The reorganization of the Rangers’ developmental structure has begun in earnest, as the team hired former rugged winger Tanner Glass to work in player personnel.

Glass, 35, spent parts of three seasons with the Rangers, including all of the 2014-15 campaign that ended in the conference final. He played in the Flames organization in 2017-18, and this past season was playing in Bordeaux, France. He retired on Thursday, and the Rangers are expected to make an official announcement some time in the coming days.

This is the beginning of executing the vision set forth from new team president John Davidson, who took over this summer in the wake of Glen Sather and Jim Schoenfeld stepping down. As Davidson did while running both the Blues, who just won the Stanley Cup following his blueprint, and the Blue Jackets, he is focused on making sure the Rangers now get the most out of their prospects, both in North America and overseas.

That means they will invest time and money, creating more positions like the one for Glass. With another former Rangers player, Jed Ortmeyer, being the Director of Player Development, the department is only going to grow. The process for hiring a new coach for AHL Hartford is still ongoing, headed by assistant general manager Chris Drury.

It would make sense if Glass saw some work overseas, having not only played in France, but also in Slovakia during the 2012-13 lockout. The Dartmouth product is an avid traveler in the offseason and once spent Christmas in Istanbul, Turkey.