After an illustrious Hall of Fame career that spanned six decades in hockey as a player, head coach and front office executive, Glen Sather, senior advisor to the owner and alternate governor, announced today that he retired from his position with the Rangers and professional hockey.
“Having the opportunity to be associated with the National Hockey League, and specifically the New York Rangers and Edmonton Oilers, has been one of the great privileges of my life,” said Sather. “I would like to thank Jim Dolan for giving me the chance to work for the Rangers 24 years ago and for his constant advice and friendship. I would like to thank everyone in the Rangers organization for their dedication and pursuit of excellence over the years, as well as for the family atmosphere they have helped create. I would also like to thank the great Rangers fans for their passion and loyalty. This experience is something I will always cherish.
“Since joining the Rangers organization 24 years ago, Glen Sather has been a consummate professional,” said James L. Dolan, executive chairman and CEO of Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. “I am grateful for the friendship Glen and I have had over these many years and for the success he helped bring to the Rangers franchise during his tenure. Glen, Ann and his family will still part of the Rangers and Madison Square Garden family, and I wish them all the best for the years to come.
“I would like to congratulate Glen on a tremendous career,” said Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury. “I will always be grateful to Glen for giving me the opportunity to play for the Rangers, and I was fortunate to have him to guide me as I began my own career in the front office. I wish Glen – and Ann and the entire Sather family – well in the next chapter of their lives.
In nearly half a century as an NHL executive, Sather has illustrated why he is one of the great architects of hockey management history. Sather, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997, won five Stanley Cups as a general manager and was also his team’s head coach for four of those five Stanley Cup championships. Sather is one of only two people in hockey history to win at least four Stanley Cups as both a head coach and general manager (along with Punch Imlach). At the time Sather’s tenure as general manager ended in July 2015, he held the NHL record for career regular season games (2,700) and career regular season wins (1). 319) by a general director.
Sather joined the Rangers organization on June 1, 2000, when he was named president and general manager. He served as president of the Rangers for his first 19 years with the organization (2000-01 – 2018-19) and as the team’s general manager for the first 14 seasons of his tenure with the Blueshirts (2000-01 – 2014 -15). In the 14 seasons that Sather was the Rangers’ general manager, he had more wins (556) and held the position for more games (1,114) than any general manager in franchise history. franchise.
Sather oversaw one of the most successful eras in franchise history. Over a 12-season span from 2005–06 to 2016–17, the Rangers were one of four NHL teams to reach the playoffs 11 times and the only NHL team not to having been mathematically eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs before the start of the season. a regular season game during the streak. New York played in more playoff games than any NHL team over a six-year span from 2011-12 to 2016-17 (93) and was the only NHL team to win at least one playoff run in five of those six seasons. During Sather’s final year as general manager in 2014-15, the team he assembled had 53 wins and 113 points – setting single-season franchise records at the time – and won the Presidents’ Trophy for the third time in franchise history.
Sather served as senior advisor to the owner and alternate governor for the final five years of his Rangers tenure. During those five years, the Blueshirts advanced to the Eastern Conference finals twice in three seasons and won the Presidents’ Trophy for having the best regular season record in the NHL in 2023-24. Sather also served as head coach of the Rangers during his tenure with the organization, serving in that role from January 30, 2003 to February 25, 2004.
During his tenure with the Oilers organization, Sather led Edmonton to five Stanley Cup championships in seven years (1983-84, 1984-85, 1986-87, 1987-88, 1989-90). As head coach and general manager of the Oilers from November 22, 1980 until the end of the 1988-89 season, Edmonton posted a record of 414-202-86 in 702 regular season games and won the most of NHL victories during this period. . While Sather oversaw the Oilers as the team’s general manager, Edmonton won two Presidents’ Trophies, six division titles and six conference championships. During the Stanley Cup Playoffs as Edmonton’s general manager, Sather’s teams compiled a 133-82 record in 215 games.
Sather served as head coach in 932 NHL regular season games with the Oilers and Rangers, compiling a record of 497-307-121-7. In 126 Stanley Cup playoff games, Sather posted an 89-37 record, and his .706 playoff winning percentage is the best of any head coach in NHL history. Recipient of the Jack Adams Award as NHL Coach of the Year in 1985-86, Sather immediately joined the coaching ranks following his retirement as a player following the 1976-77 season, when he led the Oilers to 12 straight WHA and NHL playoffs. appearances, four Stanley Cup championships, and five Stanley Cup Final appearances between 1977 and 1989. Sather added the title of general manager in June 1980 and held the position for 20 seasons (1980-81 – 1999-00 ).
Sather’s management experience and success also carried over to the international stage. He served as general manager and coach of Team Canada for the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. Additionally, Sather guided Team Canada’s 1994 Canada Cup Championship and was general manager of the 1996 World Cup of Hockey team. gold at the 1994 World Hockey Championship.
During his playing career, Sather spent parts of 10 seasons in the NHL with the Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadiens and North Minnesota Stars. In 658 regular season games, the left winger collected 80 goals and 113 assists for 193 points, as well as 724 penalty minutes. As a member of the Rangers, Sather appeared in 186 regular season games over four seasons (1970-71 – 1973-74), recording 18 goals and 24 assists for 42 points, as well as 193 penalty minutes. Additionally, he was a member of the Rangers club from 1971 to 1972, which advanced to the Stanley Cup finals.