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The New York Rangers had a disastrous 2024-25 season, but they don’t plan on making front office changes heading into the summer. The Rangers announced that general manager Chris Drury has signed a multi-year contract extension to stay in New York.
A former Rangers forward, Drury joined the front office in 2015 and was named general manager in 2021. Over the last three seasons, the Rangers have made the Eastern Conference Finals twice and 2024-25 is the first year they failed to make the postseason with Drury as GM.
Chris Drury Agrees to Multi-Year Contract Extension
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) April 23, 2025
Full details: https://t.co/GHE8vZf2uU
“I am pleased that Chris will continue to lead the Rangers hockey operations in his role as President and General Manager,” MSG Sports Executive Chairman and CEO Jame Dolan said. “Over his tenure, Chris has shown passion for the Rangers, relentless work ethic, and a tireless pursuit of excellence. While we are all disappointed in what transpired this past season, I am confident in his ability to guide this organization to success.”
The Rangers know they fell well short of expectations this season, especially after a President’s Trophy campaign in 2023-24, but there is still a great deal of confidence in Drury as the front office leader.
“I am honored to sign this contract extension and continue in this position with the team I grew up supporting,” Drury said. “As I said when I began in this role nearly four years ago, there isn’t a more special organization in hockey and I look forward to continuing our work this offseason to help us reach our goals for next season and in the coming years.”
Drury also wields dual roles in the Rangers front office as president of hockey operations as well as general manager.
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How the Maple Leafs Will Deploy Easton Cowan This Season
He’s undoubtedly the next big thing for the Toronto Maple Leafs, in terms of prospects – especially after the trade that sent Fraser Minten to the Boston Bruins last season – but the next few months aren’t as transparent for Easton Cowan as some might want them to be. Coming off another strong season with the OHL’s London Knights, which included an OHL championship, a Memorial Cup championship and most valuable player honours in the Memorial Cup tournament, naturally Cowan’s next step would be to crack the Maple Leafs’ NHL roster. Right? But what if it isn’t that easy? There’s a reality here where Cowan misses out on the Maple Leafs’ roster again and starts the season elsewhere. Projecting the Maple Leafs’ Lineup As it stands, the Maple Leafs have four full lines with two other players ahead of Cowan on paper when it comes to the team’s depth chart – David Kämpf and Nick Robertson. The additions of Dakota Joshua, Nicolas Roy and Matias Maccelli have filled voids in the lineup and speculation around trading away Kämpf and Calle Järnkrok still linger. That said, even if Brad Treliving were to move on from Järnkrok and Kämpf, that would leave one spot in the current projected lineup for an opening night roster. Enter Robertson, who has an arbitration date early in August and could land that open spot. Even then, rumours have swirled that the Maple Leafs are still in the market for a potential top-six forward that could push players deeper in to the team’s lineup and, as a result, bump Cowan a little further down the depth chart. Middle Six Protection is Ideal for Cowan Upon NHL Arrival Even with his production in the OHL, given the projected lineup for the Maple Leafs, Cowan will have to truly stand out in camp to crack the opening night roster for the 2025-26 season. It’s not a commentary on his inabilities, nor a lack of skill. Rather it’s a discussion of the necessary development needed to help him be successful and stay in the NHL when that time comes. It would be detrimental to Cowan if the Maple Leafs were to start him in the NHL and for him to find himself in and out of the lineup to kick off his rookie campaign. Likewise, filling in a fourth line role would also hinder his development. How is he supposed to take the next step in his growth with seven to eight minutes of playing time? When the time comes that Cowan makes the jump to the NHL, his spot should be in a middle-six role, with some powerplay opportunities. Playing a middle-six role would allow him to see 12 to 15 minutes of ice-time per game while still protecting him from playing against opposing top lines, at least to start his career. Now, that’s not to say he can’t work his way up the lineup into a top-six role. But it goes back to the old Detroit Red Wings’ mentality – what’s the rush in developing your top prospects? Maple Leafs Can’t Develop Cowan Like Robertson The issue with bringing Cowan into a bottom-six role too early is one that could affect his overall development. While