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Larry Brooks: Contract issues loom as Blueshirts struggle with changes

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RangerBoy

RangerBoy

Dolan sucks!!!
Mar 3, 2002
45,669
24,455
New York
LB hit it out of the park today

Essentially,Sather has no vision on how to build this team. Love him or hate him,Brian Burke lets you know how he wants his teams to be built and play. Sather is out of touch and all over the map. He reflects back on his Oilers and Canada Cup glory days. That was almost 30 years ago.

If there is a vision propelling this franchise, it is unclear exactly what it might be.

That is the indictment that can be levied against general manager Glen Sather, whose team includes 11 players in no more than their second seasons in New York, and only two of whom (Rick Nash and Chris Kreider) seem assured of being here for a third.

If Bill Torrey didn’t have a job for life, how can Sather?

How can anyone, other than a Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court, Clarence Thomas wants to know.

Yes, the Rangers can make the playoffs in their God-awful division, and yes, the Rangers conceivably could record their annual early-round victory over the Capitals, but does anyone believe the ceiling is higher than a second-round goodbye?

Tell me there’s more to the plan than that.

Two immediate items of utmost importance: the futures of pending free agents Ryan Callahan and Dan Girardi.

Within the next three months, Sather must determine whether the Rangers are going to be able and willing to sign their captain and their first-pair right defensemen to contract extensions.

Neither has played up to expectations and both will command lucrative deals in a market where demand will exceed supply and dollars will be plentiful within a rising cap.

If the Rangers aren’t able to sign them to extensions before the March 5 deadline, the team must be willing to trade both as rental properties in exchange for draft picks and prospects, in order to reload for a run at a Cup rather than keeping them for the playoffs then allowing them to leave scot-free.
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http://nypost.com/2013/12/15/contract-issues-loom-as-blueshirts-struggle-with-changes/

Pay them or trade them. Its simple. Don't it linger to June or July. Both of them will command seven year MAX terms as free agents in July with the cap increasing. You can't blame them for trying to get the best deal if its not in New York like Cano did.

Its not even 3 months of play. The Olympic break is the first week of February. 7 weeks away. NHL trading deadline is one week after the NHL season resumes. 8 weeks.
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I love the cycle. Acquire picks and players who are hard workers, then trade the hard workers when they suck for more draft picks and players so you can acquire new hard workers, and trade them when they suck for new picks and prospects,
 
Good article. The comment that John Tortorella was their identity the last few years and they have none now seems apt.

Brought up again yesterday that Sather's search for a new coach was hardly a search at all. The coaching staff and the players aren't on the same page. There's no way we're going to win with any consistency until they are. It might take a couple years to get enough of a team together to AV's liking. In the meantime that will probably mean no playoffs.

The possibility of massive player turnover to fit AV's requirements and/or AV's being fired before his own next contract could have us hitting the skids for a long time.

I'll give Sather some credit-after the first few years I was surprised he lasted but then since the lockout he was able to build a somewhat competitive team--now it looks like the potential is there for blowing up the entire structure and starting from scratch again.

Not only are the Rangers stringing together losses but the Wolfpack are as well. There are IMO 6 guys in Hartford (if you include McIlrath) who have any real NHL potential. We have 0 of our amateur prospects turning pro next year unless Nieves or Skjei decide to leave school. The organization at every level right now is a shambles.
 
If we let Girardi walk a new top pair RD is an absolute must. I don't care how much we pay them, just find a young player who is/will be soon a top RD.
 
Larry's nailed everything we've all been saying here for the last few weeks. It's always good when a professional source agrees with our assessments because it gets the public thinking or discussing the issues us hardcores all see.

Basically in a few weeks, they have to make a decision whether or not the core and identity that seemed to peak in 2011-12 is finished and whether or not it's time to start all over again.

It's a no-win scenario because if you trade Callahan and Girardi, there will be a huge fan backlash and resentment.

