When you are dealing with a high payroll, there is little room for error. But luckily for Glen Sather, it usually takes a sex harassment suit to remove a GM (NY Knicks coach Isiah Thomas). Chuckie Dolan took over for dear old dad and has allowed his GMs carte blanche from failure to failure. When Sather arrived and no free agent could improve their non-playoff ways, he was allowed to rebuild. Luckily for him, Don Maloney oversaw the development system and very soon they were showing signs of competing again.

However, Glen Sather has never adequately handled the defense. The NY Rangers defense, despite their goalies skillset and success, it one of the worst in the league. Especially when you put it against the dollar value, it is an unmitigated embarassment.

Sather locked the Rangers into some horrendous deals, from Chris Drury and Scotty Gomez on offense, but none are as hamstringing as the resigning of Rosival and the head-scratcher of a signing of wilting wallflower from the Senators, Wade Redden.

As the only power performers remain King Henrik in goal, del Zotto’s rookie campaign, and Gaborik’s offensive prowess; the Rangers are in deep, deep trouble and against a cap thanks to their GM.

So, what’s the plan? Will they make mistake #2 by moving Sather out or reassigning him Dale Tallon-style (like ordering a Chicago-style pizza) and move in a man with ZERO GM skills like Mark Messier. This is what is supposed around the blogs…and for good reason. But, is it such a good idea?

Oh, I get it. I know Garth Snow from their hated rivals made the jump ok. Well, I guess Mr. Impetuous himself, Charles Wang, got lucky for once. But, that does not make it ok or a smart move. It does not GROOM for position and give anything for Messier to learn with or from.

If the NY Rangers were serious about going for it, turning it around at all costs, they’d hire Jay Feaster. The man who helped build the Tampa Bay cup-winner has a history of working with John Tortorella. Here there is a tandem to clean up a mess of Dolan and Sather’s making…if Dolan has the good sense to do it.

Fat chance. I know.

Sure, Mark Messier could surprise. But, let us be honest. Greztky didn’t exactly make coach of the year. Barry Melrose didn’t exactly warm Tampa. Names this day and age is MEANINGLESS. The more teams and owners seem to ignore this, the more their teams flap in the wind.

So, what do you think about a possible Messier regime? Am I sounding too gloomy? Does he have the sound player assessment and head on his shoulders to clean a giant mess that would cause even Brian Burke to pause in the middle of the word Truculence?

I personally think the NYR are better off with a proven guy who has working knowledge and know-how of GMing, and the actual coach. OR will they turn it around and make Sather and Dolan look like a genius? Ok, impossible, but it might lead to Glen smoking a giant stogie if he can keep his job by his white whiskers.

The Rangers face the NY Islanders over at the Coliseum. Sure, the Islanders aren’t exactly scaring anyone at dead last in the conference. But, hell, at least they aren’t Toronto. Meanwhile the Rangers have been on quite a run.

But when they play one another, it doesn’t matter who is first nor last. That’s what makes the rivalry so special. Sometimes, well, it’s all you have.


That’s right, it’s time for Sibling Rivalry, as two blogging brothers square off debate-style on HockeyIndependent.

Scott Gallof - (Occasional Hockey Independent Blogger)

Well, well, its been a long, long offseason hasn’t it? Well not so much for you guys and this silly Lighthouse hoopla. How is that all going anyhow? When do they break ground, soon? Hell it’s only been a decade.

I can’t even poke all that much fun at you, even I a Rangers’ fan is pretty irked on how both sides have conducted themselves in this giant mess. You guys are supposed to be a hockey team not a platform for silly non-essential Long Island legislators to flex their slovenly, pizza greased muscles over. Just build the damn thing already, I’m sick of hearing about it.

Btw, a belated congratulations on your first win of the season. Don’t let anyone tell you how pathetic it is to take 7 games for your first win. With the steaming piles of fecal matter you have in goal and everyone you have playing minus your first line and Marc Streit, I’d say it was quite the achievement.

They say if you spent 100 hours a week bashing your head against a concrete block, eventually a piece will fall off.

