Just because Glen Sather lost the Kovalchuk sweepstakes didn’t mean he had to go out and sign another Russian to make up for it. The burning question Ranger fans should be asking: why didn’t Sather use some of the Frolov money to sign Demitra and address the Rangers real need, a first line center for Gaborik?

Sather could have had Demitra for a year or two at a much lower cap hit. The mind boggles. One wonders where the cap space is coming from to sign Marc Staal. The boy won’t come cheap and the $3 million Sather is paying  Frolov will not help alleviate his cap issues.

So now we have Frolov, who by reports is just slightly less enigmatic then was Zherdev. While he hasn’t got a terrible track record, the dope on Frolov is that he sometimes doesn’t try hard enough. Hmmm. I can see that going over big with Tortorella. Tortorella saw that trait in Enver Lisin and we all know what happened there.

Oh, but Frolov likes to go to the net. Frolov has good hands. Frolov has scored on average 20 goals and 50s point in each of his seven NHL seasons. Frolov will be good for Anisimov. Yada. Yada. Yada.

I read on a message board that Frolov should get along well with Avery as they were teammates in LA. That’s just what the Rangers need, another party boy to replace Voros in the Sean Avery Social Whirl. Yeah, Tortorella will love that.

Color me skeptical.

Posted under New York Rangers

Sather: I’ll take Napoleonic Wins and Losses for $1000 Alex.

The Answer: Signing llya Kovalchuk may prove to be his “Water-Lou”.

Sather: Who is Lamoriello?

After signing Ilya Kovalchuk to a 17 year/$102 million dollar contract, Lou Lamoriello may have finally made the faux pas Ranger fans have all been waiting for. This deal may finally be his undoing. Six million dollars a year until Kovalchuk is 44 year of age and Lou is, well, dead or at least retired.

Granted the Devils need to increase scoring but what good will that do them if they don’t have the goaltending to go with it. Last time I looked Marty “Fatso” Brodeur was 38 and fading. Somehow I don’t think Hedberg will be the new Marty. Marty was abysmal in the playoffs this year and one can only hope that will be the future trend for the “greatest goaltender of all time”.

Speaking of “Fatso”, well looky here. The Rangers have the secret weapon against both Marty and Kolvy in Sean Avery. Avery’s here for at least for two more years until McIlrath is ready. Avery managed to undo both Ilya and Marty in playoffs past. The Rangers must make the playoffs this year to see if the Avery effect is still in effect.

Lou has only 20 players currently signed but he is over the cap to the tune of $1.8+ million dollars. One wonders how he’ll white wash this one with the league. I’m sure he’ll finagle his way around the cap somehow. He always does. It’s just that signing any player for 17 years is ridiculous. If Kovalchuk makes it to 10 years, Lou will be lucky. Production decreases with age. See Hockeyrodent’s rant called “The Out Years” http://www.hockeyrodent.com/R2336.HTM.

One of the reasons Mike Milbury earned his nickname “Mad” was because of the precendent setting deal he struck with the Islanders “nevercomingback” net minder. Lamoriello seems to be following in Mibury’s footstep.

Hey Lou, we’ve got two words for you: Rick DiPietro.

Sather has signed some atrocious contracts that still drag the Rangers franchise down to this day but at least he didn’t pull the trigger on a ridiculous deal like Lamoriello’s with Kovalchuk. Will wonders never cease? Truth be told, I was more upset to see Gagne go to the Bolts.

And the rebuild continuuuuues….

Posted under New York Rangers

It just so happened that I was off today and got the chance to participate in all the free  agent madness on the world wide web. I wasn’t expecting anything earth shattering to happen and it didn’t. I get bored with all the scuttlebutt about who went where and for how much. I really only care about what the Rangers have done.

While nothing short of signing Kovalchuk could rival last years 11th hour trade with Montreal (getting Gomez off the books), Sather made a few moves that will assure  the Rangers will at best finish 9th or 10th again next season. Yawn.

Marty Biron

Sather’s a day late and a few dollars short on this one. I begged for a better back up to be signed last off season and Biron was one of my choices. Instead Sather, wanting to save money, relied on Valiquette who didn’t get the job done. Biron and Dwayne Roloson were snapped up by the Islanders to hold the fort for the never returning Rick DiPietro. While Roloson did a credible job going 23-18-7, the same cannot be said of Biron who went 9-14-4. 

Biron might have been a victim of the Icelander team in front of him. In his two seasons in Philadelphia, he did fairly well going 29-19-5 in 2008-09 and  30-20-8 in 2007-2008. Although drafted 16th by Buffalo in the 1995 draft, Biron has proven to be hit and miss over the course of his career, not quite filling the bill as a No. 1 Goaltender. Sather finally decided to pull the trigger on a better backup for Henrik and I think Biron will fill the bill.

Derek Boogaard

Sather lets Shelley walk for cheaper then he signs Boogaard? This signing has the fan base grumbling and shaking their heads. Sather basically said that, considering Shelley’s age, he didn’t want to resign him for the three years he was looking for. Instead Sather signs Gaborik’s former protector from the Wild. So he’s paying him $500 grand more for Boogy then Shelley for four years, not three. I got no problem with that except to say that Boogaard has absolutely no offensive upside. That’s an understatement.

Vaclav (Vinnie) Prospal

I like Vinnie in the way I liked Kaspar. Great team guy and a heart and soul player who knows the the team and the coach. What makes the Prospal resign better is that it’s for low money, unlike Kasparaitis. Vinnie can play wing or center. If Sather doesn’t get a first line center for Gaborik, Vinnie can do platoon duty with Dubinsky, maybe even Christensen.

Eric Christensen

Christensen comported himself well last season with 8 goals, 18 assists and +14 in 49 games. Christensen at  $975,000 for two years adds depth at center/wing. I just wonder if he’ll still be a scoring machine without Shelley.:) 

Sather signed Derek Stephan to a contract today. The most important thing on Sather’s agenda should be signing his RFAs, especially Staal and Gerardi and waiving Redden and Rozsival.

As evening falls on day one of free agency I grudgingly give Sather a B.

Posted under New York Rangers