Also, Nash is not Jagr and there's no Czech posse that's going to magically come in and save the day like those guys did. It's going to be a slow and painful process.
 
If you are Callahan and you saw what Clarkson got from Toronto and what Edmonton offered him,you wouldn't would ask for the same term and more money?

The Oilers were putting the full-court press on the tough, free-agent winger, reportedly offering seven years and $6 million a season–salary and term, the magic two words for any player — but Clarkson left money on the table to sign with the Maple Leafs for the same seven years but a $5.25 million cap hit. The pull to play for the team he was in love with when he was in grade school was too much.
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http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/20...-came-close-to-signing-winger-david-clarkson/

The MAX term as a free agent is 7 years. Clarkson had teams offering him 7 years in a year with the cap going down. The cap is going up. Callahan will command 7 years as a free agent. That ties him up to 36 years old. Its his last big contract. That's why Callahan told Brooks this two weeks ago.

“There’s absolutely nothing going on with that,” Callahan told The Post before Monday night’s 5-2 defeat to the Jets at the Garden when asked about the status of negotiations.

The career Ranger, who will turn 29 in March, will be courted by a substantial number of clubs if he hits the open market. The Rochester, N.Y., native is expected to be a primary target of the Sabres.

“It’s something that will take care of itself,” Callahan said when asked if he is bothered by the lack of progress toward an extension. “I’ll play this year and see what happens after that.”
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http://nypost.com/2013/12/02/absolutely-nothing-going-on-with-callahan-contract-talks/

That is something the Rangers CAN NOT let happen. :damnpc:
 
White Plains Batman said:
Larry's nailed everything we've all been saying here for the last few weeks.
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Well he does read the boards, so it would not be surprising if some of his narratives are written based on things said here.

Not that what is plaguing this team isn't blatantly obvious to most people anyway. Actually it's shocking how many people still don't get it despite being punched in the throat by the reality of it every day.

"Bring back John! Told ya so! I miss Dubi. Nash is a loser! We miss Prust sorely. It's the Dark Ages, Fire AV!"

Oh yeah but all those guys are long gone, the high of the 11-12 season wore off, and everyone is left fiending like an addict without his fix, guess who is still here though?

Then people wonder why the trade thread is reduced to more of the same despite knowing what the real problem is. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. All we can hope for is doing it the Sather way somehow magically retools this team in some manner of long-term success despite the astronomical odds against him. What else do we have? Waiting? How long?

Being a Ranger fan right now just sucks. It is our burden. Through thick and thin. :pout::whatever:
 
White Plains Batman said:
It's a no-win scenario because if you trade Callahan and Girardi, there will be a huge fan backlash and resentment.
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Seven years of futility is what sold a rebuild in '04, except it wasn't really a rebuild since the Rangers found Hank and Jagr to carry them into the playoffs a couple of years straight. Cally and G embody what that initial rebuild was meant to do. Build a core of players to be a contender.

How do justify a rebuild now? Cause the team sucks? There is no other alternative?

Is this FLA here?

Get to work Slats. Let's see a competitive product on the ice. Feel free to retire bud, you've money and glory... the only handicap that should be associated with you is on the golf course and not the NYR.

AV vacayed instead of scouting this summer. Now he's not offering direction and whining in the media, and not giving his team the best chance to win. People want this guy leading an O6 team?
 
This could all be said much easier.

The Rangers built their team for Tortorella.

Sather fired Tortorella.

Sather hired Tortorella's polar opposite.

Sather does nothing but sign dead-weight free-agents.

AV doesn't prepare correctly. Interesting enough, the PP has looked better this season since Arniel actually took the time to watch every minute of Rangers PP last season :dunno: Homework, it helps.

Rangers suck.

SHOCKING.

Hindsight is 20-20, but I'm sure Sather would go back and untrade Gaborik if he could know full-well that Torts would be gone, and AV would be here.

