Because he’s binged and purged more players then any other GM in Ranger history!

After today’s dealings, Sather has managed to purge the Rangers of every post lockout veteran except Henrik Lundqvist. While today’s signing of Ales Kotalik for 3 years at $3 million per year doesn’t exactly constitute a binge, Sather has most assuredly purged Nik Zherdev from next season’s roster. Frankly, I think Sather made the right decision. I have grown weary of having players on the Rangers who are oft described as “enigmatic”.

In an attempt to garner more players for John Tortorella’s run and gun scoring style of play, Sather has disassembled what was one of the best penalty killing units in the NHL. Gone are Sjostrom and Orr. With the signing of Brashear, one can only assume that free agent Blair Betts will not be made an offer to return. Now the question remains whether all the new additions to the Rangers can score enough goals on the powerplay to make up for what might be a much diminished penalty kill.

I suppose it makes life more interesting getting to know all the new boys, their styles of play, their personalities. I wonder if any other team has experienced such a total turnover of personal in the last four years. I remember being at the Nassau Mausoleum and phoning in the player numbers to the HockeyRodent so he could keep the fans informed about the 2005-2006 Rangers. Now, I’ll have to memorize a whole bunch of new numbers but this time I can text them to his Rodentness.

Let’s pretend today is the first day of the preseason. Who could we be seeing in September?

Ales Kotalik RW
Marian Gaborik RW
23 Chris Drury LW
Chris Higgins C
16 Sean Avery LW
Matthew Gilroy C
Donald Brashear LW
34 Aaron Voros LW
Artem Anisimov C
Nikolai Zherdev RW RFA*
29 Lauri Korpikoski LW RFA
17 Brandon Dubinsky C RFA
24 Ryan Callahan RW RFA*

6 Wade Redden D
3 Michal Rozsival D
5 Dan Girardi D
Bobby Sanguinetti D
Michael Sauer D
18 Marc Staal D

30 Lundqvist G
40 Valliquette G

Save for Chris Higgins, that’s a whole lot of right wings and centers and not many left wings. Dany Heatley is still out there but I doubt Sather has enough cap space to make that happen without unloading Rozsival and sacrificing youth. Sather has used restraint and held on to the youths. Let’s hope he can add more finesse to the top left and keep the kids, too.

Who knows how many more moves Sather will make before training camp opens?  At least it’s comforting to know that Sather isn’t in a river somewhere casting a line. He might finally be earning his keep.

What the ramifications may be of having $7 million dollars more in cap space for tomorrow’s free agent free for all is anyone’s guess. Apparently, Ottawa isn’t going to move Dany Heatley before midnight to the Rangers. Sather, upon announcing the Gomez to Montreal deal, said he was done for the day. Time for a well deserved cigar.

All the qualifying offers Sather intended to make seem to have been made. How much money he’s spent is not known. How much cap space remains to sign a Gaborik or a Hossa or any other available free agents is also not known. What I do know is that Sather probably isn’t finished yet with the wheeling and the dealing.

Don’t get me wrong. I still think Sather needs to retire. But today, you done a good thing Glen, a real good thing. You wished Gomer into the cornfield and now he’s gone. 

Maybe Sather still has something left in the GM tank after all. Perhaps, after this deal, it’s Bob Gainey who is suffering from GM senile dementia. Say what you want about him but Sather is never boring. I can’t wait for noon tomorrow.

It’s not so much the increase in the ticket prices that has me pissed off.  I do think they have a colossal nerve to ask us for more money to watch a team that barely made the playoffs (and yet again failed to make it past the second round). What really irks me is that fact that they want a commitment before June 22.  They want the subscribers to re-up before free agency on July 1. For a subscriber to commit before July 1 is like buying a pig in a poke.

They are asking the fans that support this team to pony up a lot cash on blind faith. How can the subscribers make a decision about renewing if we are unable to see what the Sather BrainTrust intends to do to rectify the piss poor product we watched last season? Yeah, that’s right. Piss poor. Drury and Gomez tank on Renney and get the rest of the team to buy into it. Now Sather and Dolan expect the fans to buy in to next season without finding out if we will still have to endure both these Skating Judases for another season.

