I see this kinda stuff as exactly the wrong thing a GM should think. In a cold caclulating way I think Sather needs to look at his team and decide if they can with 7-game series against the likes of the Penguins, Bruins, and Lightning. If not, then move the assets. If yes, retain them and lose them for nothing via UFA. No "Anything can happen in the Playoffs" or "They can beat anyone they way thet are playing now" as a GM.
- s0rcerer1984

....hmmm.....


Are you...........

.......are you ........affraid of the New York Rangers?

You really sound like you are trying to push them out of the playoffs.

Rangers gotta find a way to get at east 1 point tonight.

....hmmm.....


Are you...........

.......are you ........affraid of the New York Rangers?

You really sound like you are trying to push them out of the playoffs.
- mames11

Haha. No, not afraid of the Rangers. I'd actually prefer the Penguins to play them in the Playoffs over a more offensive team like Washington or Philadelphia.

I just don't understand how Sather operates & why he still has a job. The guy just seems totally inccompetent to me. I have the same obsession with McPhee in Washington and Holmgren in Philly. I mean, what have any of them done to deserve to continue to manage an NHL team? I just don't get it.

Haha. No, not afraid of the Rangers. I'd actually prefer the Penguins to play them in the Playoffs over a more offensive team like Washington or Philadelphia.

I just don't understand how Sather operates & why he still has a job. The guy just seems totally inccompetent to me. I have the same obsession with McPhee in Washington and Holmgren in Philly. I mean, what have any of them done to deserve to continue to manage an NHL team? I just don't get it.
- s0rcerer1984

I think you are only seeing one side of the ledger when it comes to Sather. Honestly, he probably should have been fired prior to the first lock-out, because the team was a disaster in his first several years with the club. But, since the lockout, he has done an acceptable job. They club has made the playoffs in every year since, except for one when they missed on the final game of the season when they lost a shootout to the Flyers, which is a real achievement in the modern day NHL. He has obviously made some really great trades, including one of the most lopside trades in hockey history in landing Ryan McDonagh for Scott Gomez. Of course, he has had his bad moments (some very bad momemts indeed), but you can't focus exclusively on those, and just ignore the fact that the Rangers have been a real competetive club over the last several years (without the benefit of ever drafting higher than 10th in the draft during that period).

Haha. No, not afraid of the Rangers. I'd actually prefer the Penguins to play them in the Playoffs over a more offensive team like Washington or Philadelphia.

I just don't understand how Sather operates & why he still has a job. The guy just seems totally inccompetent to me. I have the same obsession with McPhee in Washington and Holmgren in Philly. I mean, what have any of them done to deserve to continue to manage an NHL team? I just don't get it.
- s0rcerer1984

only one team has played more playoff games than the Rangers have the last two years and that's the Kings.

Haha. No, not afraid of the Rangers. I'd actually prefer the Penguins to play them in the Playoffs over a more offensive team like Washington or Philadelphia.

I just don't understand how Sather operates & why he still has a job. The guy just seems totally inccompetent to me. I have the same obsession with McPhee in Washington and Holmgren in Philly. I mean, what have any of them done to deserve to continue to manage an NHL team? I just don't get it.
- s0rcerer1984

Not everybody can take over a franchise largely built by Craig Patrick with the added luxury of of having Patrick draft Malkin, Fleury, Crosby, Letang, Orpik etc.

Haha. No, not afraid of the Rangers. I'd actually prefer the Penguins to play them in the Playoffs over a more offensive team like Washington or Philadelphia.

I just don't understand how Sather operates & why he still has a job. The guy just seems totally inccompetent to me. I have the same obsession with McPhee in Washington and Holmgren in Philly. I mean, what have any of them done to deserve to continue to manage an NHL team? I just don't get it.
- s0rcerer1984

It's actually not that hard to understand... Sather has not had the luxury of having multiple high end draft picks. When you don't draft the talent you have to trade for it or sign free agents. What else could Sather have done... what move did he or didn't he make that would have put the Rangers above the teams you mentioned previously?

Hang on

It BETTER happen...

Don't care at the moment as I just got these beauts:



And I wouldn't mind Vanek, but I wouldn't pay more than 6.5 for him!!

I love these Cally rumours, heating up too, I don't care what we get back... he is asking too much for his average style of play.

Well if Girardi leaves by some chance, they better lock up Stralman, and hope they have enough money for Staal next year. Because if we lose Girardi this year & Staal next year, that will set the Rangers back a couple years , imo.

