During the late 1970’s, goaltender John Davidson was one of the New York Rangers’ most popular players. He backstopped them all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1979 while playing on an injured left knee, a performance that earned him legendary status amongst the Blueshirts’ loyal fan base. And though injuries forced him to retire at age 30, Davidson’s popularity only grew as the years went by; for 20 years, he delivered tremendously insightful color commentary on the MSG Network’s Rangers broadcasts.

Throughout much of Davidson’s tenure as the Rangers’ color commentator, it was speculated that he would one day take over the operations of the hockey club. But the opportunity to do so didn’t come from the Rangers; instead, it was the St. Louis Blues who gave him the reins (not coincidentally, the team for which Davidson played before joining the Rangers in 1975).

Last season was Davidson’s first as the Blues’ Team President, and he was inheriting no easy task. In 2005-06, the Blues finished with only 21 victories, the third-worst performance in franchise history. Considering that the Blues were part of the NHL’s original expansion in 1967—and that their 2005-06 win total was padded somewhat due to the shootout—it made the perennial playoff contender’s atrocious performance all the more remarkable.

In the 17 months that have passed since Davidson took over, the Blues’ turnaround has been nothing short of sensational. A combination of shrewd drafting and strategic trading quickly restocked the organizational cupboard, and last summer, the Blues’ foray into unrestricted free agency landed two players who have been critical to their turnaround, Paul Kariya and Keith Tkachuk.

It’s no exaggeration to say that the well-respected Davidson has affected a seismic cultural change in St. Louis. And the fact that he has accomplished this while keeping GM Larry Pleau in place speaks volumes for Davidson’s capabilities as a team player.