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Chris Drury to be fired by the New York Rangers: New report confirms his replacement if it comes to fruition


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Hunter Bowman
January 15, 2026  (3:48 PM)
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Chris Drury
Photo credit: Peter Carr/The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

New reports have just named one specific person to take over for the New York Rangers if they ever decide to fire current General Manager and President Chris Drury.

The latest spark came from a Chris Botta post that basically says this, if the Rangers fire Drury, Brendan Shanahan would be the guy. It's a jarring name because it feels both huge and weirdly specific, as he spent the last 11 years as the president and alternate governor of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Almost everyone #Isles spoke with got jobs soon after. Holland to LA, good dude Jarmo and NYI pal Bergy to Buffalo.

I know Jim Dolan for some reason backed Drury, but that can change quickly. No doubt in my mind Brendan Shanahan would be great for #NYR and MSG. He could bring what they now, finally, have with my Knicks.
The Drury noise isn't coming out of nowhere, either. After the Ottawa Senators blasted the New York Rangers 8-4 on Wednesday, the loss was their fifth straight, and the building got loud with "fire Drury" chants.
At home it's been uglier, with the Rangers sitting at 5-13-4 at Madison Square Garden. That's the kind of record that makes every roster move, and every executive decision, feel like it's on trial.
Here's the complicating reality check, James Dolan just extended Drury in April 2025 and has been publicly supportive since. So the «Drury fired» premise is still a rumour, not an announced plan.
Shanahan is also not exactly sitting by the phone. Hockey Canada announced on January 3 that he's leading a province-wide review of men's junior hockey in Ontario, which sure sounds like a major commitment.

Brendan Shanahan to take over the New York Rangers

That baggage is Toronto, where Shanahan's era delivered strong regular seasons but endless playoff frustration. Reuters reported the Maple Leafs did not renew his contract in May 2025, ending an 11-year run.
If Dolan ever did make a change, the Shanahan appeal is obvious. He's a big-voice hockey lifer who's managed a massive market, and the Rangers are basically living inside a blender right now.
But the Rangers job is not just about «culture» slogans, it's about clean roster math and fast fixes. Drury still holds both president and general manager titles, and replacing that setup would be a full organizational reset.
Until someone with real access reports concrete talks, this stays in the chatter lane. The next milestone is simple, watch what Dolan does after the next stretch of home games, because that's when patience usually gets tested.
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Chris Drury to be fired by the New York Rangers: New report confirms his replacement if it comes to fruition

Would Brendan Shanahan be the right choice if the New York Rangers moved on from Chris Drury?


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