Not everybody can take over a franchise largely built by Craig Patrick with the added luxury of of having Patrick draft Malkin, Fleury, Crosby, Letang, Orpik etc.
- tomburton99

Pretty much. The Penguins were terrible and now have an elite team as a result of drafyting high repeatedly. Same can be said of the Blackhawks, Kings, Blues, and Lightning. I see this as a legitimate path to sucess in the NHL.

That being said, Shero has been a solid job as the Pens GM as well. He acquired Chris Kunitz for Ryan Whitney, James Neal and Matt Niskanen for Alex Goligoski, re-signed Crosby, Malkin, Neal, Kunitz, and Letang. Patrick's draft picks built the team, but Shero has been able to keep it together and augment it bit by bit.

I think Cally being traded this year would really demoralize the team, especially one playing so well right now after fighting out of a rough beginning to the season.

Well if Girardi leaves by some chance, they better lock up Stralman, and hope they have enough money for Staal next year. Because if we lose Girardi this year & Staal next year, that will set the Rangers back a couple years , imo.
- mdw7413

I thought we had plenty of young D coming through the system? Obviously not NHL ready yet but surely over the next season or two they could be ready, or at least someone should be?

I think the East is rising. When you have teams like the Flyers and Jackets go on the road to San Jose and Anaheim respectively, and come out with Ws, I think that shows how well the teams in the hunt are playing. There are alot of teams playing very good hockey right now.
- Pete V

I was probably harsh initially. Columbus and Philly are playing well right now but in my head I was seeing the three point games that Washington, Detroit and Jersey seem to play every single night, gaining at least one point even when they lose. The Rangers have the third most regulation wins in the East, seventh most in the NHL, yet are just one point ahead of the Wings, who have six fewer regulation wins. Detroit has 8 shootout losses, tied with Jersey for the most in the East. As I believe you said the Rangers are two points away from falling out of the playoffs and three point games are why.

It's actually not that hard to understand... Sather has not had the luxury of having multiple high end draft picks. When you don't draft the talent you have to trade for it or sign free agents. What else could Sather have done... what move did he or didn't he make that would have put the Rangers above the teams you mentioned previously?
- climbdenali12

Rebuild. Not just keep the ship afloat with UFA signings, but actually break the team down, get high drat picks, and rebuild from the ground up. Its a 5yr progam, minimum, but its worked for the Penguins, Blackhawks, Kings, Blues, and Lightning. To a lesser extent for the Capitals as well.

I know it isn't a popular decision with the fans, but how many teams have won Cups without a a few recent, homegrown top draft picks on their roster? I can only think of Boston and Detroit.

I think Cally being traded this year would really demoralize the team, especially one playing so well right now after fighting out of a rough beginning to the season.
- pcjr307

I don't agree. I don't see what he brings to the team anymore. I wouldn't call him a cancer yet (or callahancer) but I think he brings down the skill level of whoever he shares a line with. It seems obvious to me.

Rebuild. Not just keep the ship afloat with UFA signings, but actually break the team down, get high drat picks, and rebuild from the ground up. Its a 5yr progam, minimum, but its worked for the Penguins, Blackhawks, Kings, Blues, and Lightning. To a lesser extent for the Capitals as well.

I know it isn't a popular decision with the fans, but how many teams have won Cups without a a few recent, homegrown top draft picks on their roster? I can only think of Boston and Detroit.
- s0rcerer1984

In the New York market, rebuilds rarely happen unless you the Islanders or Mets. Some fans don't have the patience and the Owner wants playoff revenue.

Rebuild. Not just keep the ship afloat with UFA signings, but actually break the team down, get high drat picks, and rebuild from the ground up. Its a 5yr progam, minimum, but its worked for the Penguins, Blackhawks, Kings, Blues, and Lightning. To a lesser extent for the Capitals as well.

I know it isn't a popular decision with the fans, but how many teams have won Cups without a a few recent, homegrown top draft picks on their roster? I can only think of Boston and Detroit.
- s0rcerer1984

Or have a little patience... Save some $$$, over a season or two, without signing average players to astronomical deals. Yes, it may come at a "winning" cost buuut saving $$$ for a season like next, when the cap goes up, would have been very exciting.