it’s hard to compare two players – with both having different mental approaches to the game, different abilities on the ice and just overall – the rush to get a prospect into the NHL prior to developing their game at the AHL level has some recency bias when it comes to the organization. Take Robertson for example. A drafted, home-grown, talented forward who has been in and out of the Maple Leafs lineup since his debut in the playoffs in 2019-20, Robertson’s journey to become a regular for the team has been well-documented. The argument can be made that injuries played a role in setting Robertson back at times in his career, but they were just a piece of the puzzle that has hindered his overall growth at times. For the Maple Leafs to repeat this process with Cowan, it would be a mistake. Cowan has been highly-touted by the organization ever since they drafted him – surprisingly to some – with the 28th overall pick in 2023. Since then, he’s gone on to have 165 points in 100 regular season games in the OHL with two OHL championships and a Memorial Cup win. But that doesn’t mean his path to the NHL is done just yet. Maple Leafs Should Set the Path for Cowan’s Climb A start elsewhere doesn’t mean that we won’t see Cowan in the NHL this season. Having signed his entry-level contract, Cowan is ineligible to play at the NCAA level. But there is another option. Cowan can kick off the season with a strong AHL program in the Toronto Marlies. He would still be in the city – a city that thrives on their hockey – and he would be right around the corner from the big club. This would provide him the opportunity to take the next step in his development without exposing him right away to NHL-level criticism and opposition. The jump from major junior to the NHL isn’t always as smooth as we make it seem. In saying that, it almost seems irresponsible if the Maple Leafs don’t have that conversation with Cowan before sending him to the Marlies. Let him know that he’s the next to be called up if he can show that same level of commitment to the Marlies that he has throughout his junior career. If he can, and the Maple Leafs either make a move early in the season or have a significant injury, then Cowan becomes the next guy on the list to don the blue and white. It’s not necessarily about giving him an opportunity to jump straight from the OHL to the NHL, rather it’s about having the team communicate with the player to let them know where their head is at. As for Cowan, he’s a competitive player that believes he should be in the NHL and wants to be in the NHL. That desire alone will get him there in due time. But it’s fair for the organization not to cheat the development process with this particular prospect. It’s time to do it the right way and make sure they set Cowan up for success – with a long and prosperous career as a piece to a winning organization in the Maple Leafs.
Steelers Get Major Jauan Jennings News
The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the market for another wide receiver before the regular season begins, though it appears one of their potential trade targets isn't available at the moment. On Tuesday, San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan both expressed that Jauan Jennings has not formally asked for a trade and will participate in the team's first practice of training camp on Wednesday. "I won't speak for Jauan, but had a good visit with him," Lynch said, per ESPN's Nick Wagoner. "[We] anticipate him being out there. You guys know our feelings on JJ. He embodies what we think a Niner is all about, plays the right way and we love him ... All that stuff, we're not going to get into the contract talks and all that. That takes care of itself, but we love him and he's here." Early last week, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Jennings was looking for a new deal and would ask for a trade if he didn't receive one before camp began. That didn't turn out to be the case, however, as the 28-year-old reported on Monday and is ready to suit up in Santa Clara, Ca. alongside his 49ers teammates despite not yet signing an extension. Jennings in entering the final year of a two-year contract worth $11.890 million that he agreed to last offseason as a restricted free agent. He's guaranteed $3.275 million in salary this season and will carry a cap hit of $4.258 million, according to Over the Cap. A seventh-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Jennings is coming off a career year for the 49ers in which he posted 975 yards and six touchdowns on 77 catches. The possibility remains of an official trade request from Jennings if negotiations with San Francisco don't progress, but he'll hold off from doing so for the time being. The Steelers satisfied their need for another skill position player by acquiring tight end Jonnu Smith from the Miami Dolphins on June 30, but there's still room for an additional receiver on the roster.
