Confirmed with Link: NYR Fire John Davidson and Jeff Gorton

[Levitate]

Room having issues bc the TDA situation makes the most sense to me... plus that's literally throwing $5M/yr of Dolan's money away because you couldn't manage a player you already knew couls be an issue. Every single buyout is legit just throwing away millions of dollars. I don't blame him one bit.

If the room has issues because of DeAngelo then this team is rotten and everything about it from the owner down to the 4th liners is garbage

maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised but I'm pretty sure this team is about to throw away their best shot at rebuilding into a contender with this move and we're going to see some insanely bad trades come out at this point

and what the f*** did Dolan expect when JD came on board and kept saying there was a need for patience

 

[Edge]

And it all boils down to fighting not being a game misconduct that is reviewed for possible suspension. This has always been hockey's dilemma.

I would argue that the instigator rule has done significantly more damage than is often talked about.

 

[Anthony5967]

Room having issues bc the TDA situation makes the most sense to me... plus that's literally throwing $5M/yr of Dolan's money away because you couldn't manage a player you already knew couls be an issue. Every single buyout is legit just throwing away millions of dollars. I don't blame him one bit.

Yea, and that's another thing too. Lundqvist, DeAngelo to not even play, him probably watching his $81M man's head nearly be split open and not a single thing from the front office done about it, and then them being blown out as of late. This year had a different feel to it. You can blame COVID all you want but they honestly were too inconsistent and the locker room almost seems to be in shambles.

 

[SRHRangers]

I am seriously starting to think that Dolan is now the modern-day Harold Ballard lol.

Dolan will go down as a worse NYer for sports than Robert Moses.

And Moses cost NYC the Dodgers and Giants.

 

[NYRangers3061]

He made some excellent trades though. Brassard for Zibanejad, Nash for Lindgren and Miller essentially.

And he went out and signed Panarin even if he wanted to be here.

He's also drafted really well. Yes, Laf and Kakko, but, uh, we have a stable of young defensemen that he's responsible for, and don't forget Igor.

Absolutely, I agree. The Ottawa trade was great, the Boston trade was great, and Spooner for Strome was great as well.

I'm of the belief that Gorton was a fine GM. Somewhere in the better range of the decent NHL GMs. But a lot of Rangers fans thought he was one of the best GMs in the league. They're entitled to that opinion, I just don't agree. As I said, a lot of it was luck (though that's part of the game) and players that just kind of fell into his lap that would've happened under any GM. Any GM would've taken Kakko after winning 2OA, any GM would taken Lafreniere after winning 1OA, any GM would've given up 2 2nds for Fox once he basically demanded to come to NY, and any GM would've given Panarin a blank check once he made it clear he wanted to play for the Rangers.

Shesterkin was a great pick, but was made before Gorton was GM (though he was still in management at the time), Lundkvist was good, Miller so far seems decent. But Lias Andersson was a flub, as were a couple other not-as-notable picks.

So again, I don't think Gorton was bad, and I certainly was not advocating for him to be fired prior to this. However, I also don't think this is the apocalyptic end of the Rangers future that some seem to be thinking it is.

 

[Cmox]

The worst part about all of this is now we can’t even make fun of organizations that are a clown show, because we’re the biggest clown show of them all

You ever watch the show "My Life Sucks Since Winning The Lottery" or whatever? That's our team motto right now.

 

[Anthony5967]

They would have made the playoffs in every other division.

If you want to say the roster is soft than fine but you don’t blow up the brain trust and all the trickle down effects that come with it because the team is soft in shortened season

That's fair, but the entire they would've made the playoffs in any other division argument doesn't mean that once you get in you'd win a game. You can't win 16 games in the playoffs like you would on a Tuesday night in November. They have been awful in tight space games all year, awful. The front office has done poor job addressing the "tougher to play against" aspect, like they said last Summer, and they've done a poor job managing fiascos this year. At the end of the day they have never won with Gorton or Davidson. Drury is seen as a rising star and someone that may have left soon.

 

[hi]

Chris Drury didn't plan on being named President and GM of the Rangers, but Dolan had a great start to his Cinco de Mayo morning. Drury is a professional. He won't let this ruin his Mother's Day weekend

 

[Edge]

If the room has issues because of DeAngelo then this team is rotten and everything about it from the owner down to the 4th liners is garbage

maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised but I'm pretty sure this team is about to throw away their best shot at rebuilding into a contender with this move and we're going to see some insanely bad trades come out at this point

and what the f*** did Dolan expect when JD came on board and kept saying there was a need for patience

My phone just died, but to a person, everyone reaction I've received more or less said, "This is nuts and we're shaking our heads."

Literally. Every. Single. One.

Reporters. Scouts. Behind the scenes peeps. Former players. Internal. External.

That should tell you everything you need to know at this point.

 

[CLW]

So they fire these two and not david quinn????

David Quinn team incoming. Get rid of the vets not toeing the Quinn line.

Or, Quinn gets fired next.

Or, who the hell knows. There was zero reason to blow things up at this point. What was so damn urgent JD and Gorton could not fix it this off season?