Getting Avery on the cheap and hiring Tortorella are not the whole solution. In fact, it remains to be seen if they may yet become part of the problem, ie the Tortorella bottle throwing incident.  And then, there is the issue of Wade Redden. Like Ranger season ticketholders really want to shell out over 8% more to watch that inept excuse of an NHL defensemen get paid on average $7 million for the next 4 years.  Yeah, Glen, that’s what we want to spend our money on. Not.

And, to add insult to injury, we get a sweet little letter from Sather asking for our continued patience and support. For your reading enjoyment:

“Rangers Subscribers,

Five years ago, we made it our priority to build the New York Rangers team for long-term success by developing a core foundation of young players and adding key veterans as our youngsters matured. Our philosophy remains steadfast, and this past season, six young players whose NHL careers began here in New York played major roles in taking us to the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.

Although we were not satisfied with this past season’s results, we believe we are on the right track. We continue to focus on the development of players and are excited about several talented prospects in our system. At the same time, we still have work to do as we strive toward our ultimate goal — to compete for the Stanley Cup each and every season.

Under the direction of our new Head Coach, John Tortorella, you will see a retooled Rangers team in 2009-10 that will feature a system that emphasizes aggressive forechecking and puck possession. This up-tempo approach has made John an accomplished winner in the NHL, earning a Jack Adams Award as Coach of the Year and delivering a Stanley Cup to Tampa Bay in 2004.

The key objective for this off-season is to complement our strong defensive play and league-leading penalty-kill with more goal-scoring, stemming from this aggressive system. We are determined to add players who make significant contributions in 2009-10, enabling us to dictate the pace of the game on a regular basis.

With an All-Star goaltender, and a mix of accomplished veterans and hungry youngsters, we expect to make our fans especially proud this season. Your loyalty and enthusiasm has always made The Garden a very intimidating place for visiting teams, and you will see a team whose style of play makes it even tougher.

We remain humbled and thankful for your energetic support and look forward to seeing you at The Garden for a great season of Rangers hockey.

Sincerely,

Glen Sather, President and General Manager, New York Rangers”

And, if that weren’t enough to make you sick, Dolan is rattling his sabre again about the renovations to the Garden. I’ll believe it when I see it. Many subscribers and fans know how little Dolan cares about the Rangers. The Rangers are  just a cash cow to keep his building and his programming schedule filled and to pay off the Knick lawsuits. 

The renovations are calling for a 5000 sq ft Super Suite that can hold 300 people. Obviously, Dolan hasn’t realized that this city and country are in the depths of a deep recession. MSG had a hard time selling the Luxury Suites this season, constantly bombarding the audience with in arena advertisements for them. Witness how the overpriced Yankee tickets went unsold. Hey Jim,  put the renovations on hold and stop sticking it to the subscribers. 

Many people have lost their jobs as companies have tightened their bottom lines. How has Sather retained his job after underperforming for the last 9 years? How does Jim Dolan keep his job? Oops. I forgot.  His Daddy owns the company!!!

The unkindest cut of all is that even if  subscribers renew, they will have a harder time getting rid of the games they can’t attend. Last season, many subscribers had a hard time selling their tickets for face value. And, Ranger TicketExchange still gets their cut regardless of the selling price.  

So, thanks Jim and Glen, for making the decision to renew harder then it has to be. You may not hear from this subscriber until 11:59 pm on June 21, the longest day of the year.

The first two games of the Stanley Cup finals are going to be played back to back this weekend in Detroit because NBC doesn’t want to take up its valuable weeknight primetime schedule with NHL hockey. Bettman acquiesces because he needs the exposure for the NHL and he’ll take it anyway he can get it, even if it means putting the game and it’s players to disadvantage.

After garnering good ratings with the Winter Classic, one would think that NBC would be willing to put the Stanley Cup Finals up against its schedule of all repeat sitcoms on Monday night, thus allowing both teams a day off in between games. Televising the Stanley Cup Finals in primetime might also attract fans who might not watch midday on a weekend but would watch on a week night. But, that would make too much sense.

Having back to back games on Saturday and Sunday is a win/win situation for Pittsburgh, whose younger legs might not be so weary come Sunday, as opposed to the beat up Red Wings.  Doesn’t it play into Herr Bettman’s hands to give the Penguins every possible advantage. The Cindy Crosby/Gary Bettman love fest continues.

