Inside season-by-season look of Rangers GM Chris Drury’s moves, plus grades

With a new extension in hand, Rangers president/general manager Chris Drury will head confidently into his fifth season offeason.

The Post analyzed his first four seasons and graded each individually:

2021-22 season

Big moves

Traded F Pavel Buchnevich to the Blues for F Sammy Blais and a 2022 second-round pick
Sammy Blais was traded back to St. Louis on Feb. 9, 2023 after 54 games with Rangers
Acquired F Ryan Reaves from the Golden Knights for a 2022 third-round pick before signing him to a one-year, $1.75 million extension
Reaves was traded to the Wild on Nov. 23, 2022
Acquired Barclay Goodrow from the Lightning for a 2022 seventh-round pick then signed him to a six-year, $21.85 million contract.
Goodrow was waived and picked up by the Sharks in a prearranged deal to circumvent his 15-team no-trade list on June 18, 2024

Small moves

Traded F Brett Howden to the Golden Knights for RHD Nick DeSimone and a 2022 fourth-round pick

Deadline deals

Acquired F Frank Vatrano from Panthers for a 2022 fourth-round pick
Acquired F Tyler Motte from the Canucks for a 2023 fourth-round pick
Acquired RHD Justin Braun from the Flyers for a 2023 third-round pick
Acquired F Andrew Copp and a 2023 sixth-round pick from the Jets for F Morgan Barron, a conditional 2022 second-round pick (became a first), a 2022 second-round pick and a 2023 fifth-round pick

Rangers general manager Chris Drury

Free agency signings

Signed LHD Patrik Nemeth to three-year, $7.5 million contract (was traded to the Coyotes on July 13, 2022)
Signed LHD Jarred Tinordi to two-year, $1.8 million contract (was placed one waivers prior to 2022-23 season and picked up by the Blackhawks)
Signed F Dryden Hunt to two-year, $1.525 million contract (was waived on October 19, 2022 and claimed by the Avalanche)
Signed F Greg McKegg to one-year, $750,000 contract (left to join the Oilers as a free agent in July 2022)

In-house moves

Re-signed LHD Ryan Lindgren to three-year, $9 million contract
Re-signed C Filip Chytil to two-year, $4.6 million contract
Re-signed G Igor Shesterkin to four-year, $22.667 million contract
Extended RHD Adam Fox to seven-year, $66.5 million contract
Extended C Mika Zibanejad to eight-year, $68 million contract

Season result

Lost in Game 6 of the conference final to the Lightning

Grade: B

2022-23 season

Big moves

Traded G Alexandar Georgiev to the Avalanche for two third-round picks in 2022 and 2023, and 2022 fifth-round picks

The Rangers traded Alexander Georgiev, who is now with the Sharks, to the Avalanche during the 2022-23 season.

Small moves

Traded RHD Nils Lundkvist to the Stars for 2023 first-round pick and conditional fourth-round pick in 2025
Traded D Patrik Nemeth and two second-round picks (2025 and 2026) to the Coyotes for RHD Ty Emberson
Traded F Ryan Reaves to the Wild for 2025 fifth-round pick
Traded F Vitali Kravtsov to Canucks for F William Lockwood 2026 seventh-round pick

Deadline deals

Acquired F Vladimir Tarasenko and LHD Niko Mikkola from the Blues for Blais, RHD Hunter Skinner, 2023 conditional first-round pick and 2024 conditional third-round pick
Acquired Motte from the Senators for Gauthier and 2023 seventh-round pick
Acquired F Patrick Kane and LHD Cooper Zech from the Blackhawks for 2023 conditional second-round pick, 2025 conditional third-round pick, 2023 fourth-round pick and RHD Andy Welinski

Free agency signings

Signed C Vincent Trocheck to seven-year, $39.375 million contract
Signed G Jaroslav Halak to one-year, $1.5 million contract (played 25 games)
Signed G Louis Domingue to two-year, $1.55 million contract (played two games with Rangers and 101 games with Hartford Wolf Pack)
Signed F Ryan Carpenter to one-year, $750,000 (played 22 games)

Small moves

Traded RHD Nils Lundkvist to the Stars for 2023 first-round pick and conditional fourth-round pick in 2025
Traded D Patrik Nemeth and two second-round picks (2025 and 2026) to the Coyotes for RHD Ty Emberson
Traded F Ryan Reaves to the Wild for 2025 fifth-round pick
Traded F Vitali Kravtsov to Canucks for F William Lockwood 2026 seventh-round pick

