Speculation: Fire Glen Sather

[Ail]

They played a playoff team 10 times after the Olympic break and were 4-4-2.

Im glad that beating up on the dregs of the NHL gave you hope headed into these playoffs.

lol, yet on the other hand if they had gone 7-3 but lost a bunch of games to the "dregs" it would of been, "This team can't even beat bottom dwellers they're going nowhere!!!!1!1!11" It's a lose-lose.

Not to mention looking at the record for those 10 games and seeing 4-4-2 doesn't even tell the whole story. Have the Rangers been outplayed in every loss this post-season? Sometimes the better team loses.

 

[OverTheCap]

Brad Richards is a top playmaker in the league?

And how anyone can have faith in this organization is beyond me. I love this team, I root for them, I destroy my social life to schedule around their regular season and playoffs, but lets be realistic, this team winning the cup was a pipe dream at best.

Yeah, he hasn't been a top playmaker in the league in years. 31 assists is barely top 100 in the league, he is on par with the likes of Clarke MacArthur and Andrew Ladd.

We have a decent team but not one good enough to win a cup. No legitimate 1st line center, no elite offensive defensemen, our LW depth is thin and ideally Hagelin should be playing on the 3rd line. There are too many perimeter players in the top 9 and not enough who are willing to get their hands dirty and go to the high traffic areas.

 

[LORDE]

This team may not be constructed very well, but it's certainly better than they've been playing.

Sad.

No matter who puts the NYR jersey on, the scoring woes or brain dead plays, or a laughable PP follows.

Sad.

 

[mandiblesofdoom]

This time, will Sather get it through his head that he is not just one big "star" away from a championship?

He's been decent on the lower level players - Zucc, Pouliot, Boyle, Girardi, etc. But his decisions regarding stars seem desperate.

 

[Doctyl]

Because team's aren't built on paper.

And because saying that Brad Richards is "one of the top playmakers in the league" isn't true.

Because there's as a lot of puffery in your analysis.

When we signed Richards he was coming off a 77 point in 72 game 49 assist season and before that a 91 point full season with 67 assists. Again bringing a legit 1st line center in on paper was an excellent move. It just crashed and burned like every other attempt at getting a star player.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

When we signed Richards he was coming off a 77 point in 72 game 49 assist season and before that a 91 point full season with 67 assists. Again bringing a legit 1st line center in on paper was an excellent move. It just crashed and burned like every other attempt at getting a star player.

And Scott Gomez was coming off 60 points in 72 games.

And Chris Drury was coming off 69 points in 77 games.

So what can we learn? You don't build your team by just looking at stats. The GM refuses to do that.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

lol, yet on the other hand if they had gone 7-3 but lost a bunch of games to the "dregs" it would of been, "This team can't even beat bottom dwellers they're going nowhere!!!!1!1!11" It's a lose-lose.

Not to mention looking at the record for those 10 games and seeing 4-4-2 doesn't even tell the whole story. Have the Rangers been outplayed in every loss this post-season? Sometimes the better team loses.

The Rangers are not the better team in this series. They are a one trick pony. They have been all season.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

This team may not be constructed very well, but it's certainly better than they've been playing.

Sad.

No matter who puts the NYR jersey on, the scoring woes or brain dead plays, or a laughable PP follows.

Sad.

I dont know about that.

This team lacks versatility. Pittsburgh is taking away the middle of the ice and the Rangers have no answer for it.

The Rangers are a good to very good team - but when you get into the final 8 teams standing, you better have an answer when the opposition takes away your bread and butter.

 

[LORDE]

I dont know about that.

This team lacks versatility. Pittsburgh is taking away the middle of the ice and the Rangers have no answer for it.

The Rangers are a good to very good team - but when you get into the final 8 teams standing, you better have an answer when the opposition takes away your bread and butter.

I completely agree.

I still think they're better than they've played.

I honestly thought we would do better against Philly but I thought we would lose to Pitt.

Had Nash, MSL and the defense played even close to as good as I thought we could be moving on.

Renney, torts and now AV don't hav the answers to a forecheck that takes time away from us... Not have they ever built a PP that could be even close to a deterrent.

It's a pathetic mix of lacking personel, mental fortitude and bad tactics.

 

[BroadwayBlues]

They're missing elite talent. He tries to require it via trade/UFA because he refuses to suck for a couple of years. Quite a few fans on this board feel the same anti-tank way. I recall quite a few who wanted to sneak into the playoffs in the 09-10 season, instead of tanking for Seguin/Hall, when it was obvious the team wasn't that good. Talking about they don't want to "lose/waste a season".

