#John Davidson breaks silence after shocking Rangers firing

John Davidson said he was “very proud” of his work as Rangers’ team president, two days after he and general manager Jeff Gorton were shockingly fired by owner James Dolan.

“It has been an honor and pleasure serving as President of the New York Rangers the past two years,” Davidson, also said in a statement Friday through his talent agency, The Montag Group. “I am very proud of the work we have done and believe this team’s future is very bright. I want to thank all the great people in the organization for their tireless and passionate work day in and day out.”

Davidson, a former beloved goalie with the Blueshirts, was lured to New York in May 2019 after stints rebuilding the Blues and Blue Jackets. He was at the helm of the Rangers for just two years before philosophical differences on the direction of the team between him and Dolan got him canned.

Former Rangers captain Chris Drury was promoted to both GM and team president.

In the two seasons with Davidson as president, the rebuilding Rangers showed promise, stockpiled tons of young talent and seemed to be on the upswing.

They appeared in the 2019-20 season’s expanded playoffs qualifying round, in which the team was swept in three games by the Hurricanes, but fell short of the postseason this year.

“I first came to New York as [a] 22-year-old and it has been in my blood ever since,” Davidson said. “The energy and vibrance of the city will always be something I cherish. Most of all I want to thank you, the fans. You welcomed my wife Diana and me with open arms and I want to express our sincerest and most heartfelt gratitude for the tremendous love and support you’ve always shown us.”  

It’s unclear what’s next for Davidson, who played eight of his 10 NHL seasons with the Rangers. After he retired from hockey, Davidson joined MSG Network in 1983 and was the color commentator for the Rangers from 1986-2006. He also contributed to NHL coverage on various national television networks, including Fox, ABC, ESPN and NBC.