Rangers Tell Fans They’re Trading Away Key Players During “Retool”

The New York Rangers released a statement on Friday, apologizing to fans for how this 2025-26 season has gone. Saying that they are as frustrated as those who closely follow the team must be, the organization has decided to undergo a “retool”.

Saying it’s not a rebuild and that some key pieces will be staying. General manager Chris Drury cautioned that others will be leaving. The Rangers will “retool the team” and that means “saying goodbye to players” as part of a “strategic plan.”

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In his statement, he wrote:

A Message from Chris Drury to Our Fans:

We wanted to take a moment to connect with our loyal and passionate fanbase. We know and feel your disappointment with how the season has gone to this point. We are just as frustrated and want nothing more than to deliver an on-ice product you can be proud of – it’s what drives us every day. No one in the organization is happy with what has transpired – from management, to coaches, to players. Over the last few years, we’ve had some successes and moments to cherish, but ultimately it was not the end goal. We are working relentlessly every day to bring a Stanley Cup back to New York because that is what our fans deserve.

With our position in the standings and injuries to key players this season, we must be honest and realistic about our situation. 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.

As we start on this new strategic plan, we will continue to play hard with pride and passion for our fans. We appreciate your unwavering support for the Rangers more than we can describe and thank you for all that you do for our organization. You will begin to see some of our plans come to light in the coming weeks and months. LGR.

Chris Drury
President and General Manager

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