Deadline deals

Acquired F Vladimir Tarasenko and LHD Niko Mikkola from the Blues for Blais, RHD Hunter Skinner, 2023 conditional first-round pick and 2024 conditional third-round pick
Acquired Motte from the Senators for Gauthier and 2023 seventh-round pick
Acquired F Patrick Kane and LHD Cooper Zech from the Blackhawks for 2023 conditional second-round pick, 2025 conditional third-round pick, 2023 fourth-round pick and RHD Andy Welinski

Free agency signings

Signed C Vincent Trocheck to seven-year, $39.375 million contract
Signed G Jaroslav Halak to one-year, $1.5 million contract (played 25 games)
Signed G Louis Domingue to two-year, $1.55 million contract (played two games with Rangers and 101 games with Hartford Wolf Pack)
Signed F Ryan Carpenter to one-year, $750,000 (played 22 games)

Rangers’ Vincent Trocheck is in the middle of a seven-year, $39.375 million deal.

In-house moves

Re-signed F Kaapo Kakko to two-year, $4.2 million contract
Re-signed F Julian Gauthier to one-year, $800,000 contract
Re-signed F Vitali Kravtsov to one-year, $875,000 contract
Re-signed LHD Libor Hajek to one-year, $800,000 contract
Re-signed F Sammy Blais to one-year, $1.525 million contract
Extended F Jimmy Vesey to two-year, $1.6 million contract
Extended C Filip Chytil to four-year, $17.75 million contract

Season result

Lost in Game 7 of the first round to the Devils

Grade: C-

2023-24 season

Deadline deals

Acquired F Jack Roslovic from Columbus for 2026 sixth-round pick
Acquired C Alex Wennberg from the Kraken for 2024 second-round pick 2024 fourth-round pick
Acquired RHD Chad Ruhwedel from Penguins for 2027 fourth-round pick

Free agency signings

Signed G Jonathan Quick to one-year, $825, 000 contract
Signed F Blake Wheeler to one-year, $800,000 contract
Signed LHD Erik Gustafsson to one-year, $825,000 contract
Signed C Nick Bonino to one-year, $800,000 contract
Signed F Tyler Pitlick to one-year, $775,000 contract

In-house moves

Re-signed F Alexis Lafreniere to two-year, $4.56 million contract
Re-signed LHD Zac Jones to two-year, $1.626 million contract
Re-signed LHD K’Andre Miller to two-year, $7.744 million contract
Extended F Jonny Brodzinski to two-year, $1.575 million contract

Season result

Lost in Game 6 of the conference final to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Panthers.

Grade: B+

2024-25 season

Big moves

Traded RHD Jacob Trouba to Ducks for LHD Urho Vaakanainen and 2025 fourth-round pick
Traded F Kaapo Kakko to Seattle for RHD Will Borgen, 2025 third-round pick and 2025 sixth-round pick

The Rangers traded Jacob Trouba to the Ducks.

Small moves

Acquired F Reilly Smith from the Penguins for 2027 second-round pick and 2025 fifth-round pick
Traded F Reilly Smith to the Golden Knights for F Brendan Brisson and 2025 third-round pick

Deadline deals

Acquired F J.T. Miller, RHD Erik Brannstrom and LHD Jackson Dorrington from the Canucks for Filip Chytil, RHD Victor Mancini and 2025 conditional first-round pick
Acquired F Juuso Parssinen, LHD Calvin de Haan, 2025 second-round pick and 2025 fourth-round pick for Ryan Lindgren, Jimmy Vesey and Hank Kempf
Acquired LHD Carson Soucy from the Canucks for 2025 third-round pick

Free agency signings

Signed C Sam Carrick to three-year, $3 million contract

In-house moves

Re-signed F Kaapo Kakko to one-year, $2.4 million contract
Re-signed RHD Braden Schneider to two-year, $4.4 million contract
Re-signed LHD Ryan Lindgren to one-year, $4.5 million contract
Extended G Igor Shesterkin to eight-year, $92 million contract
Extended RHD Will Borgen to five-year, $20.5 million contract
Extended LHD Urho Vaakanainen to two-year, $3.1 million contract
Extended G Jonathan Quick to one-year, $1.55 million contract
Extended F Alexis Lafreniere to seven-year, $52.15 million contract

Season result

Finished in fifth place in the Metropolitan Division with 85 points and missed the playoffs

Grade: D-

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Inside season-by-season look of Rangers GM Chris Drury’s moves, plus grades

2021-22 season

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