Davidson returns to Rangers

John Davidson is going back to the New York Rangers organization he has been synonymous with for much of his hockey career.

Davidson, 66, was hired as team president Friday hours after leaving his post with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He returns to New York where he spent parts of eight seasons as a Rangers goaltender, then served as a TV analyst for nearly a decade.

He leaves the Blue Jackets in a much better position than they were in when he took over as president of hockey operations seven years ago.

“The opportunity of rejoining the Rangers organization and returning home to New York, where my family and I have spent so many wonderful years, was one I simply could not pass up,” Davidson said.

The man known affectionately as “JD” succeeds Glen Sather after the Hall of Fame executive shifted to an advisory role under owner James Dolan. He will oversee the hockey operations department with Jeff Gorton remaining as the general manager.

Davidson had been with the Blue Jackets the past seven seasons, helping turn an NHL also-ran into a regular playoff contender. Columbus won its first playoff series in this spring.

This likely is the first domino to fall in an uncertain offseason for Columbus, which could have as many as four prominent players leave in free agency this summer. General manager Jarmo Kekalainen will take over Davidson’s job as alternate governor, but it’s uncertain what title he’ll assume. It’s possible he will become president of hockey operations, with Bill Zito climbing from assistant general manager to general manager.

Bruins

Boston expects captain Zdeno Chara to be ready for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final after the star defenseman missed the deciding Game 4 of the Eastern Conference final Thursday with an undisclosed injury. The Bruins eliminated Carolina with a 4-0 win to reach their third Stanley Cup final in the past nine years.