For me, the best possible scenario is for the Red Wings to sweep and for the NBC ratings to be dismal this weekend. Well, maybe a sweep is too hopeful but I’ll take a  Red Wings victory anyway they can get it.I wonder how the officials will try to hand the series to Penguins.  Let’s see if they’ll make up any “new rules” during this series. Perhaps they’ll drag out the old “goaltender interference penalty on Tomas Holmstrom” chestnut that worked so well last year. Maybe another intended but not blown whistle to waive off a goal. 

If the Wings do prevail, their victory will be besmirched for the simple reason that for yet another year, we will have to watch that smarmy little pisher of a Commissioner hand out the greatest trophy in sports.

LET’S GO RED WINGS

I will be polling those who read this sight three times, today, after the draft and again on July15th. I think that would present a fair picture of how readers here are feeling about future of the Rangers and current subscriber’s commitment to the team and the organization.  

If you are a subscriber, please respond to the poll below based on your feelings at this time. I realize that the readership here is small but I value your opinions.

Game in and game out, when Larry is called upon by Barrington (the Garden’s Rasta TV  camera man) to get the crowd going, Larry always obliges. Larry has put up with a lot of abuse over the years but like his predecessor, the Chief, he keeps on keeping on like the True Blue Seat Ranger fan he is. 

I first meet Larry six years ago at the Molly Wee Pub on Eight Ave. where Larry usually takes his pre-game meal.  One night we walked in and Larry was celebrating his birthday. They had a cake for him and sang. He’s a fixture there, just like he is in the Garden. When 6:15pm rolls around on game night, Larry usually high tails it over to the Garden for the pre-game warm-up.

In addition to being a full season subscriber, Larry also goes to a few away game each season. I once met him at a road game in Montreal in February of 2004.  Most all the Ranger fans at that game had congregated by the glass at the Rangers end of the rink. Messier saw the intrepid group and came over and banged his stick on the glass as a greeting. Larry was “right chuffed”,  as they say in England.

Last night, between the second and third period, I met Larry as he was waiting in line for the men’s room by 407. I grabbed him and gave him a big wet kiss on his bare noggin. He expressed his hope that the Rangers could hang on to the lead in the third period for the win.

Larry is such a positive person, loyal Ranger fan and a genuinely nice fellow. He makes me fell like a whining old farbissna for being so negative. If the Rangers do make the playoffs (only to get bounced in the first round) Larry will be there.  He’s the definition of True Blue.

Larry Goodman, here’s to you!

-Jeff Lynne, Electric Light Orchestra

I cannot fathom how a man who has won three Stanley Cups and four Vezina trophies can let the New York Rangers and their fans get into his head the way Martin Brodeur has done.

Here is a guy who kept his composure while going through a very personal and public separation during the playoffs in 2003. His then estranged wife taunted him that she was having affairs with his opponents.  It had so little effect upon him that he and his team went on to win the Stanley Cup. 

The gist of Martin’s personal life has been grist for the mill of taunting Ranger fans ever since. And while all the listeners to the Versus broadcast may have heard last night was “Maaarty”, fans in the Garden could hear chants of  ”Uncle Daddy” and “Al-i-mony” reigning down from the rafters of MSG.

Brodeur is currently involved in a law suit with his ex-wife who is seeking longer and larger alimony payment’s from Martin. Uncle/Daddy will have to work for as long as he can to support two families. I doubt he needs to be reminded of this but Ranger fans stick it to him at every opportunity.

Among the other chants I heard were, “Marty —–  his sister-in-law, do dah, do dah” and “Fatso”, the later courtesy of Sean Avery from last years playoffs. So, the media may think that it is only Sean Avery in the heads of Marty and the Devils but in actual fact, the Ranger fans in MSG are as much there as Sean.

Last night Sean Avery, the bad boy of the NHL, the anger management poster boy, fashionista bad boy, retained his composure while Marty and the Devils lost theirs. Oh yes, the fact that most of the Ranger players were engaged in the game and John Tortorella backed his defense away from his “safe is death” policy had something to do with the victory.  

But, deep down the whole Brodeur vs Avery rematch was in the hearts and minds of the Devils.  It was put there by the media and the fans. The fans are the Rangers seventh man whenever they play the Devils, be it at the Garden or the Rock.

