The New York Rangers recently revealed some major changes that were made to their front office staff.
Since Quentin Dolan has taken over operations of the team, more of a focus has been put on sports science. The team revamped the strength and conditioning staff and added some sports science positions to the team, which are welcome additions.
Keeping the players healthy throughout the season should be a goal near the top of the team's checklist this season. Several key players, such as goalie Igor Shesterkin , defenseman Adam Fox and centers J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck , missed time last year because they were hurt.
Amongst all of the changes that were announced, there was one departure that flew under the radar. As shared by Vincent Z. Mercogliano on X, Blake Wheeler has also left the Rangers ' front office.
Nov 27, 2023; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers right wing Blake Wheeler (17) skates against the Buffalo Sabres during the third period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
A 16-year veteran in the NHL, Wheeler ended his playing career with New York in the 2023-24 campaign. He played in 54 games, scoring 21 points with nine goals and 12 assists with a plus/minus of +2.
Wheeler remained in the area after his retirement, coaching junior hockey in Connecticut for two years, according to Brian La Rose of Pro Hockey Rumors . Last year, he added Hockey Operations Advisor with the Rangers to his resume.
Alas, that job was one-and-done, as he is now heading back to the state he grew up in: Minnesota . However, it is not clear if he is just moving back to the state or will be joining the Minnesota Wild organization in some capacity.
While Wheeler will no longer be with the franchise, a couple of other former players were added to the organization. Derick Brassard and Marc Staal , two former fan favorites, were brought on as Player Development Assistants as part of the front office overhaul.
Jonathan Quick , who announced his retirement from the NHL at the end of the 2025-26 season, isn't leaving the organization either. He was hired as the Director of Goaltending Development to help replace Benoit Allair, who had been with the franchise since 2004 but was retiring himself .
There are some big shoes to fill with Allair calling it a career, as he had a lot of success in his role within the franchise. Quick has an impressive resume on the ice and is hoping that will translate to evaluating and developing talent now that he is part of the front office.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nhl/rangers/onsi as NY Rangers Former Player Departs Front Office in Overhaul .
