Thank God for Gorton

[Paparanger]

Over the past fifteen years I have been complaining about Glen Sather and his reckless approach at winning a Stanley Cup. And I was right! Sather gave up quite a few first round draft picks for used up players and a couple of seconds too. He has mortgaged the future of the club, Signed two aging defense-men to long term contracts that are practically impossible to get out off while letting two emerging stars on defense get away in Yandle and Starlman. He has signed some of the worst free agents in team history. Do the names Wade Redden and Scott Gomez ring a bell? And his choice in coaches is suspect to say the least. Me thinks that AV is not the right fit for this team just like Tortorella and Trotier weren't either.

 

Finally after fifteen long and painful years he gave up the GM's position and took his Cuban Cigars to the back office and told Jeff Gorton to handle the day by day stuff. Look what he did since being the GM. He traded for a younger center and  saved a few bucks in cap space. He shored up the 4th line and the penalty kill and signed the top college free agent in Jimmy Vesey. He resigned Anti Ranta and picked up a couple of low cost spare parts and still has a few mil to use in case of a rainy day.. 

 

Now don't get me wrong, I know the Rangers have a lot of work to do and some dead weight to shed. But you got to admit they are probably better off today than they were this time last year.

 

Now if we can only get Cablevision to sell the Rangers and Knicks.

[hf101]

Are the Rangers really better than last year? Brassard and Stepan were pretty much  1/ 1a centers.   I don't know if Stepan has really stepped to the plate to be that #1 C all season long, can he put up over 60 pts?  When the Rangers wanted to win an offensive zone faceoff they generally put in Brassard.  We'll see,  Zibanejev surely will give them more speed up the middle and we don't know what his ceiling is yet.  And where do you see Lindberg playing ? wing or center?

 

The other area of concern for the Rangers not necessarily this year is the defense is aging -- do they have the talent in the ranks?  And then there is the King.  Last year he took a step down off his best and struggled some, at 34 is he now past his prime?

 

While I expect the Rangers to be competitive in the Metro division, I think they will be neck and neck with the Flyers for that 3rd spot.  

 

I think the Rangers were the last team via Sather to learn what it takes to manage a franchise within the cap.  No longer can you just outbid your opponent with extra cash, give out exceeding long contracts, or give away draft picks without some consideration towards the entire franchise.