Ranger Fan Central Column

Summer Bummer?
by Jim Blackwell
June 7, 2009

The New York Rangers face several obstacles in order to improve the team this summer.

Not the least of which is GM Glen Sather himself. How anyone allowed Sather to give that contract to Wade Redden is beyond me. Let's put this in perspective here -- Redden had already worn out his welcome in the FANTASY LEAGUE I take part in. FANTASY! Then Sather gives him $6.5M per for 6 years AND he was 31 at the time of the signing! So Sather believed it was fine to give a guy who had declined over the past two seasons $6.5M to play six years into the future from that point? How is this possible? Seriously, how did this happen when a bunch of armchair GMs didnt want anything to do with him?!?

With Sather at the controls, I have very little faith the Rangers will do much of anything this off-season. At least nothing productive. Gomez is overpaid, Drury is overpaid, Redden is overpaid, Rozsival is overpaid, and even Lundqvist is overpaid. He's great but has his faults and hasn't won it all, no way he should be one of the top paid goalies in the league. He's accomplished nothing when taking in the big picture.

If Sather can shed some of this salary, then he has a shot at getting some talent in here. Everyone knows the Rangers cannot score goals. Do they bring back Antropov (UFA) and Zherdev (RFA)? Do either of them want to come back? I liked Antropov but not sure how he'd do over a full season, he underachieved for a long time in Toronto until it was his contract year, I'd be hesitant to sign him. As for Zherdev, he's a poor man's Kovalev. All the tools but no toolbox. He needs a stronger work ethic, he gives up on plays at times and a more accurate shot wouldn't hurt either.

Another summer and still they're looking for a power play quarterback. This is getting annoying, isn't it? Redden certainly isn't the answer, nobody on the current roster is. Gilroy, Sanguinetti and Del Zotto are unknown quantities. These guys along with Anisimov and Grachev are about the only things I'm looking forward to next season at this point but we can't be relying on rookies to get it done. Sather needs to get some talent in here, somehow.

The first chance to make a move is at the NHL Entry Draft June 26-27. Will the Rangers make a move to get a top 10 pick in the draft? That's anybody's guess but Colorado sure seems ripe for the picking at #3, no? Maybe Sather isn't so bad when you look at the fiasco that front office has become over the years!

Following the draft we have the Free Agency Period kicking off on July 1st. This is Christmas in July for hockey fans. Your team can go shopping and in some cases make or break the season before it even starts. Like by signing Redden and Naslund instead of Streit and Ryder for example! Just kidding, a little. Not many people felt Ryder would have the year he had but you get my point. It is buyer beware in several cases. The Rangers need at least one scorer, some size/grit in their top six, a good offensive defenseman and a hard-nosed defenseman, too. My wish list: Marian Gaborik, Mike Cammalleri, Erik Cole, Jay Bouwmeester and Mike Komisarek. Is this realistic? Not at all because Sather has tied his own hands by all but maxing out the cap on guys who haven't produced.

Glen Sather certainly has his work cut out for him this summer and there's no one to blame but himself. Can he get out of this mess? Can he improve the team and shed some contracts at the same time? We'll see if the old man still has it in him. If not, it will be another long season for our New York Rangers.