The next steps for the Rangers are crucial — and Chris Drury must heed lessons from last ‘retool’

Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury made his intentions known to the team, the fan base and the rest of the National Hockey League on Friday afternoon. 

The preferred term might be “retool” over “rebuild,” but the organization has come to terms with its reality and declared as much in a 300-plus word statement released before the team headed to Philadelphia for the start of a four-game road trip. 

Sitting in the basement of the Eastern Conference, the Blueshirts are taking the evaluation period at face value. 

“We are not going to stand pat — a shift will give us the ability to be smart and opportunistic as we retool the team,” Drury’s statement read. “This will not be a rebuild. This will be a retool built around our core players and prospects. We will target players that bring tenacity, skill, speed and a winning pedigree with a focus on obtaining young players, draft picks and cap space to allow us flexibility moving forward.”