Didn't realize he was there for 14 years.
- Fenrir

it's still fuggin crazy that JD and Gorton were fired

when Neil Smith got fired in 2000 it was definitely time

when Phil Esposito got fired in 1989 it was REALLY time

this one just doesn't seem right

and Gorton wasn't perfect but what GM is?

even the great Yzerman has some bad picks

it's still fuggin crazy that JD and Gorton were fired

when Neil Smith got fired in 2000 it was definitely time

when Phil Esposito got fired in 1989 it was REALLY time

this one just doesn't seem right

and Gorton wasn't perfect but what GM is?

even the great Yzerman has some bad picks
- jimbro83

this wasn't about draft picks. arguably no ones been more successful over the last few years (even putting kakko and laf aside since that was lottery based)

this wasn't about draft picks. arguably no ones been more successful over the last few years (even putting kakko and laf aside since that was lottery based)
- picklerick

really the 2018 letter doesn't even make sense anymore in light of the firings

really the 2018 letter doesn't even make sense anymore in light of the firings
- jimbro83

we mustve missed the fine print where it said "note: rebuild not to last longer than 2.5 years"

we mustve missed the fine print where it said "note: rebuild not to last longer than 2.5 years"
- picklerick

In fairness the letter said that the fans need to prepare to lose some major players on the team at the time. All of that happened, Hank, Zucc, Mac, Brass, Staal, G, Nash, etc. all gone.

We then got lucky with the Kakko and Laf lottery picks and lucky in a way with the Panarin signing and Fox and Trouba trades. They did everything they said they were going to do, it just didn't take as long as expected.

I was against the firings but if they don't go out and blow it up this summer trying to win the cup next year I think the letter still makes sense, we just had some luck and savvy moves that accelerated things.

I think the firings were based on a difference in philosophy.

JD and Gorton were preaching patience and a very long vision into the future. It is clear they wanted another couple of years to complete the rebuild.

Dolan didn't want to:
1) wait another 2 years for guys like Cuylle, Schneider and Robertson to develop.

2) watch the Islanders destroy us for another 2 years.

3) pay millions of $$$ in buyouts to erase JDs and Gortons mistakes.

Dolan wanted playoff $$$ next season to bring in some much needed revenue in a pandemic economy.

I am upset that JD got fired but I can see why Dolan did it. Its not an outrageous position to take.

I think the firings were based on a difference in philosophy.

JD and Gorton were preaching patience and a very long vision into the future. It is clear they wanted another couple of years to complete the rebuild.

Dolan didn't want to:
1) wait another 2 years for guys like Cuylle, Schneider and Robertson to develop.

2) watch the Islanders destroy us for another 2 years.

3) pay millions of $$$ in buyouts to erase JDs and Gortons mistakes.

Dolan wanted playoff $$$ next season to bring in some much needed revenue in a pandemic economy.

I am upset that JD got fired but I can see why Dolan did it. Its not an outrageous position to take.
- TommyGTrain

Having taken a few day to digest all of it and I really can't argue with anything you have said. The timing of it is just something that makes Dolan look like a complete dbag.

If we found out today that the Rangers were moving in a different direction I think most would have taken it a lot better and the optics would have not been as confusing as when it was done.

I think the firings were based on a difference in philosophy.

JD and Gorton were preaching patience and a very long vision into the future. It is clear they wanted another couple of years to complete the rebuild.

Dolan didn't want to:
1) wait another 2 years for guys like Cuylle, Schneider and Robertson to develop.

2) watch the Islanders destroy us for another 2 years.

3) pay millions of $$$ in buyouts to erase JDs and Gortons mistakes.

Dolan wanted playoff $$$ next season to bring in some much needed revenue in a pandemic economy.

I am upset that JD got fired but I can see why Dolan did it. Its not an outrageous position to take.
- TommyGTrain

To be fair what mistakes has JD made in 2 years he has been here? Drafting Olaf in round 2?

He is one of the main reasons Panarin is here. Other than signing Jack Johnson I can't name one mistake. Since he has been here they have had no cap space at all to work with, unless you want to argue Panarin isn't worth the money. He hasn't had a chance to really rebuild the team and make them tougher to play against.