Packers LB Isaiah Simmons Raises Some Eyebrows on Day 1
The Green Bay Packers signed LB Isaiah Simmons at the end of April. He was not a home run, high profile free agent signing like Xavier McKinney or Josh Jacobs. Now a few years ago, Isaiah Simmons was the end all be all. In 2020, the Arizona Cardinals selected Simmons with the 8th overall pick. However, he has not lived up to the expectations that come with the number 8 pick. Simmons may not amount to much in Green Bay but his ceiling is high and on day 1 of training camp, he caught some people’s attention. Isaiah Simmons is a freak athlete. During the 2020 NFL Combine, he registered a 10.0 RAS. His explosion and speed grade were considered to be “elite”. His struggles in the NFL have more so been contributed to scheme and mental struggles. Earlier in the offseason, Simmons expressed relief that he will be playing only one position, linebacker, in Green Bay. In New York and Arizona, Simmons was asked to play linebacker and safety. The Packers understand that they have a unique athlete in Simmons. Their plan is straightforward. Hafley and LaFleur want to simplify the mental side of football so that Simmons’ can play without thinking. This approach is similar to Quay Walker, who is another explosive athlete but at times, he looked like he was thinking too much which led to poor play. In the second half of 2024, it seemed like Walker started to play fast and started to think less. By placing Simmons in the linebacker room and allowing him to focus on just that position, Green Bay hopes to be the team that capitalizes on Simmons real ability. Isaiah Simmons Receives High Praise From Josh Jacobs On Day 1 of training camp yesterday, Isaiah Simmons already made some noise. During a team portion of practice, Simmons busted through the line to stop a screen pass to Josh Jacobs. After practice, Josh Jacobs went on to say this about Simmons, “He’s a unicorn”. Jacobs did not stop there. He added, “He can run. We can put him out on guys in the slot, and he can cover guys,”. These are some awfully kind words from one of the Packers biggest stars. Isaiah Simmons is only 26 years old. He still has plenty of gas left in the tank. There is a chance that his career in Green Bay is not much to boast about but maybe a new system and a strong coaching staff can be the difference maker for Simmons. It might be smart not to get too far ahead of our skis with Simmons but the one true aspect of his game is that he is a strong special teams player. During his career, he has blocked a field goal, recorded 15 special team tackles, forced a fumble, and recovered a fumble. Simmons certainly can contribute in that phase for the Packers. The Packers and Isaiah Simmons have a lot more work ahead of them during camp and the preseason. When the pads come on and the preseason games start, it will be interesting to see how Simmons plays. Time will tell what Simmons can really do but so far, his athleticism is catching people’s attention. The hopes are high that Simmons can put it all together because Cooper, Walker, and Simmons could be a very fast, very quick, and very explosive linebacker group.
Raiders' Star Details Difference Between Pete Carroll and Antonio Pierce
The Las Vegas Raiders struggled last season. One of their bright spots last season was tight end Brock Bowers. Bowers played out of his mind in his rookie season. Bowers set different records in the National Football League last season and is now considered by many as the best tight end in football. That is something huge for a player who his only entering his second season in the league. Bowers was selected with the 13th overall pick by the Raiders last season and by former head coach Antonio Pierce. That was a huge pick for the Raiders and Bowers can be seen as the best player in his draft class so far. But now Bowers will head into next season with a new head coach. His former coach, Pierce, was only the head coach for one season, and the Raiders decided to move on from him. The Raiders will now turn to veteran head coach Pete Carroll to lead the way for the Silver and Black next season. The Raiders are looking to get things going right away next season, and they felt like Carroll gives them the best chance to win and bring success to the franchise that has been looking to be consistent in winning games. Former head coach Pierce took over as the interim head coach halfway turn the 2023 season, and he showed that the Raiders can play better with him running the show. And heading into last season, there was a lot of excitement about getting the Raiders to be a better team. But Pierce did not have a good season in his first season as a head coach, and it was not good enough to keep him around for his second season. Bowers recently talked about the different coaching styles of Carroll and Pierce. “They’re pretty different, I’d say. AP was awesome. He was a true players' coach. He was always working with us and everything,” Bowers said on Bussin' With The Boys. “But Coach Carroll has a way of bringing everyone together.” It is going to be fun to watch Bowers go back to work next season. We will see what the second-year tight end has in store after his record-breaking rookie year. Bowers will have a much-improved quarterback as well. Find us on X (formerly Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and Instagram @HondoSr and talk to us in 2025 about Bowers and more. While here, check out our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE to discuss all Raiders content in 2025.
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