Struggling New York Rangers will retool, GM Chris Drury says: 'Not a rebuild'
- - Struggling New York Rangers will retool, GM Chris Drury says: 'Not a rebuild'
Mike Brehm, USA TODAYJanuary 17, 2026 at 1:48 AM
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The New York Rangers, less than two years removed from being the league's best regular-season team, are calling for a "retool."
General manager Chris Drury sent out a message to fans on Jan. 16 with the struggling Rangers sitting in last place in the Eastern Conference.
"With our position in the standings and injuries to key players this season, we must be honest and realistic about our situation," he wrote. "We are not going to stand pat - a shift will give us the ability to be smart and opportunistic as we retool the team. This will not be a rebuild. This will be a retool built around our core players and prospects.
"We will target players that bring tenacity, skill, speed and a winning pedigree with a focus on obtaining young players, draft picks and cap space to allow us flexibility moving forward. That may mean saying goodbye to players that have brought us and our fans great moments over the years. These players represented the Rangers with pride and class and will always be a part of our family."
Dec. 12: The Minnesota Wild acquired Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks for Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, Liam Ohgren and a 2026 first-round pick.
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Dec. 12: The Minnesota Wild acquired Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks for Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, Liam Ohgren and a 2026 first-round pick.
">Dec. 12: The Minnesota Wild acquired Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks for Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, Liam Ohgren and a 2026 first-round pick.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/DoHs72mEHG8ypkfH8LwjkQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/1acf9d37a4152f1d5c5f3c60a7d6b0c4 class=caas-img>Dec. 12: The Edmonton Oilers acquired Tristan Jarry and Samuel Poulin from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Stuart Skinner, Brett Kulak and a 2029 second-round pick.
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Dec. 12: The Edmonton Oilers acquired Tristan Jarry and Samuel Poulin from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Stuart Skinner, Brett Kulak and a 2029 second-round pick.
">Dec. 12: The Edmonton Oilers acquired Tristan Jarry and Samuel Poulin from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Stuart Skinner, Brett Kulak and a 2029 second-round pick.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/eJvHJe35kG2NytGRKcEulg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/a0da9042227ae2cdf4a238f9c300021e class=caas-img>
1 / 3NHL trade tracker: Who changed teams in 2025-26
Dec. 12: The Minnesota Wild acquired Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks for Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, Liam Ohgren and a 2026 first-round pick.
The Rangers won the Presidents' Trophy and reached the Eastern Conference finals in 2023-24. They missed the playoffs last season, leading to a coaching change to Mike Sullivan.
But fortunes haven't changed. They have lost five in a row, starting in a game in which star goaltender Igor Shesterkin was hurt. In the four games since, they have given up 27 goals. Defenseman Adam Fox is also out with an injury.
A Message from Chris Drury to Our Fans pic.twitter.com/JVimBJ59B7
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) January 16, 2026
Rangers' salary cap situation
According to puckpedia.com, the Rangers have a little more than $3,000 in cap space available.
Artemi Panarin is in the final year of his contract and would fetch prospects and picks if dealt. He has an $11.6 million cap hit and a full no-movement clause that the Rangers would need to get him to waive.
Many of their other veterans are locked in long-term, including Fox and Vincent Trocheck (2029), J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad (2030) and Shesterkin (2033).
"You will begin to see some of our plans come to light in the coming weeks and months," Drury wrote.
The NHL trade deadline is at 3 p.m. ET on March 6.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rangers GM Chris Drury promises retool of struggling team
Source: “AOL Sports”