If JD and Gorton were in the patient, long term rebuild camp, and they were fired for lack of results, lack of jam and grit, or conflicting vision of how to proceed, then the outlook is not good and the weather report says: Lots of shitty trades incoming.

 

[mike14]

I will say it's it feckin' insanity, pure insanity, that it was a fireable offense for this team not to make the playoffs this year.

Next year, now we are talking.

I don't agree with it, but if it was discussion internally, and Dolan saw no moves at the deadline, plus a team that clearly couldn't hang with actual playoff teams then he have said, "that's the limit, new direction."

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

I actually feel like shit now for defending Dolan because for the past several years hes kept his nose out of the hockey business that he obviously and admittedly knows nothing about it. In addition to that he is willing to spend whatever it takes to build a winner.

But now he's gone and f***ed it all to hell, with a selfish, uncontrolled power trip that we always knew he was capable of.

The only saving grace is that I am a big Chris Drury fan, despite his play here. He is a winner, very intelligent and I would have chosen him as a replacement for Gorts. However, if Drury isnt willing to stand up to Dolan too because of his latest antics, we are screwed.

He will be a puppet or fired and he will succeed somewhere else instead.

 

[NYSPORTS]

and what the f*** did Dolan expect when JD came on board and kept saying there was a need for patience

it’s the letter bro

 

[Baby Duck Homme]

Dolan reminds me of someone I can't name on this site.

Does Dolan have any kids? Are we in for another generation of Dolan ownership if he takes MSG and his teams to the grave with him? Legacy kids are the worst...

 

[Peltz]

So again, I don't think Gorton was bad, and I certainly was not advocating for him to be fired prior to this. However, I also don't think this is the apocalyptic end of the Rangers future that some seem to be thinking it is.

But obviously, Dolan is not happy with Gorton's decisions - reasonable as they seem by your own admission. So what would he be happy with?

THAT's the concern.

 

[SRHRangers]

Bettman right now while everyone is going apeshit.

 

[Number 9]

Have you seen the shitshows when other unqualified GMs have taken positions in the league? How about Gretz's tenure as coach?

Great players =/= great coach/management.

Sakic and Yzerman worked their way up into those positions.

Agree with you I imagine he is expecting a job for what he did as a player. It's a shame, every coach needs to pay their dues first.

 

[FireGerardGallant]

All i know is they better not get rid of Laf or Kakko.

 

[Number 9]

I'm in meltdown mode I can say that I'm not even worried about the game tonight honestly.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

If the room has issues because of DeAngelo then this team is rotten and everything about it from the owner down to the 4th liners is garbage

maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised but I'm pretty sure this team is about to throw away their best shot at rebuilding into a contender with this move and we're going to see some insanely bad trades come out at this point

and what the f*** did Dolan expect when JD came on board and kept saying there was a need for patience

I don't understand how anyone can really come to this conclusion though.

If that were the case, why hire Drury and not some super old school boys club guy who would be salivating to try and sell everything in order to get his shot at a cup? I can't imagine Drury, who is very much in the infancy of his new career path, would really want to be a puppet in this situation - it's an easy way to ensure that your career in management is over before it really began.

Maybe he doesn't care, but I'd be f***ing floored if they start selling off all of the young kids for veterans. I'm sure we'll see some trades that fall into that bucket, but those were coming anyway.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

I'm oddly okay with this. Shocked as hell, but not upset by it. I was feeling a lot of the same way expressed here in Larry's article:

We’re told that after four years out of the playoffs, Dolan had begun to question the administration of the program whose long view does not exactly jibe with the roster whose marquee players Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, will be between 28 and 30 when next season commences and are likely to be diminished by the time the promise coalesces.

I felt like, by the time we get this train moving, these marquee vets are going to be a lot older and a lot more diminished. Something was stinking up the place. They seemed significantly worse to me this year. Just my two cents.

Isn't that why you fire the coach first, though, Shadow?

I mean, I get that opinion. I can't fault it. It's not outright wrong. But I really do question some of the overall logic of the move.

 

[JHS]

John Davidson is beloved by the fans. Beloved— and he’s now just sent to the trash heap. I am floored and literally angry. Dolan is an incapable owner. Incapable. This just proves it. On what planet are decisions like this even justifiable— let alone good for the organization?!? It’s like an alternate universe where every single Ranger fans needs to just be punished over and over again. In 80 plus years this trash heap of an organization has won 2 cups. TWO!!! Pure garbage.

Rant over.

 

[Joe Ranger Fan 1960]

I never want to see anyone lose their job. Hopefully these two, and their families, will be okay.

That said, somebody crafted that embarrassing statement.

 

[17futurecap]

Senior Advisor Glen Sather will work with Drury during this transition and continue to consult with the team.

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

Some folks are missing the point though. If someone wants to call into question Gorton’s choices, fine and that’s valid.

the issue is now with JD and Gorton gone, there is no buffer between the whims of a loon owner and Drury.

and god help us if Messier is brought in as president. He just went on live radio and said he wouldn’t build the team the way it’s built

you Bet your ass Drury now has pressure to make big moves to fix this team so they can compete, regardless of cost