Former New York Rangers captain Chris Drury announces surprising retirement –NHL News Update
After playing one of his lowest performing National Hockey League (NHL) seasons as a captain for New York Rangers, due to various injuries which restrained him from performing, Chris Drury announced his announcement on Friday, August 19, through a press
release.
New York Rangers general manager, Glen Sather, made the announcement.
"Throughout his career, Chris Drury was always a great competitor, a tremendous leader and teammate, and the heart and soul type of player that every team would love to have", Rangers GM Glen Sather. "His commitment, determination and will to win were apparent
each and every day. Those characteristics will have a lasting impact on all those who were fortunate enough to learn from Chris over his 12 years in the National Hockey League".
Having played 12 seasons in the major league with teams such as Colorado Avalanche, Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres and finally New York Rangers, Drury had established himself as one of the most top performing players, which makes its most surprising for
fans and the league to see him going like this.
A day before celebrating his 35th birthday seemed to be the best time to announcement for Drury, who after having played only 24 games in his third season part of his five-year deal with New York due to a reoccurring broken finger and arthroscopic
knee injury, Rangers decided to buy out his remaining contract.
Chris Drury, a former 72nd overall pick during round-three of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft by Quebec Nordiques, was picked up by Colorado Avalanche after acquiring him from his original draft team. The Trumbull, Cincinnati, United States native, spent
some of his best seasons with the team, including a 2001 Stanley Cup championship win and a near repeat the following season.
It was after leaving Buffalo Sabres in 2007 as a free agent and signing on with New York Rangers that eventually brought about Drury’s downfall as a player.
Having played 892 NHL matchups and registered 615 points (255 goals, 360 assists), it is not hard to see that Drury is still a very young player with much time left in him. Nevertheless, he will certainly be missed and always be remembered as one of the
best players of his generation.
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