5/18/19 | Davidson gets a five-year contract from the Rangers. (LeBrun)
5/17/19 | 3:03PM: The Rangers have confirmed that John Davidson has been named Rangers President.
James Dolan said in a statement, “Today is the start of a new and exciting chapter in New York Rangers history. John Davidson is one of the premier executives in the National Hockey League. As we continue to build a team that can consistently compete for the Stanley Cup, John’s knowledge of the game and his experience and passion for the Rangers logo make him the ideal choice to oversee our Hockey Operations department. I am thrilled to welcome “JD” and his family home.”
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Davidson said, “I am excited and humbled to be named the President of the New York Rangers. The opportunity of rejoining the Rangers organization and returning home to New York, where my family and I have spent so many wonderful years, was one I simply could not pass up. I want to thank James Dolan for offering me this chance to come home. I would also like to thank John P. McConnell for the opportunity to join the Blue Jackets organization in 2012, his guidance, support, and friendship over the last seven years, and for allowing my family and me to embark on this new journey with the Rangers. Additionally, I would like to thank the St. Louis Blues organization for giving me an opportunity to join their front office in 2006 and spend six fantastic years there.”
1:45PM: John Davidson has stepped down from his role with the Columbus Blue Jackets and is expected to be named President of the Rangers shortly.
The Blue Jackets released a statement saying:
“The New York Rangers recently sought permission from our organization to speak with John Davidson about serving as their team president. That permission was granted and today John has resigned his position as the president of hockey operations and alternate governor with the Columbus Blue Jackets.”
The Blue Jackets owner said in a statement, “When we hired John Davidson in October 2012, I said I thought he was the perfect person to lead our hockey operations efforts. Nearly seven years later, I believe I was right. He joined our team at a very difficult time and led a transformation that has resulted in consistent winning and appearances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. J.D. is a man of great character and compassion and I completely understand his interest in the unique opportunity before him. I know leaving Columbus is a difficult decision for him as he has a genuine love of our community and organization, but the possibility of returning to his roots in New York, where he spent three decades as a player and broadcaster, is an extraordinary circumstance for him and his family.”
Davidson is believed to have had four-years remaining on his contract with Columbus.
Dave Maloney, a teammate of Davidson’s with the Rangers, is believed to be in consideration for a front office position. (Newsday)
Adam Rotter: So in the way that so many long-term rumors with the Rangers have turned to reality, so has JD returning and following Glen Sather as President. JD was really the only option to replace Sather as he has the experience being at the top of the food chain for an organization, has his long-term connections to the Rangers and, maybe most importantly, has a relationship with James Dolan. He takes over a team that has done the tearing down part of the rebuild and is firmly in the building part of the rebuild. Will he make changes, probably but Jeff Gorton, Chris Drury and David Quinn are firmly in place. Some expect Adam Graves and Brian Leetch to take on bigger roles within the Hockey Ops and it’s possible that Mark Messier returns in some capacity as well. I think JD will still leave most day to day operations to Jeff Gorton but he will help put his stamp on these rebuilding Rangers and hopefully bring them back towards the Stanley Cup.