The New York Rangers made several updates to their hockey operations department Monday, notably hiring Blake Wheeler as hockey operations advisor and Ryane Clowe as assistant general manager.
The club also promoted Ryan Martin to associate general manager. Jim Sullivan has been promoted to assistant general manager.
Clowe spent last season as assistant general manager for the San Jose Sharks. He announced on Sunday that he had resigned from the Sharks. He rejoins the Rangers, where he previously spent three years in the hockey operations department from the 2021-22 to 2023-24 seasons. During his previous tenure in the Blueshirts’ front office, he held the titles of hockey operations advisor and co-senior advisor.
Before his first stint in New York’s front office, Clowe spent two seasons as an assistant coach with the New Jersey Devils. He spent part of one season as head coach of the Newfoundland Growlers of the ECHL.
Clowe played parts of 10 seasons in the NHL with the Sharks, Rangers, and Devils. He appeared in 491 games, totalling 112 goals and 197 assists for 309 points.
Wheeler begins his front office career following a 16-year playing career in the NHL. He was drafted fifth overall by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2004 NHL Draft. He played in 1,172 NHL games, split between the Boston Bruins, Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets, and the Rangers, with whom he played his final season in 2023-24. He scored 321 goals and added 622 assists for 943 points over his career.
In Wheeler’s lone season in New York, 2023-24, the Blueshirts set single-season franchise records with 55 wins and 114 points. They won the Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL’s top regular-season team and advanced to the Eastern Conference Final.
Martin, the newly-promoted associate general manager, is entering his fifth season with the club. Since his arrival before the 2021-22 season, he’s held the role of assistant general manager and general manager of the Hartford Wolf Pack — the Rangers’ AHL affiliate. Martin will continue in his role with the Wolf Pack, the team announced.
Before joining the Rangers, Martin spent 16 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings. For the final 11 seasons of his tenure with Detroit, he was the team’s assistant general manager. He spent eight full seasons as general manager of the Red Wings’ AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Martin has also held several positions with USA Hockey. He was the general manager for Team USA at the 2022 IIHF World Championship.
Sullivan, the newly-promoted assistant general manager, is entering his 17th season with the club. Prior to the 2021-22 season, he was named the Rangers’ vice president of hockey strategy and data management and has held that position for the last four seasons.
Sullivan was previously the director of player care & development/analytics & hockey technology for seven seasons. He initially joined the Rangers in 2006 as a video analyst. He also held the title of the club’s director of hockey technology.