Just need to re-tool some pieces. Not that far away.
 
id keep girardi over callahan.. simply bc girardi's position is way harder to fill, and either way your going to have to pay a **** load of money for a FA to fill his position, he may come a lot cheaper then over paying some FA out there.

5x5AAV

if not i would take a run at Phaneof 7x7AAV

MDZ
Brassard
Callahan
Hagelin for the right trade

but those guys i would trade without hesitation
 
We better grow a pair and move the value guys soon.

Slats should be workin the phones tirelessly looking to improve this organization then retire. And gordie Clark should be let go. He's failed.

Tough decisions need to be made. Eat crow on some of these picks and move the fa's with value.

Look at hartford. Look at europe. Look at the ncaas.

Void of offensive talent top to bottom but for a few maybes.

If I'm av, and I look at my top 9 forwards, I cringe and get mad.
 
silverfish said:
Sather would go back and untrade Gaborik if he could know full-well that Torts would be gone, and AV would be here.

Just need to re-tool some pieces. Not that far away.
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I don't agree there. Moving Gaborik was a good thing, they just moved him for the wrong players, imo. Although that remains to be seen. If Dorsett and Moore end up being long-term roster players for the Rangers who contribute, it was still a decent trade.

Brassard still makes me: :rant::cry:
 
Good article. Brooks should have given us a hat tip at the end. At least the media is asking the right questions now.
 
Finally Larry criticizes Sather, he's been a little soft on him this year.

Sather is out of touch with both today's game and the capabilities of the this team. Some of the comments he made during AV's initial press conference seemed like it was coming from a fan and not the GM of a team. You can't expect to win a cup with a GM who refuses to see the deficiencies of the roster he created, has no long-term plan, and still waxes nostalgic about the way the 80s Oilers played. Fire the coach, make trades, whatever - it won't make much a difference so long as Sather is in charge.
 
Ailurophile said:
I don't agree there. Moving Gaborik was a good thing, they just moved him for the wrong players, imo. Although that remains to be seen. If Dorsett and Moore end up being long-term roster players for the Rangers who contribute, it was still a decent trade.

Brassard still makes me: :rant::cry:
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I don't think they moved Gaborik because it was the "right thing". I think they moved Gaborik because he clashed with Torts, and it was obvious that the Rangers needed more depth last season UNDER Tortorella.

Gaborik is exactly the kind of guy this Rangers team is missing right now. Pure offensive talent. A threat in every game.

I'm happy with Dorsett. Moore infuriates me this season. So does Brassard. I like Moore's potential though. Brassard needs to be gone after this season. $4mm QO? No thanks, homie.

Sather and the FO have miscalculated too many times recently, and it's being reflected on the ice.
 
RangerBoy said:
If you are Callahan and you saw what Clarkson got from Toronto and what Edmonton offered him,you wouldn't would ask for the same term and more money?



http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/20...-came-close-to-signing-winger-david-clarkson/

The MAX term as a free agent is 7 years. Clarkson had teams offering him 7 years in a year with the cap going down. The cap is going up. Callahan will command 7 years as a free agent. That ties him up to 36 years old. Its his last big contract. That's why Callahan told Brooks this two weeks ago.


http://nypost.com/2013/12/02/absolutely-nothing-going-on-with-callahan-contract-talks/

That is something the Rangers CAN NOT let happen. :damnpc:
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Yeah thats an ugly president for Callahans agent, trade him. He will probably be a target for most contenders if he just can stay healthy.
 
Larry hasn't had to criticize Sather in the last few years because the Jagr teams were competitive and surprised people, and the Black and Blueshirts were fun. He took an awful 2009-10 team and got rid of the deadweight that led to two really fun years.

They also infused youth. The UFA choices this year weren't good.

Gordie Clark has made some interesting choices but overall he's done a good job. He's produced many NHL players and there are more coming. Rangers could do much worse like some of those Maloney and Renney drafts which were pretty awful.

