RANGERS MAKE PROMOTIONS

RANGERS ANNOUNCE HOCKEY CLUB PERSONNEL PROMOTIONS

Jeff Gorton named Assistant General Manager;

Kevin Maxwell named Director of Professional Scouting

New York, July 11, 2011 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has promoted Jeff Gorton to Assistant General Manager and Kevin Maxwell to Director of Professional Scouting.

Gorton previously served four seasons with the Rangers, including as Assistant Director, Player Personnel for the last three seasons.  In his expanded role, he will assist Sather on all player transactions and contract negotiations.  He will also continue his involvement with the club’s professional and amateur scouting operations.  Prior to joining the Rangers, Gorton spent 15 seasons with the Boston Bruins organization, serving as the Bruins Assistant General Manager during the final seven years of his tenure.  As Assistant General Manager, he was involved in contract negotiations, scouting operations and the team’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate in Providence, Rhode Island.

Gorton served as Boston’s Interim General Manager from March 27 to July 8, 2006, directing the Bruins’ efforts at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft and negotiating contracts and trades at the start of the 2006 free agency period.  At the 2006 draft, Gorton was instrumental in landing Bruins’ star players Milan Lucic, Brad Marchand and Tuukka Rask, as well as former Bruins’ star Phil Kessel.  He also acquired key All-Star free agents Zdeno Chara and Marc Savard.

Gorton originally joined the Bruins organization in their public relations department at the beginning of the 1992-1993 season.  He became the Bruins’ Director of Scouting Information in October 1994, where he created the scouting database which networks the club’s scouts via computer, and coordinated video on prospects in preparation of scouting assignments and the annual NHL Entry Draft.  Gorton holds a degree in physical education from Bridgewater State College, and a Masters in sports management from Springfield College.

Maxwell previously served three seasons with the Rangers as a professional scout.  In his expanded role, he will oversee the club’s professional scouting operations.  Maxwell joined the Rangers after serving as a professional scout with the Dallas Stars in 2007-08, where he focused on both North America and Europe.  Prior to joining Dallas, he spent 10 seasons with the New York Islanders organization, serving as the Islanders Director of Professional Scouting during the final two years of his tenure after serving as a professional scout for the previous eight years.  In addition, Maxwell served as Director of Player Personnel with the Hartford Whalers during the 1994-95 season.

A veteran of four NHL seasons with the Minnesota North Stars, Colorado Rockies and New Jersey Devils, Maxwell registered six goals and 15 assists for 21 points, along with 61 penalty minutes in 66 games.  The Edmonton, Alberta native was originally drafted by the Minnesota North Stars in the third round, 63rd overall, in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft.  Internationally, Maxwell represented Canada in the 1980 Winter Olympic Games at Lake Placid, New York.