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Invermere son heading up New York Rangers
Invermere’s most famous son was May 17 named president of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) New York Rangers.
The Rangers announced that John Davidson, who had been president of hockey operations and alternate governor of the Columbus Blue Jackets, would replace Glen Sather as boss of one the NHL’s original six franchises.
“I am excited and humbled to be named the president of the New York Rangers,” Davidson, 66, told NHL.com.
Considered the finest ‘colour man’ in the hockey broadcasting business prior to joining the St. Louis Blues front office in 2006 and then leading Columbus from being an also ran franchise in 2012 to one of the top clubs in the NHL this past season, former NHL goaltender Davidson (Rangers, St. Louis Blues) seemed a no-brainer fit to return to the re-building blue shirts.
“The opportunity of rejoining the Rangers organization and returning home to New York, where my family and I have spent so many wonderful years, was one I simply could not pass up. I want to thank (Rangers CEO) James Dolan for offering me this chance to come home. I would also like to thank (Blue Jackets owner) John P. McConnell for the opportunity to join the Blue Jackets organization in 2012, his guidance, support and friendship over the last seven years, and for allowing my family and me to embark on this new journey with the Rangers,” he told NHL.com.
“Today is the start of a new and exciting chapter in New York Rangers history,” Dolan said. “John Davidson is one of the premier executives in the National Hockey League. As we continue to build a team that can consistently compete for the Stanley Cup, John’s knowledge of the game and his experience and passion for the Rangers logo make him the ideal choice to oversee our hockey operations department. I am thrilled to welcome ‘JD’ and his family home.”
Davidson was selected by St. Louis with the fifth overall pick in the 1973 NHL Draft, after starring with the Calgary Centennials from 1971 to 1973.
He moved onto the New York Rangers in 1974, spending eight seasons there.
In 301 NHL games Davidson compiled a 123 wins, 124 losses, 39 ties record, including a magical 1979 season in which he led the Rangers to the 1979 Stanley Cup Final, losing in five games to the Guy Lafleur led Montreal Canadiens.
A quirky tidbit of trivia from his career involved rock band Foreigner. In 1978, during a playoff game between the Rangers and Buffalo Sabres, Davidson was beaned in the head by a shot and the TV broadcasters noted he was suffering from “double vision.” Band members watching the game were inspired and a hit single emerged a while later.
After retiring in 1983, the Big Apple remained Davidson’s home, although he annually headed back home to the Columbia Valley, where family members still reside.
He spent more than 20 years sharing his knowledge of the game, with grassroots friendliness and small town charm compiled from growing up in the valley in the 1960s, through Madison Square Garden (MSG) Network. He also worked for every other network that broadcast NHL games, from CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada to ESPN.
In 2006, after years of media speculation, Davidson joined the ranks of NHL team executives, becoming president of the Blues in 2006.
In 2009 he was presented the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for contributions to broadcasting by the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Lead image from NHL.com
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