Christopher Ellis Drury (born August 20, 1976) is an American professional ice hockey executive and former player. He has served as the president and general manager for the New York Rangers since May 5, 2021. He previously served as the general manager of the Rangers American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Drury is a Hobey Baker Award-winner with Boston University, a Calder Memorial Trophy winner with the Colorado Avalanche, a Stanley Cup champion with the Avalanche, a two-time Olympic silver medalist with the United States and a former captain of the Buffalo Sabres and New York Rangers. He was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015. As a child, he also won the Little League Baseball World Series Championship with his hometown team from Trumbull, Connecticut.
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Early life
Drury excelled at a variety of sports as a child, including hockey and baseball. Playing for his hometown baseball team from Trumbull, Drury pitched a complete game, five-hitter and drove in two runs to win the 1989 Little League World Series championship game against Chinese Taipei. Two months later, Drury threw out the ceremonial first pitch in game 2 of the 1989 World Series. He also met President George H. W. Bush and appeared on Good Morning America in New York City. Drury played in the 1990 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Rye, New York.
Drury played many sports simultaneously; before winning the Little League World Series with Trumbull, he won a national pee wee championship with his hockey team from Bridgeport the same year. Along with his older brother Ted, he attended Fairfield College Preparatory School. He was co-captain of the varsity hockey team in his senior year, receiving Connecticut all-state honors for his efforts on the ice. Chris and Ted are the only players in Fairfield Prep's hockey history to have their numbers retired. The number 18, which they both wore, hangs above the school's home rink at the Wonderland of Ice in Bridgeport in the old rink, as well as in the lobby outside the locker room complex at Fairfield Prep itself. Chris' name and number are also painted above the entrance doors to the Classic arena at the same ice rink.
Playing career
Boston University (1994–1998)
After graduating from Fairfield College Preparatory School, Drury was drafted by the Quebec Nordiques 72nd overall in the third round of the 1994 NHL entry draft. Upon being drafted, he began a four-year career at Boston University (BU). In his freshman year in 1995, he won a national championship with BU. In both 1997 and 1998 he was named Hockey East's player of the year and was also named best defensive forward in 1998. In his senior year, he won the Hobey Baker Award as the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)'s top ice hockey player after finishing as the runner-up the previous season. Drury was the first BU player to reach 100 career goals and assists, finishing with 113 and 100, respectively. BU won the Beanpot tournament all four years he played for them. On January 15, 2009, well into his NHL career, Drury was named Hockey East's Best Defensive Forward, as part of the league's 25th Anniversary celebration. Drury was chosen in a vote of Hockey East fans and members of the league's 25th Anniversary Committee.
NHL
Drury began his NHL career there in 1998–99. Recording 44 points in his first season, Drury was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league's top rookie. In so doing, he became the first player in history to have won both the Hobey Baker Award and the Calder Trophy.
After a 65-point season in 2000–01, Drury won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche, adding 16 points in the playoffs. Drury became a fan favorite with the Avalanche crowd primarily due to his clutch play during playoffs. He had a total of 11 game-winning goals in four straight playoff seasons in Colorado. Avalanche captain Joe Sakic once said of Drury, "You want a goal, you're in overtime – you want him." Because of his penchant for game-winning goals, Drury was often referred to as one of the best clutch players in the NHL.
Although Drury's production dipped to 46 points in 2001–02, he was named to the U.S. roster for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Though he did not record any points in the tournament, the Americans surprised many by making it all the way to the final where they lost to Canada. This was the best finish for the United States at the tournament since the 1980 "Miracle on Ice".
Before the start of the next season, on October 1, 2002, Drury and Stéphane Yelle were traded to the Calgary Flames in exchange for Derek Morris, Dean McAmmond and Jeff Shantz. Drury recorded 53 points for the Flames during the year, finishing third in team scoring.
Drury spent just one season with the Flames before he was traded on July 3, 2003, along with Steve Bégin, to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for former Avalanche teammate Steven Reinprecht and Rhett Warrener. Traded twice in two seasons, Drury was admittedly frustrated. However, Drury regained his form and excelled in Buffalo, serving as co-captain with Daniel Brière from 2005 to his departure via free agency in 2007. With his previous numbers (37 with Colorado and 18 with Calgary) both taken in Buffalo, Drury switched to 23 in honor of his childhood hero, New York Yankees first baseman Don Mattingly.
Drury again represented the United States at the 2006 Winter Olympics, where the Americans finished eighth overall.
Management career
In September 2015, the Rangers named Drury their director of player development. In September 2016, Drury was promoted by the Rangers to assistant general manager. The next season, he was also assigned to be the general manager of their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack.
In March 2019, the Rangers signed Drury to a contract extension as assistant general manager. On February 5, 2021, Drury was promoted to associate general manager. On May 5, 2021, following the sudden dismissal of John Davidson and Jeff Gorton from the team's front office, Drury was promoted to President and General Manager of the New York Rangers.
In Chris Drury's first offseason as general manager, he made several free agent signings and trades in response to the Tom Wilson incident on May 3, which occurred two days before he took over as general manager. This includes trading for Barclay Goodrow (and later signing him on a six-year deal), signing Patrik Nemeth to a three-year, $7.5 million deal, and signing Ryan Reaves. Although Drury made these signings in response to the Tom Wilson incident, he also faced criticism throughout the offseason, most notably on July 23 when he traded Pavel Buchnevich to the St. Louis Blues for Sammy Blais. His offseason with the Rangers was ranked 23rd by The Athletic, and the Buchnevich trade has been considered as one of the worst trades in franchise history. Despite the Buchnevich trade and criticism for his offseason moves, the Rangers did make the Eastern Conference finals following his trade deadline additions for Andrew Copp, Frank Vatrano, and Justin Braun. Following the season, Drury was named as a finalist for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award, an award given to the top NHL general manager, along with former teammate and Colorado Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic and Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois.
Personal life
Drury and his wife Rory have two daughters and a son. The family resides in Greenwich, Connecticut.
Drury's older brother, Ted, played professional hockey in the NHL for six different teams between 1989 and 2001. His nephew, Jack, currently plays professional hockey for the Nashville Predators, after several years with the Colorado Avalanche and the Carolina Hurricanes.
In the late 2000s, Drury, along with partners Ken Martin, Paul Coniglio, and Cody Lee, purchased Colony Grill in Stamford, Connecticut, a pizza tavern established in 1935. Since the purchase, the group has opened four more locations throughout southwestern Connecticut and New York, including Fairfield, Connecticut, near where Drury played high school hockey at Fairfield Prep. Locations have also been opened in the Tampa Bay area of Florida, Maryland, and Virginia.
Records
The first player in hockey history to win both the Hobey Baker Memorial Award and Calder Memorial Trophy.
Holds the record for most goals in Boston University men's ice hockey history with 113.
Only Boston University ice hockey player with at least 100 goals and 100 assists.