This season has been a complete disaster for the New York Rangers. No one would argue with such a take, and many would argue it’s been the worst season the Rangers have had in decades. Chris Drury is getting booed by the home fans every chance they get, with most calling for his firing. Then came last week’s Adam Fox quote, which caused a stir across the league. Does the Adam Fox quote mean he’s going to request a trade? Will the Rangers (read: Drury) actually mess this up even more?
Before we get to that, we have to remember the Rangers, as of now, do have Fox and Igor Shesterkin as leaders of the core. Turning things around quickly is somewhat doable. Just look at what the New York Islanders have done with Ilya Sorokin and Matthew Schaefer. Still, the Adam Fox quote on February 27 made waves and could become a problem quickly.
“I’m just trying to focus on this year right now and play each game,” Fox said when asked if he wants to stay in New York through a retool. “That’s really all I can do right now. … That’s a conversation for when we’re done playing.”
Yikes.
Considering Adam Fox was left off the United States Olympic roster, which then went on to win the gold medal for the first time since 1980, it’s understandable he might be upset with the Rangers current regime. Remember, Chris Drury was an Assistant GM for USA, and Mike Sullivan was Head Coach.
Still, after the team was announced, there weren’t many reports about his emotions, outside of a few people saying he was disappointed. Now, we have this Adam Fox quote, and perhaps the initial Team USA reactions were understated.
You could certainly argue that the Adam Fox quote is being amplified too much. He just said that as a spur of the moment response, but it’s silly to ignore what it could mean. This is the first time since Fox joined the organization that he’s signaled anything other than being thrilled to be a Ranger. Remember, Fox all but forced his way to New York, refusing to sign with the Calgary Flames and the Carolina Hurricanes.
The next step for the Rangers should be to immediately figure out just how upset Fox is. If he’s looking at this retool as a way to get out of a New York team led by Drury and Mike Sullivan, this is one of the most disastrous moments for the Rangers in decades. That is not an exaggeration, as Fox is the best Rangers defenseman since Brian Leetch and will likely wait another 30 years before seeing another like him in the organization.
I would go as far as to say James Dolan needs to get involved here. He’s the only one higher in the totem pole than Drury and Sullivan. If Fox shares an ultimatum of “Drury or me,” the obvious choice is Fox. That’s what makes the Adam Fox quote so troubling – he should be the priority, but do any of us trust Dolan to make the right choice?
To be fair, trading Fox would bring back at least three solid pieces to accelerate the rebuild/retool, but that does assume Drury gets a prime return. If the argument to trade Fox is about accelerating the rebuild and his age versus the rebuild timeline, that’s fine. If it’s because he’s a “milk drinker,” then perhaps watch the games a little more closely.
The Adam Fox quote was an entirely avoidable situation, as most have been in Chris Drury’s tenure leading the Rangers. New York must ensure they have a happy Fox on their roster, as if not, the team will get a whole lot worse. Yes, they can get even worse than they currently are.
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