Unlike 2006, should the Rangers make the playoffs, I live in hope that the first round is against the Devils. Question is, based on their late season slump, will Sutter still be behind the bench or will he be Lamarilloed?

I usually dread this time of year. The clocks are moved ahead. St. Patricks Day is upon us. Spring summons the end of winter and thus the regular season. This year is especially more of burden for me because I have been sick with bad cold for the last two weeks. Then to top it all off, the exit of Tom Renney has secured me in the knowledge that the rebuild is over. All the good feeling built up over the last three seasons seems to have slowly drained out of my body.

And while some may accuse me of being melodramatic and negative, the only people I feel badly for  are the die hards and the “Kid Rangers”. I feel sorry for the fans in the Garden and on my favorite messageboards. And even though some of these very same people were among those calling for Renney to be fired, I don’t think they realize the full implication of that request.

Now both of the real architects of the rebuild, Renney and Maloney, are gone. In their wake we have Schoenfeld and Sather and a “leadership” group of players that I have no faith in or respect for. Somehow I can’t see Schoenfeld as the nurturer of young talent. Sather certainly hasn’t done a bang up job in drafting or signing talent, either. Tortorella might work out to be a good coach but that remains to be seen.

So, for those that still care about this season’s outcome, I sincerely hope that the Rangers make it to the Eastern Conference Final. I will be there to support the “kids” on the ice and wish them well. I’ll be there to support my kids in the section and cheer with them. I’m just sorry it can’t be with the same enthusiasm as in the past three seasons.

-John Lennon/Paul McCartney

I know that many Ranger fans out there aren’t as old as I am. I have seen many of my favorites players traded from the Rangers. From Ratelle and Park, to the Maloneys to Leetch. We all have our favorites. They traded the best looking Ranger ever, Pat Hickey,  for Barry “Shoot the Puck” Beck.  Yes, Pat was better looking then Duguay. It turned out to be a bad trade in both the hockey and handsome sense. But, I digress.  

I know many are upset about all of the changes that have transpired in the last week or so.  I revered Tom Renney and was saddened and angry to see him go before Sather.

Today, many are  angered to see Petr Prucha and Nigel Dawes, two former cornerstones of the Rangers youth movement, traded for a rental, a salary dump. Even if Derek Morris proves to be the second coming of Brad Park, losing Prucha has hardened many a heart.

My heart will always be True Blue. But there are times when  a little Red Wing seeps in there. And that’s okay.  We can like and admire other players and other teams as long as it’s not  the Islanders, Devils and Flyers. You just can’t root for your alternate teams and players over the Rangers.

If the Rangers fail to make the playoffs or get tossed in the first round, pick the team you want to see advance and sit back and enjoy their ride. You can watch in stress free peace. It’s just hockey. 

Good luck and God’s speed Tom Renney, Nigel Dawes, Petr Prucha and all our favorite Rangers whereever they are.

In my life, I loved them all. 

As if  their performance against the hapless Avalanche on Saturday night wasn’t enough of a side show both during and after the game, the return Avery surely spells the addition of another ring to the circus that the New York Rangers has become. Why it’s enough to turn this previously ”Vanilla” team into “Rocky Road”.

My only question to Sather is, WIIFU? We have taken a huge problem off Dallas’ hands.  And although they still must pay half of Avery’s salary, surely something more must be coming the other way? So, what’s the deal? Are anymore shoes going to drop between the Rangers and Dallas?

Rumor had it that a plebiscite of the players was taken and Drury told Sather the players were unanimously against bringing back Avery. What does it say that Sather still claimed him despite the disapproval of the players? Was Sather’s decision made before the Dallas game in early February? What did he decide and when did he decide it?

Tortorella expressed his dislike for Avery on the air when he was commentating on the “Sloppy Seconds” situation back in December. Tortorella was brought in by Schoenfeld.  He’s Schoenfeld’s guy. Perhaps Sather sees Avery as his quid pro quo. In Avery, Sather has a thorn that he can bring up or send down at will. No other team in the NHL  will touch Avery.  Is Avery Sather’s scale tipper  in the balance of power?

And you all thought the Circus wasn’t coming to the Garden until March 26…