Breaking Down the Rangers: A Realist's Outlook

With things going from bad to worse as the New York Rangers move closer to both the Olympic break, as well as the NHL Trade Deadline, Rangers' fans and media, alike, are putting in their two cents about what needs to be done.

The Rangers are mired in a four game losing streak in which they've been outscored 17-3, and are an absolutely horrific 17-22-7 after their hot 7-1-0 start. The fact that the Rangers still "technically" sit in 8th place in the Eastern Conference (the five teams behind them all have either the same number of points or one less, and four of the five teams have less games played) is a testament to the lack of true contenders in the Eastern Conference, a group that the Rangers clearly belong.

So, what should be done?

Well, it's necessary to start with General Manager Glen Sather. While it's easy to say fire Sather A.S.A.P., the truth of the matter is that firing Sather right this second wouldn't be the best move, nor is it realistically something that the very loyal James Dolan, Chairman of Madison Square Garden, will decide to do.

Firing Sather before the season's conclusion would prove fruitless - this roster is his mess, and fixing it will take more than the month or so until the March 3rd trade deadline.

While most people think it's an easy and obvious decision to give Sather the axe, it is important to remember that the Rangers have made the playoffs in each of the four seasons since the NHL lockout. Most people seem to forget this, and you better believe Dolan takes this into consideration. But, not one of these four Rangers teams - five including this season - has been a realistic Stanley Cup Contender.

It is also important to remember that Mark Messier is most assuredly being trained by Sather to be his predecessor as Rangers General Manager. Is he ready at this point? I would hazard a guess at "no." Will he be the next Rangers G.M.? It's hard to say, but I'd guess he would.

Should Sather be shown the door? Absolutely. The Wade Redden, (re-signing) Michal Rozsival, Chris Drury, Scott Gomez, Ales Kotalik, and Donald Brashear signings have all been flops, by all accounts. His drafting has gone from abysmal (Hugh Jessiman, Al Montoya, Lauri Korpikoski) to "okay" (Marc Staal, Artem Anisimov, Michael Del Zotto) - with the improvement coming in large part because of the addition of Director of Player Personnel, Gordie Clark.. Bottom line - Sather's team is stuck in mediocrity, handcuffed by bad contracts, and currently being held together by two superstars (Marian Gaborik, Henrik Lundqvist).

The time to be rid of Sather is upon this season's completion. But, will that happen?

It's hard to say.

Dolan is loyal to nth degree, as illustrated by Sather's long tenure, as well as his decision to keep a woefully unsuccessful Isiah Thomas around with the New York Knicks much longer than his results warranted. If the Rangers are to make the playoffs this season - which is still very possible in a weak Eastern Conference, as Gaborik and Lundqvist may just be that good - I believe he may get yet another reprieve. If the Rangers do make the playoffs that would make it five straight years since the lockout. Regardless of whether they have been true contenders, they have been playoff worthy.

Know how many teams other than the Blueshirts have made the playoffs every year since the lockout?

Five, with just one other team in the East (New Jersey Devils).

Should they be buyers?

Now, that is the question.

The New York Post's Larry Brooks says they shouldn't:

"This is about the big picture. Management cannot afford to be shortsighted here. Making the playoffs for a fifth straight season is a nice little accomplishment, but ultimately means next to nothing if the achievement isn't a stepping stone to contention.

The value of draft-pick currency has increased exponentially under Gordie Clark's direction of the scouting department. The Rangers are drafting high-end talent. Clark and right-hand man Jeff Gorton have the universal respect of player personnel people around the league. The more responsibility they are given, the better it is for the organization."

While Brooks may tend to be a little over dramatic much of the time, this is certainly a fair train of thought.

But (lots of "buts" with this situation, huh?) will this happen? Is anybody going to honestly say that Sather - who has been absolute each year in his desire to make the playoffs if there is any fighting chance - will be a seller if the Rangers are right in the mix for a playoff spot?

The only way the Rangers become sellers is if their downward spiral continues, so much so that they are extraordinarily likely to miss the playoffs. Sather won't be thinking "Eh, we could re-tool for the playoffs - we aren't real contenders," but rather "with Gaborik and Lundqvist you never know, right?"

What would be best for the Rangers? To keep falling in the standings and become sellers. But NHL management doesn't think that way; nor should they. Playoffs = extra money for MSG and a pat on the back for Sather. Contender, or not, five straight years of playoffs is no small feat.

If the Rangers were to become sellers, who would they move? As Brooks notes, Vinny Prospal would fetch a decent return. Sather would certainly attempt to give Kotalik and Chris Higgins away. While the play of Dan Girardi has been fairly solid, he could probably bring in some nice assets if the Rangers did decide to shop him - the Rangers do have the defensive depth in the system to replace him.

But, there are other things the Rangers need to do, as I've maintained before, regardless of what's happening in the standings.

Redden needs to be sent down to Hartford, or possibly even bought out. Will it happen under Sather's watch? I highly doubt it. Telling James Dolan to send a guy making $6+ million to the minors wouldn't sit well, and I'm not sure Sather will make that suggestion anytime soon.

In a perfect world, the same would happen with Rozsival and Kotalik. Perhaps an unhappy Kotalik will flea to the KHL, as has been hinted elsewhere. Realistically speaking these two - especially Rozsival - are here to stay.

Drury won't be bought out - he's a good citizen, team captain, and very well-liked in the room. It pains me to see Drury, half the player he used to be, struggle so mightily. The guy I grew up loving long before his time with the Rangers has been addled and deteriorated by multiple concussions, and is merely a third-line caliber player now. A $7+ million cap hit for a current day Drury is an ugly thing.

Two players that are very intriguing are Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan. Both are solid players whose impact extends beyond the scoresheet, and both are part of the current and future leadership group in New York. But, they are also two of the players most coveted in trade talks. Could they be moved?

No - Sather and John Tortorella won't stand for that. Any time you hear or read of these two mentioned in trade talks, tune out the source.

Lately, much has been made of the lack of effort from the Rangers, and that this may be their problem. Balderdash. More often than not, the effort is there. Larry Brooks and other members of the media like to mention Girardi refusing to step in during Gaborik's beatdown at the hands of Daniel Carcillo, and other situations which seem to draw merit to the belief the Rangers don't have each others' backs, and aren't a true team.

I think that's garbage. Should Girardi have stepped in during this situation? Of course, but you need to consider the context. A split second decision in a 1-0 game with big points on the line - and Girardi was, by and far, the teams best defender that night. Jumping in would have ended his night. Plus, there were four fights in the game! It's not like the Rangers didn't engage in some retribution.

Need proof of the Rangers' heart? Look at the penalty kill, a facet of the game that boils down to sacrificing the body and winning 50-50 battles. The Rangers have had one of the best penalty kills in the league - due in some part to Lundqvist, obviously - but also because they have plenty of heart-and-soul players, like Dan Girardi, that aren't afraid to block shots and play in the dirty areas.

It all comes back to bad contracts for the Rangers. If they can, at the very least, demote Redden, $6+ million is cleared off the books, and the Rangers can (patiently and intelligently...hopefully) make some moves and re-tool. If the contracts of Rozsival or Kotalik can be shipped elsewhere (unlikely, especially for Rozsival), even better.

The problem for the Rangers isn't Tortorella, the systems, or heart - it's the roster.