Unless JD was saying if Gorton is out I am leaving to, it makes zero sense to fire him after 2 years. Absolutely zero.

Having taken a few day to digest all of it and I really can't argue with anything you have said. The timing of it is just something that makes Dolan look like a complete dbag.

If we found out today that the Rangers were moving in a different direction I think most would have taken it a lot better and the optics would have not been as confusing as when it was done.
- climbdenali12

I am taking Dolan at his word. This was not an impulsive decision, but something that had been considered for weeks. The moves were made to allow Drury to be in place for the player exit interviews. The timing stunk, but I believe that is the unpleasant truth.

Having taken a few day to digest all of it and I really can't argue with anything you have said. The timing of it is just something that makes Dolan look like a complete dbag.

If we found out today that the Rangers were moving in a different direction I think most would have taken it a lot better and the optics would have not been as confusing as when it was done.
- climbdenali12

The timing of the firings says everything. Dolan is impulsive, impatient, narcissistic, and thin skinned. Clearly the fact that JD was upset about the tweet played a not so insignificant role in this. Gorton is a different story since he is the GM and is by all accounts the one making the player decisions, so more credence can be given to the narrative that his firing was related to the "direction of the team", even though the timing is still dubious.

None of this is to say that i was unhappy with the way the team was being run, just that JD being fired makes no sense in that context and at the very least for Gorton you could reverse engineer a somewhat logical reason to do so

To be fair what mistakes has JD made in 2 years he has been here? Drafting Olaf in round 2?

He is one of the main reasons Panarin is here. Other than signing Jack Johnson I can't name one mistake. Since he has been here they have had no cap space at all to work with, unless you want to argue Panarin isn't worth the money. He hasn't had a chance to really rebuild the team and make them tougher to play against.

Unless JD was saying if Gorton is out I am leaving to, it makes zero sense to fire him after 2 years. Absolutely zero.
- TPC

Please remove the rose colored glasses.
You don't think the entire ADA situation was a mistake?

They signed him to a 2 year deal for $9.6 million. They sent him home and completely ruined the ability to trade him for even a bag of pucks. Now, they have to pay more $$$ to possibly buy him out ( unless Seattle drafts him ). The fact that the buyout for Tony is relatively cheap is irrelevant. In a pandemic economy and a salary capped NHL, they blew almost $6 million for NO RETURN!
Could you do that at your job without any consequences?

Please remove the rose colored glasses.
You don't think the entire ADA situation was a mistake?

They signed him to a 2 year deal for $9.6 million. They sent him home and completely ruined the ability to trade him for even a bag of pucks. Now, they have to pay more $$$ to possibly buy him out ( unless Seattle drafts him ). The fact that the buyout for Tony is relatively cheap is irrelevant. In a pandemic economy and a salary capped NHL, they blew almost $6 million for NO RETURN!
Could you do that at your job without any consequences?
- TommyGTrain

i don't buy that. Dolan is going to want to spend money like crazy and $6m for the team is a drop in the bucket. The cap is the only thing that matters and, like you said, the buyout is a fraction of that $6m. It's one thing to say the team needs to be tougher to play against, which i don't disagree with. The $$ thing is a whole different discussion and has never seemed to be an issue for Dolan with the Knicks or Rangers.

Please remove the rose colored glasses.
You don't think the entire ADA situation was a mistake?

They signed him to a 2 year deal for $9.6 million. They sent him home and completely ruined the ability to trade him for even a bag of pucks. Now, they have to pay more $$$ to possibly buy him out ( unless Seattle drafts him ). The fact that the buyout for Tony is relatively cheap is irrelevant. In a pandemic economy and a salary capped NHL, they blew almost $6 million for NO RETURN!
Could you do that at your job without any consequences?
- TommyGTrain

One mistake? You can't use hindsight in this case. Who had any idea what would transpire with ADA? Is JD the one who told ADA he would never play for the organization again? I believe that was Gorton.

Please remove the rose colored glasses.
You don't think the entire ADA situation was a mistake?

