The New York Rangers are in the middle of a six-day break, but calling it a “break” might be generous given the state of things in Manhattan. The team’s recent slide has raised serious questions about the direction of the franchise, and on a recent podcast appearance, longtime analyst and former NHLer Neil Smith didn’t hold back when asked to weigh in.
Smith, who knows the ins and outs of front office dynamics as well as anyone, zeroed in on general manager Chris Drury - and he didn’t mince words. Drury, a Stanley Cup champion and former Rangers captain, has come under scrutiny for how he’s managed the locker room and handled player relationships. According to Smith, that part of Drury’s leadership has left a lot to be desired.
“Drury was a player in the league for a long time,” Smith said. “A Stanley Cup-winning player, a captain, and a captain of the Rangers. Yet he has probably been the worst I have ever seen as to the way he treats his players.”
That’s a heavy statement coming from someone who’s been around the game for decades. Smith’s criticism wasn’t just broad strokes - he brought up specific names, including veterans like Jacob Trouba, Barclay Goodrow, and Chris Kreider. These are core guys, leaders in the room, and Smith seemed genuinely puzzled at how they’ve been managed.
“I never treated a player like that,” Smith said. “It confuses me as to how an ex-player can be so numb to the feelings of the players.”
It’s a sentiment that hits hard in today’s NHL, where communication and respect between management and players are more important than ever. Drury, who should understand the player’s side better than most, is now facing heat for seemingly losing that connection.
Smith even took a light-hearted jab at the team’s situation with star forward Artemi Panarin, using a metaphor that got a few laughs but carried a clear message: “Obviously, if you're walking around with jeans on - and a tattered coat - there's no sense having a five-carat diamond on your hands!”
Translation? You can have a superstar like Panarin, but if the rest of the team - and the structure around him - is falling apart, that talent gets wasted. It’s a clever way to highlight the imbalance between high-end skill and the lack of support or cohesion around it.
The Rangers still have time to right the ship this season, but the issues Smith raised aren’t the kind that get fixed overnight. They speak to a deeper disconnect - one that starts in the front office and trickles down to the ice. And if that doesn’t change, the Blueshirts’ break might just be a pause before things get even tougher.