John Davidson has decided to step down as president of hockey operations of the St. Louis Blues. He spent six years rebuilding the organization.
Davidson's contract with the team still had three years worth a total of $6 million remaining. A buyout of his contract was agreed upon Friday.
The Associated Press quoted team chairman Tom Stillman as saying: "We would like to thank JD for his commitment and dedication to the Blues organization over the past six seasons.
"He has been instrumental in revitalizing the Blues franchise and has built a strong foundation for our organization, which will ensure the club's success well into the future."
Davidson was hired on 30 June 2006, to rejuvenate the St. Louis Blues following the disappointing 2005-06 season, which saw the Blues finish with the worst record in the NHL in 27 years. The new management focused on rebuilding the franchise and the Blues promptly installed John Davidson as president of hockey operations.
"There's no animosity at all," Davidson said. "When you see new ownership purchasing pro sports clubs, there's always going to be change. Tom and I have had a number of discussions.
"It took a while, but we found some common ground with our discussions ... we chatted about expenses and contracts and we just came to a conclusion that my contract would be a burden on the club."
Davidson had a gargantuan task ahead of him when he first took over.
Blues captain David Backes said: "His savvy, his connections, his ability to connect with people is remarkable. He'll still have that wherever he goes or whatever endeavor he finds next. It'll be big shoes to fill for whoever tries to jump in them.
"The position that we're in now compared to when he got here the year before me and since I've been here, it's been phenomenal. It's definitely been aided by his work, his efforts ... not just the work he does around the arena but it's heartfelt with all the work he does with the animal rescue stuff.
"He's got the same sort of jungle running around his house that I do. It's sad to see him not be part of the Blues and the St. Louis community anymore, but a great man and hopefully we can find somebody that can pick up the slack."
Davidson, meanwhile, said he was still unsure about what he wanted to do. "I leave all doors open," he said. "I sit back and wait for the phone to ring."
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