PLEASE SATHER DON'T!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted 2:51 AM ET | Comments 0
With only two games remaining before the Olympic break and less than 48 hours until the roster freeze, the Rangers have two very important games coming up. After tonight's loss against Nashville, sans Marion Gaborik, the Rangers managed one goal. With that loss the Rangers sit in 11th place, and four points behind the 8th seeded Lightning, who the they will play Sunday afternoon at MSG. Before that game they take on the Penguins in Pittsburgh and if they fail to win both games their playoff hopes maybe all but gone
If the Rangers end up six or eight points back, and drop below the 11th seed, they need to be sellers, not buyers at the trade deadline. Glen Sather, who claimed could win a Cup every year with the Rangers has failed to produce a Cup. He has not even built a team that has made it past the second round of the playoffs. That will not change this year.
Despite a pretty healthy Gaborik (he has missed three games including the game against Nashville) and Henrik Lundqvist standing on his head most nights, this Rangers team has many holes. These "holes" cannot be fixed by adding a rental player, instead they need to be fixed through a rebuild. Unfortunately because of crippling contracts (i.e. Wade Redden, Chris Drury and Michal Rozsival) the Rangers have a tough situation. If they are unable to move one or more of those contracts, they will not be able to sign a free agent.
Young players that looked promising have faltered. Young players like Ryan Callahan and Brandon Dubinksy are nothing more than third-line players despite success early in their short careers. Rookie forward Arterm Anisimov has yet to live up to the hype and the hope the organization had for him. As for the young defensemen, Mark Staal has been steady, Michael Del Zotto started out hot but as struggled lately, possibly due to fatigue. Former Hoby Baker Award winner Matt Gilroy has not brought the offensive game he possessed at the University of Boston to the NHL.
As for the more veteran members of the team, besides Gaborik that is. Captain Drury has been an epic failure offensively. He has been unable to score or produce any kind of offense. However, he has played well on the penalty kill and in the defensive zone. For the most part he has played like Blair Betts, only for about $6.5 million more. Vinny Prospal started the season hot but his numbers have dropped as the season has worn on. Sean Avery has not been his usual self and has often been non-existent on the ice. Fourth liners Brian Boyle, Aaron Voros and Erik Christensen have been... well fourth liners, with Aaron Voros being the one player to stand up for his teammates. Enver Lisin, who was acquired this summer, has been invisible. If he isn't fanning on shots or skating and losing the puck, he is warming the bench. Newly added Rangers Brandon Prust and Olli Jokinen have been an upgrade over Chris Higgins and Ales Kotalik (can someone explain how he got a NTC?). Prust however, reminds me of Colton Orr. A tough guy with enthuism and willing to fight. The Rangers also signed some other tough guy who fought twice and disappeared, Donald something?
The remaining defensemen are Dan Girardi, Redden and Rozsival. Girardi has been soft and his game has regressed over the last three years. Rozsival has shown signs of turning it around but has not been consistent and Redden got benched with his parents at the game, so that should be all there is to say about that.
Does this sound like a Cup winning team? No. If Glen Sather is smart, or can find a GM dumb enough, he should try to trade Drury and Redden for draft picks or prospects. That probably won't happen, but a fan can dream. More realistically the Rangers do have movable contracts.
If the Rangers are out of the playoffs, why not swap Jokinen and Prospal for a second round pick? Both can add some offense and would make excellent second or third line guys. Plus both have expiring contracts. Why not trade Avery for a draft pick? A player like Avery can pay huge dividends in a seven game series but won't matter much on a rebuilding team. Aaron Voros can also be moved as he has some talent and is a tough guy that a team would like to have. Especially at a million a year for two years. Rozsival is another player I believe can be moved. Yes his contract is worth 5 million a year for two years, but a playoff team with a weak defense and lacking defensive prospects would be very interested in a guy like Rozsival.
The Rangers are not a playoff team, and mostly everyone knows it. Hopefully ownership and the front office realize it to.
