[Bob Richards]

Very nice.

Happy to have JD back.

 

[egelband]

Cool, I like JD.

Just don't mess with anything we've been doing.

I think this is part of getting a guy like JD. He won't feel the need to "prove himself" or "make his mark", is my optimistic hope. I imagine he comes in with the understanding that in a few years they'll hand over the reins to Gorton. I think the parent club already has a direction and they're happy with it. JD will handle the other aspects primarily and set a constructive and positive tone.

 

[Fugazy]

Welcome back JD!

 

[mrmel329]

JD is the perfect Pres for the rangers at this moment. Hes a Ranger at heart, he now has experience overseeing two teams where he left them better off than when he came.

He did the color commentary and was one of the absolute best in the business, which means for all you youngins he knows the game and has an analytical mind. He has no ulterior motives and is a down to earth man not driven by ego.

The team is already on the right track, im sure he sees that and will put the final puzzle pieces together to get the absolute most out of the org from the top down.

Welcome home JD cant wait to hear some ooo babys.

Very well said!! Rangers are on the right track and hopefully figure out a way to get the ahl team straightened out

 

[Machinehead]

It's certainly nice to have a guy with a wealth of front office experience. That said, it's also nice to have a guy who's been a Ranger and isn't some corporate snot who doesn't know the sport.

JD strikes a nice balance and checks every box. He's made progress with every organization he's been a part of.

 

[egelband]

Well said. He just better not **** up what Gorton's been doing.

You hear that JD? Stay out of Gorton's way. You're a white mage. You're there for support.

This. I believe JD's role won't be too mess with what Gorton is doing with the Rangers.
@Ola don't worry too much.

 

[BringBackLibertys]

Peaches and Herb's biggest hit was titled "Reunited"

And it was a hit when JD was a player. It's the perfect post...

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

I was bitter about everyone around those post 94’ teams.

Everyone in the league trapped, but there was still some silly notion that you couldn’t trap in NY and that it was still possible to play that 80s EDM style.

It was just too bad. If you knew anything about hockey you noticed that, the guys we had didn’t. It’s really as simple as that. Pros make mistake and Sather and many others were totally lost here in NY from after the cup until the 05 lockout.

JD who seems like a great guy that I always loved in the booth, was one of the top clowns in that era. Just totally clueless, you can’t trap in NY gang. You either trapped or lost, it was as simple as that. Was losing possible?

This guy have never been employed by a decent organization (that have won two PO rounds). He has never worked as a scout, coach, GM, director of player personell or whatever. He had a shady president position for STL and was the spoke person for a tremendously gifted hockey mind from Europe who really is the first European GM to do well in the NHL. But that organization also quite possibly has the worst coach in the league bar none, and the biggest reason CBJ is getting into POs is because they have underperformed for so long getting high picks and being able to keeping players cheap since they haven’t don’t well.

Why did JD get a president position to start with? What did he know about running an organization? Building up a scouting organization from scratch? Had JD seen a single game from a WJC ever when STL hired him? How many AHL games the last 20 years had JD seen when STL hired him? I really doubt that. He knew nothing, and got a job because he is presentable. It’s those very guys that are the biggest risks, and it’s just sickening that we get again cannot get someone competent to run this organization.

Why doesn’t he get credit for firing Howson and hiring Kekalainen?

 

[egelband]

I was bitter about everyone around those post 94’ teams.

Everyone in the league trapped, but there was still some silly notion that you couldn’t trap in NY and that it was still possible to play that 80s EDM style.

It was just too bad. If you knew anything about hockey you noticed that, the guys we had didn’t. It’s really as simple as that. Pros make mistake and Sather and many others were totally lost here in NY from after the cup until the 05 lockout.

JD who seems like a great guy that I always loved in the booth, was one of the top clowns in that era. Just totally clueless, you can’t trap in NY gang. You either trapped or lost, it was as simple as that. Was losing possible?

This guy have never been employed by a decent organization (that have won two PO rounds). He has never worked as a scout, coach, GM, director of player personell or whatever. He had a shady president position for STL and was the spoke person for a tremendously gifted hockey mind from Europe who really is the first European GM to do well in the NHL. But that organization also quite possibly has the worst coach in the league bar none, and the biggest reason CBJ is getting into POs is because they have underperformed for so long getting high picks and being able to keeping players cheap since they haven’t don’t well.

Why did JD get a president position to start with? What did he know about running an organization? Building up a scouting organization from scratch? Had JD seen a single game from a WJC ever when STL hired him? How many AHL games the last 20 years had JD seen when STL hired him? I really doubt that. He knew nothing, and got a job because he is presentable. It’s those very guys that are the biggest risks, and it’s just sickening that we get again cannot get someone competent to run this organization.

The only other acceptable option would have been to give Gorton the role. And it seems he has his hands full with the parent club rebuild. So this makes sense. Anything else would have been a directional change, don't you think? And I think everyone would agree that's not needed.

 

[tradenashnow]

I was bitter about everyone around those post 94’ teams.

Everyone in the league trapped, but there was still some silly notion that you couldn’t trap in NY and that it was still possible to play that 80s EDM style.

It was just too bad. If you knew anything about hockey you noticed that, the guys we had didn’t. It’s really as simple as that. Pros make mistake and Sather and many others were totally lost here in NY from after the cup until the 05 lockout.

JD who seems like a great guy that I always loved in the booth, was one of the top clowns in that era. Just totally clueless, you can’t trap in NY gang. You either trapped or lost, it was as simple as that. Was losing possible?

This guy have never been employed by a decent organization (that have won two PO rounds). He has never worked as a scout, coach, GM, director of player personell or whatever. He had a shady president position for STL and was the spoke person for a tremendously gifted hockey mind from Europe who really is the first European GM to do well in the NHL. But that organization also quite possibly has the worst coach in the league bar none, and the biggest reason CBJ is getting into POs is because they have underperformed for so long getting high picks and being able to keeping players cheap since they haven’t don’t well.

Why did JD get a president position to start with? What did he know about running an organization? Building up a scouting organization from scratch? Had JD seen a single game from a WJC ever when STL hired him? How many AHL games the last 20 years had JD seen when STL hired him? I really doubt that. He knew nothing, and got a job because he is presentable. It’s those very guys that are the biggest risks, and it’s just sickening that we get again cannot get someone competent to run this organization.

Do you even follow hockey? The Blues and Jackets were garbage before JD got there. Wake up dude.

 

[Trxjw]

Really, who is this guy? Who were we afraid of?

You must be patient in today’s NHL. It’s like JD is the only guy on the planet who wouldn’t come in and go Glen Sather in 00’ on this team. I just don’t get it — who would have done that? Mike Milbury?

Can’t we do better than this as an organization, than to go around being afraid of a total ghost?? No other candidate would even have considered that approach — of course.

I really don't understand why you have such an issue with this. The President is primarily a facilitator. Who better to facilitate than a guy who already knows the ins and outs of the organization? A large organization in a major city at that.

 

[Edge]

The President role has been filled by the GM, or immediate past GM for the better part of 20 years. I think we almost forget that the positions can serve two different roles that don’t inherently exist in conflict with each other.