The New York Rangers announced today that the team has made several additions to its hockey operations staff. Tanner Glass and Tuomo Ruutu have been named Assistant Directors of Player Development. Chris Morehouse has been named the team's Director of North American Scouting, and Marshall Davidson and Derek Ginnell have been named Amateur Scouts. Steve Konowalchuk will transition from the team's amateur scouting staff to the team's professional scouting staff. In addition, the Rangers have named David Cunniff as an Assistant Coach with their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, and have also named Chris Hoeler as the Wolf Pack's Video Coach.
Rangers Announce Additions to Hockey Operations Staff
In their roles, Glass and Ruutu will work with Director of Player Development Jed Ortmeyer to assist in the development of Rangers prospects, both on and off the ice. Glass will primarily work with Rangers prospects in North America, while Ruutu will primarily work with Rangers prospects in Europe.
Glass rejoins the Rangers organization after concluding an 11-season NHL career (2007-08 - 2017-18). He skated in 527 career NHL games with Florida, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Pittsburgh, the Rangers, and Calgary, registering 24 goals and 45 assists for 69 points, along with 658 penalty minutes. Glass recorded 100 or more hits in seven of his 11 seasons in the league, including 200 or more hits in four of those seasons. He also helped his team advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in seven different seasons in his career. Glass skated in 67 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, registering six points (two goals, four assists), and he helped Vancouver advance to the Stanley Cup Final in 2010-11. He concluded his playing career with Bordeaux in France during the 2018-19 season.
The Regina, Saskatchewan native played three seasons with the Rangers (2014-15 - 2016-17) after signing with the Blueshirts on July 1, 2014. Glass skated in 134 career games with the Rangers, registering six goals and nine assists for 15 points, along with 181 penalty minutes. He helped the Blueshirts advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of his three seasons with the team. In 2014-15, Glass helped the Rangers win the Presidents' Trophy for having the best regular season record in the NHL, establish single-season franchise records with 53 wins and 113 points, and advance to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final. Glass tallied four points (one goal, three assists) in seven games during the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs, including the game-winning goal in Game 1 of the Rangers' First Round Series against Montreal on Apr. 12, 2017. Prior to beginning his professional career, Glass played four seasons of collegiate hockey at Dartmouth College (2003-04 - 2006-07). He served as Dartmouth's captain during the 2006-07 season. In addition, Glass played parts of six seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL).
Ruutu skated in 735 career NHL games over a 12-season career (2003-04 - 2015-16) with Chicago, Carolina, and New Jersey, registering 148 goals and 198 assists for 346 points, along with 596 penalty minutes. He finished sixth in voting for the Calder Trophy as the NHL's Rookie of the Year in 2003-04, as he recorded 44 points (23 goals, 21 assists) with the Blackhawks. Ruutu was selected by Chicago in the first round, ninth overall, of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. In addition to his NHL career, Ruutu played professional hockey in Finland and Switzerland.
The Vantaa, Finland native represented his country in several international tournaments throughout his career. Ruutu played with Finland in 12 major international tournaments during his career, including the Winter Olympics twice, the World Cup of Hockey once, the IIHF World Championship five times, the IIHF World Junior Championship three times, and the IIHF U18 World Championship once. He helped Finland earn 10 medals in those 12 tournaments, including two bronze medals at the Olympics (2010 and 2014) and gold medals at the 2011 IIHF World Championship and the 2000 IIHF U18 World Championship, and he also helped Finland finish as the runner-up at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. In addition, Ruutu served as an Assistant Coach for Finland's gold medal-winning team at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Morehouse joins the Rangers organization after spending the previous seven seasons in the Columbus Blue Jackets organization (2012-13 - 2018-19). He spent the past three seasons as the Blue Jackets' Assistant Director of Amateur Scouting (2016-17 - 2018-19). Morehouse joined Columbus as an Amateur Scout in 2012, and he served as both an Amateur Scout and a Professional Scout over four seasons before being named the team's Assistant Director of Amateur Scouting on July 6, 2016.
Prior to beginning his front office career, the Saint John, New Brunswick native played two seasons at St. Thomas University (2011-12 and 2012-13) while earning his degree. Morehouse also played parts of two seasons in professional hockey with the Alaska Aces (ECHL), Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL), Greenville Road Warriors (ECHL), and Tulsa Oilers (CHL). He also played three seasons of junior hockey with the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) from 2005-06 to 2007-08. Morehouse served as Moncton's captain in 2007-08, and he was also named the QMJHL Humanitarian of the Year and the Canadian Hockey League Humanitarian of the Year during the season.
Davidson joins the Rangers organization after spending the previous six seasons in the Columbus Blue Jackets organization as an Amateur Scout (2013-14 - 2018-19). He also served five seasons in the St. Louis Blues organization as an Amateur Scout (2008-09 - 2012-13).
Prior to serving as a scout in the NHL for over a decade, the Calgary, Alberta native coached several teams in Bantam and Midget AAA programs in Western Canada for over 25 years. Davidson coached with Tom Renney, who is the Rangers' former Head Coach and the President and CEO of Hockey Canada, with the Columbia Valley Rockies of the Kootenay International Jr. Hockey League for several years. During his tenure with the Rockies, Davidson helped guide the team to back-to-back Keystone Cup Championships.
Ginnell joins the Rangers organization after spending the last five seasons as an Amateur Scout with the Columbus Blue Jackets (2014-15 - 2018-19). Prior to becoming a scout, he played with the Medicine Hat Cubs of the Heritage Junior Hockey League (HJHL), and he served as the team's captain. Ginnell also played in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL), and North West Junior Hockey League (NWJHL).
Konowalchuk served one season as an Amateur Scout with the Rangers in 2018-19. In his role as an Amateur Scout, he was primarily responsible for scouting players in the Western Hockey League (WHL). Konowalchuk joined the Rangers organization after serving as an Assistant Coach with the Anaheim Ducks during the 2017-18 season. He also served as the Head Coach of the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL for six seasons (2011-12 - 2016-17), and he helped Seattle win the WHL Championship and advance to the Memorial Cup in 2016-17. Konowalchuk began his coaching career as an Assistant Coach with the Colorado Avalanche for two seasons (2009-10 and 2010-11).
Konowalchuk skated in 790 career NHL games over parts of 14 seasons (1991-92 - 2005-06) with the Washington Capitals and Colorado Avalanche, registering 171 goals and 225 assists for 396 points. A native of Salt Lake City, Utah, he became the first player born in Utah to play in the NHL. Konowalchuk represented the United States in several international tournaments during his playing career, and he helped Team USA win the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.
Cunniff joins the Rangers organization with 17 years of coaching experience in the American Hockey League (2002-03 - 2018-19). Most recently, he was a member of the Iowa Wild's coaching staff for four seasons (2015-16 - 2018-19). Cunniff served as an Associate Coach with Iowa, as well as the team's Interim Head Coach for part of the 2015-16 season. In addition, he spent 12 seasons as either the Associate Coach or Assistant Coach with the San Jose Sharks' AHL affiliate, as well as one season with the Albany Devils.
Hoeler joins the Rangers organization after spending last season as the Director of Hockey Operations for the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League (USHL). Prior to working with the Steel, he worked one season with Harvard University's women's hockey team as the team's Video & Analytics Coordinator. Hoeler has also worked with the Danbury Titans in the Federal Hockey League in his career.
