After their opening game October 3, the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL) have eight wins, eight losses, and two overtime losses, according to nhl.com.  Mr. Chris Drury, father of Sacred Heart Greenwich sophomore Dylan Drury and fourth-grader Kelly Drury, hopes to use his experience as the previous captain of the Rangers in his current position as the team’s assistant general manager.

Born in Trumbull, Connecticut, Mr. Drury graduated from Fairfield College Preparatory School in 1994.  In the same year, at the NHL Entry Draft, the Quebec Nordiques, now the Colorado Avalanche, drafted Mr. Drury.  He then spent four years playing hockey at Boston University, where he won the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s ice hockey championship in his freshman year.  The NCAA awarded Mr. Drury the Hobey Baker award, given to the top NCAA men’s ice hockey player, in his senior year, according to goterriers.com.  Mr. Drury is in Boston University’s Athletics Hall of Fame.

In 1995, the Nordiques moved from Quebec to Colorado.  After graduating from Boston University in 1998, Mr. Drury began his career with the Colorado Avalanche.  In his first season, the NHL awarded him the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league’s top rookie.  The Avalanche traded Mr. Drury to the Calgary Flames in 2002, according to nhl.com.  Mr. Drury won the NHL playoffs and the championship trophy, the Stanley Cup, with the Avalanche in 2001.

After one year with the Flames, the team traded him to the Buffalo Sabres.  Playing for the team from 2003 to 2007, Mr. Drury captained the squad during his last two seasons.  Finishing his NHL career with the Rangers from 2007 to 2011, the team named him captain in 2008.  Mr. Drury finished his NHL career with the Rangers and retired in 2011.

Mr. Drury appreciated the opportunity to play for his hometown hockey team and serve as a captain for three years.

“I grew up a huge Rangers fan and was thrilled to get the chance to play for them,” Mr. Drury said.  “It was my life long dream to play at Madison Square Garden (MSG) for the Rangers and I still get goosebumps every time I am at MSG.  My favorite part was getting to put on the historic NYR jersey every day for four years.”

In addition to his NHL experience, Mr. Drury played for the United States Men’s National Hockey Team.  In the 2002 and 2010 Winter Olympic Games, Mr. Drury and his teammates earned silver medals.  In 2015, the US Hockey Hall of Fame inducted Mr. Drury into their museum, according to ushockeyhall.com.

With his veteran experience as a collegiate, Olympic, and professional player, Mr. Drury now works for the Rangers’ front office.  In 2015, the Rangers named him the director of player development, promoting him to the team’s assistant general manager the next year, according to nhl.com.  In 2017, Mr. Drury became the general manager of the Rangers’ American Hockey League (AHL) team, the Hartford Wolfpack.

Mr. Drury shared his excitement to see what the Rangers’ young team will produce this season.

“We have the youngest team in the NHL and on some nights are playing seven players under the age of 21,” Mr. Drury said.  “Our short term goal this year is to get our players better each and every day.  If we can teach the team, and especially the young kids, to play the right way we will give our self a chance to get in the playoffs… and once you are in the playoffs anything can happen.”

The Rangers have won the NHL playoffs in 1928, 1933, 1940, and 1994.

Mr. David Quinn, head coach, is in his second year with the Rangers.  He previously coached at Boston University from 2013 to 2018.  With 18 games under their belt, the NHL ranks the Rangers seventh out of eight teams in the Metropolitan division, according to nhl.com.  The Rangers will play a total of 82 games this season.

Mr. Drury believes that the team will continue to improve its record and chemistry this season under Mr. Quinn.

“I think the team has improved through having it be the second season for our veteran players with Coach Quinn,” Mr. Drury said.  “Last season was his first year as head coach and it was an adjustment for all the players.  This year, the older players have a better understanding of what the coaches want and are leading the younger players in the right way.”

Featured Image by Sydney Gallop ’20