They signed him to a 2 year deal for $9.6 million. They sent him home and completely ruined the ability to trade him for even a bag of pucks. Now, they have to pay more $$$ to possibly buy him out ( unless Seattle drafts him ). The fact that the buyout for Tony is relatively cheap is irrelevant. In a pandemic economy and a salary capped NHL, they blew almost $6 million for NO RETURN!
Could you do that at your job without any consequences?
- TommyGTrain

Rose colored glasses? I don't even like Tony but he was coming off a 65 point season. How can you argue a 4.5 million cap hit for that?

All of the crap of him being sent home happened after. I guess JD should be able to predict the future and know he was going to fight his teammates.

There is no way you can convince me JD deserved to be fired after 2 years. None

One mistake? You can't use hindsight in this case. Who had any idea what would transpire with ADA? Is JD the one who told ADA he would never play for the organization again? I believe that was Gorton.
- JRR1285

Nah man JD was the worst, worst President OF ALL TIME

Rose colored glasses? I don't even like Tony but he was coming off a 65 point season. How can you argue a 4.5 million cap hit for that?

All of the crap of him being sent home happened after. I guess JD should be able to predict the future and know he was going to fight his teammates.

There is no way you can convince me JD deserved to be fired after 2 years. None
- TPC

Not to mention the fact that Sather is still involved with the team after all of the $$ he threw around in the late 90's through the mid 2000's makes that whole "we wasted money on ADA and that is why Gorton and JD had to go" argument fall apart rather quickly

Not to mention the fact that Sather is still involved with the team after all of the $$ he threw around in the late 90's through the mid 2000's makes that whole "we wasted money on ADA and that is why Gorton and JD had to go" argument fall apart rather quickly
- picklerick

I totally get Gorton, but will never understand JD

Even the worst GMs/Presidents of all time don't get fired after 2 years. JD never got a chance. It truly is dumb.

I totally get Gorton, but will never understand JD

Even the worst GMs/Presidents of all time don't get fired after 2 years. JD never got a chance. It truly is dumb.
- TPC

I still think it may have been a case of Danal firing Gorton or telling JD to do it and JD told him to (frank) off and to fire them both.

I still think it may have been a case of Danal firing Gorton or telling JD to do it and JD told him to (frank) off and to fire them both.
- JRR1285

That is the only thing that makes sense, or Dolan is truly gone in the head

That is the only thing that makes sense, or Dolan is truly gone in the head
- TPC

the latter has always been true regardless of any other facts in this situation

the latter has always been true regardless of any other facts in this situation
- picklerick

i don't buy that. Dolan is going to want to spend money like crazy and $6m for the team is a drop in the bucket. The cap is the only thing that matters and, like you said, the buyout is a fraction of that $6m. It's one thing to say the team needs to be tougher to play against, which i don't disagree with. The $$ thing is a whole different discussion and has never seemed to be an issue for Dolan with the Knicks or Rangers.
- picklerick

The $$$ issue now is a thing with an empty MSG. There is no normal revenue and profits coming in because of the pandemic. The Rangers missed the playoffs for the 4th straight year, and I am guessing JD was not guaranteeing it for next year either. No playoff $$$ was unacceptable to Dolan during a pandemic, its not difficult to understand. Couple that with the Rangers paying almost $19 million for players not even on the active roster just sealed their fate.

i don't buy that. Dolan is going to want to spend money like crazy and $6m for the team is a drop in the bucket. The cap is the only thing that matters and, like you said, the buyout is a fraction of that $6m. It's one thing to say the team needs to be tougher to play against, which i don't disagree with. The $$ thing is a whole different discussion and has never seemed to be an issue for Dolan with the Knicks or Rangers.
- picklerick

I think that $6M isn't even noticed if Dolan is looking at gate returns from a full building every game. Without that money, every expense looms larger than usual.

I still think it may have been a case of Danal firing Gorton or telling JD to do it and JD told him to (frank) off and to fire them both.
- JRR1285

^^^^^^^^^^
THIS

I still think it may have been a case of Danal firing Gorton or telling JD to do it and JD told him to (frank) off and to fire them both.
- JRR1285

This seems to be the only logical conclusion to make, unless JD was sleeping with Dolan's mistress. Ya neva know