I was probably harsh initially. Columbus and Philly are playing well right now but in my head I was seeing the three point games that Washington, Detroit and Jersey seem to play every single night, gaining at least one point even when they lose. The Rangers have the third most regulation wins in the East, seventh most in the NHL, yet are just one point ahead of the Wings, who have six fewer regulation wins. Detroit has 8 shootout losses, tied with Jersey for the most in the East. As I believe you said the Rangers are two points away from falling out of the playoffs and three point games are why.
- gkmkiller

Earlier in the year, it drove me crazy how many games that the Rangers lost in regulation by the opposition scoring late goals. At a minimum, the Rangers left alot of loser points on the table by losing those games in regulation with third period opposition goals. Hell, they lost the Isles and Blues games recently because of third period goals. But, in the end, the Rangers stayed in the playoff hunt during the earlier portion of the seasons because the teams around them were playing bad hockey, and now the opposite is true. With alot of teams in East raising their games, the Rangers have to continue to play well, because even a mini-slump could put them behind the eight ball.

It does make the regular season fun, because every game seems huge.

- tomburton99

Hey buddy

Pretty much. The Penguins were terrible and now have an elite team as a result of drafyting high repeatedly. Same can be said of the Blackhawks, Kings, Blues, and Lightning. I see this as a legitimate path to sucess in the NHL.

That being said, Shero has been a solid job as the Pens GM as well. He acquired Chris Kunitz for Ryan Whitney, James Neal and Matt Niskanen for Alex Goligoski, re-signed Crosby, Malkin, Neal, Kunitz, and Letang. Patrick's draft picks built the team, but Shero has been able to keep it together and augment it bit by bit.
- s0rcerer1984

and sather has acquired nash for dubi + anisimov + pick + prospect, mcdonagh for gomez, signed gaborik and got 2 40+ goal seasons out of him and then traded him for 3 good young players right before he declined, has drafted extremely well in the later rounds, has put together a roster of 10 homegrown players, and contrary to popular belief...he's managed the cap pretty well in terms of how it's currently structured.

i'm not anti-sather as much as a lot of other people are here.

Pretty much. The Penguins were terrible and now have an elite team as a result of drafyting high repeatedly. Same can be said of the Blackhawks, Kings, Blues, and Lightning. I see this as a legitimate path to sucess in the NHL.

That being said, Shero has been a solid job as the Pens GM as well. He acquired Chris Kunitz for Ryan Whitney, James Neal and Matt Niskanen for Alex Goligoski, re-signed Crosby, Malkin, Neal, Kunitz, and Letang. Patrick's draft picks built the team, but Shero has been able to keep it together and augment it bit by bit.
- s0rcerer1984

Maybe I am missing it on the Kings but I can only think of one high draft pick and that is Doughty. Carter and Richards were through trades. Kopitar was a #1 but I think 11th overall. The other players were a combination of draft choices that were not top-five, trades and free agents.

The Blues are the same. I can't think of a single high draft pick they themselves exercised.

But I agree with what you are saying. It certainly is beneficial for teams to be terrible enough to draft high end talent for three, four or five years in a row. That doesn't always work as we have seen with Florida and Edmonton.

Rebuild. Not just keep the ship afloat with UFA signings, but actually break the team down, get high drat picks, and rebuild from the ground up. Its a 5yr progam, minimum, but its worked for the Penguins, Blackhawks, Kings, Blues, and Lightning. To a lesser extent for the Capitals as well.

I know it isn't a popular decision with the fans, but how many teams have won Cups without a a few recent, homegrown top draft picks on their roster? I can only think of Boston and Detroit.
- s0rcerer1984

rebuilding isn't an option. we have a pretty good young core right now and guys like nash and lundqvist in their primes right now.

In the New York market, rebuilds rarely happen unless you the Islanders or Mets. Some fans don't have the patience and the Owner wants playoff revenue.
- tomburton99

Yeah. Its why Toronto will be stuck in mediocrity for ever.

Earlier in the year, it drove me crazy how many games that the Rangers lost in regulation by the opposition scoring late goals. At a minimum, the Rangers left alot of loser points on the table by losing those games in regulation with third period opposition goals. Hell, they lost the Isles and Blues games recently because of third period goals. But, in the end, the Rangers stayed in the playoff hunt during the earlier portion of the seasons because the teams around them were playing bad hockey, and now the opposite is true. With alot of teams in East raising their games, the Rangers have to continue to play well, because even a mini-slump could put them behind the eight ball.

It does make the regular season fun, because every game seems huge.
- Pete V

Agree. Just because the Rangers have been playing pretty well over the last several weeks they can't let up now or they will find themselves on the outside looking in and with several clubs to jump.