BD Gallof – (Owner, HockeyIndependent.com)

Laugh it up, fuzzball. I think it is a nervous laugh as your contractual leap of faith, Marion Gaborik is now out from tonight’s game due to an undisclosed ailment. The man with the glass hip and nads clearly is encased in Carbonite when traveling with the Rangers for away games.

Yeah, I get it. We suck. What else is new? We signed two goalies that make Valiquette look good when our defense is in front of them.

But don’t look now, slappy, but your team is an injury away from a tip over the edge. Amazing how a hot start has Ranger fans getting all hyped up. Paper chumps is more like it.

Talk to me in December to let me know if you have the real thing. San Jose’s whupping you should already give you a clear idea that you have along way to go.

Scott Gallof - (Occasional Hockey Independent Blogger)

The only reason he is out tonight is just a precaution and since we aren’t playing a real team ole Tort’s figured he’d give the big guy some rest. He twinged his knee at the end of his last game, which has nothing to do with either his groin or hip. So let’s not get all panicky kid.

The fact of the matter is our “leap of faith” has been paying off quite splendidly with 18 points in just 12 games. But what you fail to mention up on your pulpit is that the Rangers are also getting plenty of scoring from other places as well.

Prospal 16pts, Kotalik 12pts, and our rookie gem Michael Del Zotto who also has 12pts racked up and at the tender age of 19 is already quarterbacking the now productive power play. Measure that against your prized first draft pick, with his 7 points and -6 +/-.

So suck on that.

B.D. Gallof - (Owner, HockeyIndependent.com)

Yes, a precaution. Surely. Because if it’s anything more, your offense falls faster than Owen Hart. Then watch all those players: one rookie and two guys: Prospal and Enver Lisin who are clearly reaping rewards of Gabby-Gabba-Ouch.

Let’s hope they are encasing something else in Carbonite, so that offense you tout so highly actually stays afloat.

Oh, speaking of dinged up, how bout Henrik Lundqvist hitting a guard rail when his car slid off the road on the way to practice. There’s another collective breath from the Rangers faithful, who would have slid right through the standings without their fashion-plate fop who was probably trying to fix his quaffe through the rear-view mirror.

Maybe you could have asked his brother to play goalie had he hurt himself . . .

Scott Gallof - (Occasional Hockey Independent Blogger)

You know really, as an Islanders fan you shouldn’t even be allowed to type Lundqvist’s name let alone ridicule him. You know deep down in that flakey deep battered fish fry heart of yours you’d give up one of your own metal balls to have him in net for your team. But alas you got the first round pick that year, how is ole wobble knee/hip/upper/lowerbody anyhow?

It’s completely ironic to me that you can do an image of Gaborik frozen in Carbonite yet your own franchise goaltender has played a total of 5 games in the last two years… those in glass Mausoleums should not throw pucks.

Speaking of the Mausoleum did it ever occur to you that perhaps the Rangers’ were so embarrassed to having to play in such a scrapheap hellhole tonight they are sitting Gaborik just so that building’s taint would not reach a player of his skill and caliber. It would certainly be something I would consider.

.

The building is an abomination as is the team that plays there. Maybe instead of passing out Lighthouse posters to their fans maybe it’s due time the Islanders’ brass just hand out cyanide capsules to put you all out of your collective misery.

Btw,  that Lighthouse hat I got, will it be a collector’s item at any point?

B.D. Gallof - (Owner, HockeyIndependent.com)

Yeah, yeah. Well, it is true that you might be the only Ranger blogger ever invited to a Lighthouse Project meeting. Just having you walk into the room to a round of boos from the staff and Isles bloggers was quite a treat.

Rick DiPietro is just fine, btw. The Isles brass said so, so it must be true.

Speaking of people who love the media, how is old Hot Head Torts? One wonders if he’s just a day or two away from a complete blowout with Larry Brooks or some fan in the seats.

See that water bottle he’s heaving into the air? That is about the closest you will get to heaving a cup as long as you have Glen Sather and Chuckie Dolan as the brain trust.

So, you can strut your way in to the Coliseum, rump roast. But, methinks there is a lot of concern and fear behind that strut. That any second that the Rangers will suddenly be shown for the posers they are.

How you like them apples, paunchy? Oh that’s right, I get to finish this.

So…suck it.