As a side note: If/When the Rangers fail to make the playoffs, somebody has to be blamed for it. The Rangers need to clean house. This should include Glen Sather. I know firing Sather is a little contradictory to my posting, but he is currently in charge so this is his mess. However, he should not be in charge next year
If the Rangers end up six or eight points back, and drop below the 11th seed, they need to be sellers, not buyers at the trade deadline. Glen Sather, who claimed could win a Cup every year with the Rangers has failed to produce a Cup. He has not even built a team that has made it past the second round of the playoffs. That will not change this year.
Despite a pretty healthy Gaborik (he has missed three games including the game against Nashville) and Henrik Lundqvist standing on his head most nights, this Rangers team has many holes. These "holes" cannot be fixed by adding a rental player, instead they need to be fixed through a rebuild. Unfortunately because of crippling contracts (i.e. Wade Redden, Chris Drury and Michal Rozsival) the Rangers have a tough situation. If they are unable to move one or more of those contracts, they will not be able to sign a free agent.
Young players that looked promising have faltered. Young players like Ryan Callahan and Brandon Dubinksy are nothing more than third-line players despite success early in their short careers. Rookie forward Arterm Anisimov has yet to live up to the hype and the hope the organization had for him. As for the young defensemen, Mark Staal has been steady, Michael Del Zotto started out hot but as struggled lately, possibly due to fatigue. Former Hoby Baker Award winner Matt Gilroy has not brought the offensive game he possessed at the University of Boston to the NHL.
As for the more veteran members of the team, besides Gaborik that is. Captain Drury has been an epic failure offensively. He has been unable to score or produce any kind of offense. However, he has played well on the penalty kill and in the defensive zone. For the most part he has played like Blair Betts, only for about $6.5 million more. Vinny Prospal started the season hot but his numbers have dropped as the season has worn on. Sean Avery has not been his usual self and has often been non-existent on the ice. Fourth liners Brian Boyle, Aaron Voros and Erik Christensen have been... well fourth liners, with Aaron Voros being the one player to stand up for his teammates. Enver Lisin, who was acquired this summer, has been invisible. If he isn't fanning on shots or skating and losing the puck, he is warming the bench. Newly added Rangers Brandon Prust and Olli Jokinen have been an upgrade over Chris Higgins and Ales Kotalik (can someone explain how he got a NTC?). Prust however, reminds me of Colton Orr. A tough guy with enthuism and willing to fight. The Rangers also signed some other tough guy who fought twice and disappeared, Donald something?
The remaining defensemen are Dan Girardi, Redden and Rozsival. Girardi has been soft and his game has regressed over the last three years. Rozsival has shown signs of turning it around but has not been consistent and Redden got benched with his parents at the game, so that should be all there is to say about that.
Does this sound like a Cup winning team? No. If Glen Sather is smart, or can find a GM dumb enough, he should try to trade Drury and Redden for draft picks or prospects. That probably won't happen, but a fan can dream. More realistically the Rangers do have movable contracts.
If the Rangers are out of the playoffs, why not swap Jokinen and Prospal for a second round pick? Both can add some offense and would make excellent second or third line guys. Plus both have expiring contracts. Why not trade Avery for a draft pick? A player like Avery can pay huge dividends in a seven game series but won't matter much on a rebuilding team. Aaron Voros can also be moved as he has some talent and is a tough guy that a team would like to have. Especially at a million a year for two years. Rozsival is another player I believe can be moved. Yes his contract is worth 5 million a year for two years, but a playoff team with a weak defense and lacking defensive prospects would be very interested in a guy like Rozsival.
The Rangers are not a playoff team, and mostly everyone knows it. Hopefully ownership and the front office realize it to.
As a side note: If/When the Rangers fail to make the playoffs, somebody has to be blamed for it. The Rangers need to clean house. This should include Glen Sather. I know firing Sather is a little contradictory to my posting, but he is currently in charge so this is his mess. However, he should not be in charge next year