The whole thing with Prust and Gaborik, etc. it's sad but if they'd stuck around would they still be what they were? Gaborik is breaking down and Prust has spent a decent amount of time on the IR and will continue to do so. The Gaborik trade looked great only seven months ago, it's just that two of the three guys in the trade have greatly regressed and the other is a spare part.
 
IMO, Callahan and Girardi can take a walk.. both will be seeking long term deals and its just not smart business to do a long term deal with either one or various reasons. Cally mostly injury history and it wont get any better as he gets older the way he plays the game, and Girardi just does not fit into this system. He doesnt have enough offensive instincts, can't move the puck, and his D has also regressed, both of these guys were very good under Torts, not so much in this new direction whatever that may be.
 
silverfish said:
I don't think they moved Gaborik because it was the "right thing". I think they moved Gaborik because he clashed with Torts, and it was obvious that the Rangers needed more depth last season UNDER Tortorella.

Gaborik is exactly the kind of guy this Rangers team is missing right now. Pure offensive talent. A threat in every game.

I'm happy with Dorsett. Moore infuriates me this season. So does Brassard. I like Moore's potential though. Brassard needs to be gone after this season. $4mm QO? No thanks, homie.

Sather and the FO have miscalculated too many times recently, and it's being reflected on the ice.
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Gaborik isnt the threat he once was. His shot and speed are declining.
 
ecemleafs said:
Gaborik isnt the threat he once was. His shot and speed are declining.
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He is injured again and a CBJ fan came here earlier and said that Gaby is floating.

Columbus wants to see more from his too (RB article):

Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen has thought about it quite a bit. He wants to see more from Gaborik, he said, before committing to a long-term, high-dollar extension.

“I think he’s done a lot of good things,” Kekalainen said. “And I think he could do more.”
Gaborik, 31, has eight goals, 10 assists and a plus-9 rating in the 22 games since he joined the Blue Jackets on April 3 in a trade with the New York Rangers.

Only Brandon Dubinsky (4-15-19) has more points since Gaborik came aboard.

But what Kekalainen wants from Gaborik doesn’t show up in the stats.

“He could be the driving force of the team,” Kekalainen said. “I’d like to see him taking charge, driving the team with his example — not only with the points but with everything else he does.
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http://bluejacketsxtra.dispatch.com/content/stories/2013/11/01/gm-wants-gaborik-to-lead.html
 
One thing people should keep in mind--if the Rangers move Girardi and/or Callahan they're going to sign their replacements more than likely this summer from the UFA market and the better UFA's get big $ long term contracts. For those who want a total rebuild it can be a painful experience. I'm not much for painful experiences. I don't think either Sather or AV will be around to see the end of it. It's not likely we'll have another Jagr in our future to dig us out of the mess. Go 7 years out of the playoffs--that truly sucks. You look at Edmonton with all the great young forwards--the 1st overalls and they still are a crap team. There's a lot to be said about playing in a winning environment. It's not just talent that makes a team a good team.
 
eco's bones said:
Brought up again yesterday that Sather's search for a new coach was hardly a search at all. The coaching staff and the players aren't on the same page. There's no way we're going to win with any consistency until they are. It might take a couple years to get enough of a team together to AV's liking. In the meantime that will probably mean no playoffs.

The possibility of massive player turnover to fit AV's requirements and/or AV's being fired before his own next contract could have us hitting the skids for a long time.

I'll give Sather some credit-after the first few years I was surprised he lasted but then since the lockout he was able to build a somewhat competitive team--now it looks like the potential is there for blowing up the entire structure and starting from scratch again.
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Well, most organizations go through that sort of cycle. Sometimes, on the upswing, the best a team manages is the 2nd or 3rd rounds of the playoffs a few times. The truth is, though, that GMs typically don't survive very far into the downswing of it. I would say that there is a pretty good possibility we could see something similar happen in Washington at some point and GMGM will get the axe. We're not going to see that here, unless Dolan changes his mind.
 
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