Right now GM Jeff Gorton looks like a kid at an elementary school dance. He either can't find a dance partner when he asks or is sitting on the sidelines hoping someone will dance with him. While his intentions to 'remake' the Rangers signal hope for the future, to use a played out adage, it does take two to tango, and right now, he is a one-man band.

After the season ended, we heard how nothing was off the table and the Rangers were evaluating everything. That may very well be the case. But in order to conduct that renovation, assistance is needed from others. If the other teams either have no interest in your players or only if they can take full advantage of you, then that renovation has to wait until market conditions are better. This may be the case for Gorton and New York.

I am on record as saying I would rather make no deals then make ones in which NY returns pennies on the dollar. That pennies on the dollar mean either in what the Rangers receive player or pick wise in a trade or if they have to eat up to 50% of a contract to do so. Those two conditions are not mutually exclusive. So if for example Gorton could move Dan Girardi for at best a very moderate return but it would allow getting out from under of all or nearly all the remainder of the contract, then that might be a case where one condition is met and the deal should be made. Similar to if the return would be great but 30-40% of the contract has to be eaten, then possibly go for that deal because you replenish assets and still free up cap room.

As of now, it appears as if neither condition are getting met. This is where Gorton must have and stick to his vision and convictions. Even though the fanbase are clamoring for a deal and Gorton plus the management and coaching staff know a deal needs to be, standing pat might be the wisest course of action. Don't compound one or several bad contracts by making a deal. Gorton only has to look at the other tenant at MSG to see what happens when you follow the wrong approach, see Patrick Ewing trade, which led to several more and cap hell for the Knicks.

Remaining patient stinks but it may be the prudent course of action. Despite the concerns about his health and notwithstanding that it would be a typical Rangers move of chasing a bad name that eats up a ton of cap space, I think all of us would love Steven Stamkos to come to NY. Great in theory, but in practice, how are you clearing cap space to make that room? Because right now, that's a pipe dream. What may end up happening is that the Rangers again have to shop at the bargain store until/unless some of the big salaries can be moved. With Kreider/Miller/Hayes contract decisions immediately looming, that has to be factored into any free agent decisions. All this means that rather than pursuing Stamkos or Milan Lucic or even let's say Troy Brouwer, taking on flier on someone like Thomas Vanek might end up the direction followed.

It's not sexy or exciting and may not really improve the team, making 2016-17 a transition year. But unless Gorton is just willing to take what he can get for G or Staal or Nash so long as cap room is created, then this might have to be the approach taken. The renovation may just be adding a new coat of paint or tightening a screw here and there. It's not what we want to see or hear but this be the reality, as painful and distasteful as that may be.

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