The Rangers are a Confused Franchise

What many of us thought would be a promising season has turned into a nightmare for the Blueshirts of New York. Despite being just two points out of eighth place in the Eastern Conference, the past month — and the whole situation on Broadway — has looked more like an episode of MTV’s “The Jersey Shore” than an NHL team aiming to win a Stanley Cup. After watching their latest debacle against the Chicago Blackhawks and then seeing them send down The Hobey Baker award-winning defenseman, I have serious doubts about what this franchise is all about, as if I didn’t have any to begin with.

My latest (of many qualms) range from the “youth” movement to the use of Donald Brashear to some rumored acquisitions. It’s basically my way of releasing some steam:

Heading into this season it looked as if the Rangers were a team that would be committed to getting younger. After Glen Sather mysteriously re/signed Scott Gomez, Chris Drury, Wade Redden, and Michael Rozsival over the past few seasons, it actually appeared that the once respected, and now derided general manager had maybe learned a lesson or two…or not. He traded Gomez for Chris Higgins and some other younger pieces this offseason, yet proceeded to give “enforcer/big man” Donald Brashear a two-year pact, worth $1.4 annually.

In case he hasn’t watched or listened to John Tortorella speak about his system before: he wants skilled players, who can skate (I know pretty funny considering they haven’t shown much “skill” at all this year). Now maybe if he’s seen what Donald Brashear does best besides playing 6 1/2 minutes a night, it’s really just a whole lot of nothing. Maybe immobility is his best trait. The point is after watching Dane Byers, a Rangers AHLer, play in some stints this year, he would’ve been a better fit: he’s cheaper, is a better skater, and takes just as many penalties! Seeing Brashear play on the third line is just despicable. Maybe Torts was trying to justify his signing to appease his boss.

Okay so enough about Donald Brashear. Even though I complain about the signings and even putting Brashear on the ice, this year has seen a lot more younger faces than a typical Rangers year. Of course, it’s nice to see. I’d rather lose with more inexperienced players, than see the languishing over-paid veterans this team has put up empty stat-lines night after night.

Fast-forward to this season and Marian Gaborik is the only one who knows how to put the puck in the back of the net. Having absolutely no cap breathing room this year has really constrained any kind of moves the Rangers can make for secondary scoring, though it didn’t prevent Sather from making it known that he had some serious interest in Pavel Demitra about a week ago. The fact that Demitra hasn’t played at all this year after undergoing shoulder surgery is one thing, the other fact that he’s due $4 million this season is another. And who does Sather think he’s going to trade to get Demitra? Aaron Voros? Michael Rozsival? I’d like to think not. And if the Rangers really want to get younger, I don’t care how “explosive” Demitra can be, he’s 35-years-old. When was the last time the signing of an older player panned out for New York? Anyone know?

If the latest rumor of the Rangers attempting to trade Bobby Sanguinetti for the Coyotes’ Peter Mueller is true, then there would almost certainly have to be a young piece that the Rangers part with to pry Demitra away from the Canucks. And if the Rangers do trade someone young, then they’re back to the same nonsense that’s plagued them over the past decade. The point is, no matter how talented Mueller has– and no matter how much of an offensive defenseman we think Sanguinetti can be — other GM’s know that the proverbial ball is in their court when dealing with Sather, so they’re going to ask for a king’s ransom. Not to say Brandon Dubinsky or Ryan Callahan are stars… but that’s exactly what GM Don Maloney did and other GM’s will follow that model.

As I conclude my Rangers diatribe, I’d like to get back to the demotion that led me on this path. Sending Matt Gilroy to Hartford yesterday was an extreme shocker to me, and to many of the Rangers’ fans. While I’m happy to see Ilkka Heikkinen get some time with the club, what exactly will Gilroy be learning in the AHL that he couldn’t learn at the NHL? It’s obvious that both his offensive and defensive game has fizzled, though it was to be expected at one point considering he was making the jump from college to the NHL. Rozsival or Redden should’ve been the ones sent down, but we all know that Sather has a tough time swallowing those mistake. The 66-year-old GM would have to be too much of a man to admit that.

So while the Rangers are making small strides to get younger, just realize that as long as those beloved veterans are making millions (for their inefficiencies) more than they deserve, the young guys who are playing their hearts out every night will also be the scapegoats when the team isn’t performing.