Chris Drury is much more of a doer than a talker.

The Rangers' team president and general manager prefers to stay out of the spotlight, and on the rare occasions he does speak, he's calculated and vague. So, if you were expecting to hear him open training camp for the 2024-25 NHL season by calling out players who need to step up or issuing a championship mandate, you would have left Tuesday's conference call with reporters disappointed.

"Obviously, our ultimate goal is to win the Cup," Drury said. "Personally, I'm always trying to find ways to be better at my job and to do things that allow us to compete for the Cup every year. That starts each and every year at training camp, and I’m looking forward to having (head coach Peter Laviolette) for a second training camp. Hopefully, they have a good camp and another good regular season and give ourselves a chance to get in the playoffs."

7 questions: Rangers training camp preview

The playoffs are a bare minimum at this point.

The Rangers have qualified for the dance in each of Drury's three seasons at the helm, including winning the Presidents' Trophy with the league's best record last season, while reaching the Eastern Conference Final two of the last three years. They'll be judged moving forward based on whether they're good enough to take the final − and most difficult − step of claiming the franchise's first Stanley Cup in over 30 years.

Deep down, Drury knows this. And he must know that his longevity as the Blueshirts' centralized decision-maker depends on it.

That made his subdued offseason somewhat surprising. Rather than aggressively maneuvering in response to being ousted by the eventual champion Florida Panthers, the Rangers will ice a roster that should feature 20 returning players among its expected 22 spots, with veteran forwards Sam Carrick and Reilly Smith representing the only newcomers.

Whether that was by choice or due to an incompatible market is frankly irrelevant. Drury is going to sink or swim with this talented core − a group that's proven it's among the NHL's best but faces questions about whether they can ascend to become the very best.

But all of that was left unsaid. Drury's actions tell us he believes this collection of players can get it done, and now he's counting on them to make his prudence look wise.

"I think it was a real good learning experience for everyone, just like it was a couple years ago when we went to the conference finals and played Tampa," he said of last season's ECF loss. "Just more things that players have seen and learned – different ways to win games, different things that are required to win games, to win series. Obviously, Florida had a heck of a team. They’re the Stanley Cup champs, and I think all of our group, individually and collectively, took a lot of lessons out of that series. I'm sure they're all looking forward to applying them as we get going in training camp and in the regular season."

Jacob Trouba communication

Standing pat may not have been entirely by choice.

There is belief among league sources that Drury explored the possibility of trading captain Jacob Trouba this summer, motivated to free up his $8 million annual salary cap hit and use that space on other parts of the roster. But the 30-year-old defenseman wanted to stay and ultimately got his wish, with his 15-team no-trade list likely aiding the cause.

Drury hasn't confirmed or denied Trouba's inclusion in trade talks, but both sides are preparing to extend the relationship for at least one more season.

"We've had a number of different conversations over the course of the summer (about) a lot of different things," he said. "He is very clear as to where he stands with me, and what I think of him as a player and as a leader. I think he's done a really good job here as a captain. There are so many moving parts that go in and out of being a captain, especially in New York and especially the Ranger captain. I’m excited to have him back, excited for training camp. I know he had a terrific offseason training-wise."

Kaapo Kakko 'out to prove that last year was a fluke'

Another player who may have been shopped this summer is Kaapo Kakko, but the offers underwhelmed and Drury decided against selling low on the former No. 2 overall pick.

The 23-year-old winger's stock dropped after posting only 19 points (13 goals and six assists) in 61 games and being bumped down to the third line, with a low point coming when he was healthy scratched for Game 2 against the Panthers. As a restricted free agent over the summer, Kakko was left with little choice but to sign a modest one-year, $2.4 million deal.

This season may be his last chance in New York, with Drury expecting a highly motivated version of No. 24.

"He dealt with an injury last year, and admittedly didn't have the best year," he said. "We're excited to have him back. He's a real good, young, talented player. He's healthy. Another guy that had a terrific offseason and in early testing just looks great. I think he's out to prove that last year was a fluke, and he's ready to have a good year for us."

Hoping to keep Lafrenière, Shesterkin 'for a long time'

Two players the Rangers definitely want to keep around are forward Alexis Lafrenière and goalie Igor Shesterkin.

Both will be free agents next summer − Lafrenière as an RFA, while Shesterkin will be unrestricted − and while Drury gave his standard non-answer when asked about their contract statuses ("I'm not going to get into any private discussions or negotiations"), he left little doubt about the Rangers' desire to work something out.

"We’re going to do everything we can to make sure he’s here for a long time," he said when asked about Shesterkin, before repeating a similar line later in response to a question about Lafrenière.

As previously reported by lohud.com, part of the USA TODAY Network, the expectation is that, barring an over-the-top offer, Lafrenière will wait until after the season. The 22-year-old is an ascending player who expects to build on last year's 57-point breakout, hence increasing his value, and there's less risk of the Rangers losing him because of his restricted status.

"He’s a very important young piece for our team, not only because of where we drafted him but because he continues to grow, and in our eyes, continues to get better and better," Drury said.

There's a different level of urgency with Shesterkin because, if he makes it to next July without an extension, he'll hit the open market and be fair game for any team to bid on.

The 28-year-old has been prone to midseason slumps the last couple of seasons, but there's a strong argument that he's been the NHL's best playoff goalie the last three years, with a .929 save percentage and 2.39 goals against average across 43 postseason starts in that span. The belief is that he wants to be the league's highest-paid netminder, which would mean eclipsing Carey Price's $10.5 million AAV, but how much higher the Rangers are willing to go is the unanswered question.

Filip Chytil 'a full go' for camp

Drury said the Rangers are mostly healthy heading into the first practice of camp on Thursday, with the only ailments to report being prospect Ryder Korczak, who's "a little dinged up" after last weekend's rookie games against the Philadelphia Flyers, and veteran forward Riley Nash, who will miss camp with a lower-body injury.

All of the regular NHLers are ready to roll, most notably Filip Chytil.

The 25-year-old center is an X-factor after missing 72 of 82 regular-season games in 2023-24 due to a suspected concussion and ensuing setback. He was expected to miss the rest of the season but surprisingly worked his way back to appear in six playoff contests.

A history of head injuries is an ongoing concern, but the Rangers are proceeding with plans for Chytil anchor their third line, with limited depth behind him.

"We have no issues with Fil," Drury said. "He’s a full go. Nothing is holding him back, which is great news for everyone."

Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: NY Rangers GM Chris Drury addresses several training camp topics