Jed Ortmeyer spent the previous nine seasons in the role following an eight-year playing career, which included three years with the Rangers. David Kirouac / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Jed Ortmeyer is out as New York Rangers director of player development, according to a league source.
The 47-year-old spent the previous nine seasons in the role following an eight-year playing career, which included three years with the Rangers.
The change comes following a second straight season without the playoffs for New York, which finished last in the Eastern Conference in 2025-26 and holds the third-best odds for the No. 1 overall pick in Tuesday’s NHL Draft Lottery.
The Rangers had a spotty development history well before their recent downturn, with many of their draft picks failing to live up to expectations. They totaled nine first-round selections from 2017 — the first year of Ortmeyer’s tenure — to 2021, with only two remaining in the franchise: Alexis Lafrenière (No. 1 in 2020) and Braden Schneider (No. 19 in 2020). The majority were eventually traded for diminished value after struggling to reach their potential in New York.
This past season featured a few development wins from the middle rounds, most notably Noah Laba (2022 fourth-round pick) and Jaroslav Chmelař (2021 fifth-round pick), as well as the emergence of 2023 first-rounder Gabe Perreault as a legitimate top-six forward. But the larger track record has been undeniably subpar.
Team president Chris Drury was asked whether the Rangers were considering changes to their player development staff on an April 17 Zoom call with reporters, to which he responded, “We are looking at every different department and areas as to what we can do better.” Drury went on to praise director of amateur scouting John Lilley, who was responsible for picking players such as Perreault and Laba, but did not mention Ortmeyer.
The Rangers have yet to reveal their plans for a replacement. Tanner Glass, who’s served as assistant director of player development since 2019, would be a leading candidate if they decide to promote from within.
May 2, 2026
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