 

[haveandare]

Faith? How about being realistic? Look at how the roster is constructed and look at the other teams. In a playoff series, it's different having to face the same team every game for two weeks. Sather said Marcel brings the Rangers closer. Lost to Boston in 5. On the verge of losing in 5 again. Wasted another season with the same garbage. The Garden sold their tickets. The players got paid their millions. 1 Cup in 74 years.

Being realistic, no one should ever expect their team to win. Realistically, there are 30 franchise of professional players, coaches, GMs, etc etc etc who all want to win the cup every single year. One of them does. One other one loses, but has a small accomplishment to hang their hat on by making the dance at all. The others all lose. Nobody's odds are good.

Look at our team and look at the Pens? Ok. The Rangers have a better defense and a better goalie. Their offense lacks the elite center talent that the Pens have, but has just as good, if not better depth in four lines. They're better in some ways and they're worse in other ways. Much like any playoff matchup, especially past the first round.

Another wasted year. The team sold their tickets. Again, that happens to every single team but one. What exactly is the implication behind all of this talk? Is this all some devious plot by players who don't want to win and management that doesn't want to win? It's not a devious plot, it's odds. 29 teams are full of losers at the end of every year. This Rangers team isn't a bad team. They're not executing this series, and it's killing them. Much like many of the other good teams that have been, and will be eliminated this year.

1 cup in 74 years. We're all very aware of that. That doesn't mean that nobody should ever have faith in their team and be excited going into the playoffs. For some people, this isn't something to get pissed off about or try to discourage others from enjoying. It's fun. It's entertainment. It's sport.

 

[East Coast Bias]

Sather is more a symptom of the issue rather than THE issue.

The issue is how Dolan sees the Rangers (and Knicks) as a part of his business.

It is well known that Optimum/Cablevision is a lucrative business. It's how papa Dolan made all this money, and how we got stuck with Billy Madison as MSG's dictator.

At the end of the day, the major money comes in from subscription fees paid by other cable providers (Comcast, Time Warner, etc) to carry the MSG networks. Every few years, that fee comes up for negotiation.

Dolan doesn't need to win the Cup yearly, he doesn't even need the Rangers to dominate. He just needs them to be relevant. He needs them to be marketable. It's why the Knicks & Rangers ALWAYS mortgage the future for now. It's not about whether St Louis is the key to us winning the cup. It's about how St Louis can be marketed and make the Rangers and MSG more "valuable."

This is why you don't see the Rangers ever "blow it up." The excuse is always that the fans in NY can't handle tanking or losing. BS. It's that the tv ratings will plummet, and MSG channels "brand" will take a major hit.

I'm not absolving Sather - he's a clown - but, this won't be solved by hiring a new GM tomorrow.

 

[nevesis]

I will continue to pray and hope that in some way JD will eventually become our GM.

 

[PlamsUnlimited]

No it won't but it would be a step in the right direction. However, owner and GM are sewn to one another.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

Sather is more a symptom of the issue rather than THE issue.

The issue is how Dolan sees the Rangers (and Knicks) as a part of his business.

It is well known that Optimum/Cablevision is a lucrative business. It's how papa Dolan made all this money, and how we got stuck with Billy Madison as MSG's dictator.

At the end of the day, the major money comes in from subscription fees paid by other cable providers (Comcast, Time Warner, etc) to carry the MSG networks. Every few years, that fee comes up for negotiation.

Dolan doesn't need to win the Cup yearly, he doesn't even need the Rangers to dominate. He just needs them to be relevant. He needs them to be marketable. It's why the Knicks & Rangers ALWAYS mortgage the future for now. It's not about whether St Louis is the key to us winning the cup. It's about how St Louis can be marketed and make the Rangers and MSG more "valuable."

This is why you don't see the Rangers ever "blow it up." The excuse is always that the fans in NY can't handle tanking or losing. BS. It's that the tv ratings will plummet, and MSG channels "brand" will take a major hit.

I'm not absolving Sather - he's a clown - but, this won't be solved by hiring a new GM tomorrow.

Assuming this is true (and I don't know if I think it is), it doesn't preclude Sather (or any other would-be GM) from building and organizational philosophy. It doesn't preclude them from being better at talent evaluation on both the amateur and professional levels.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Sather is more a symptom of the issue rather than THE issue.

The issue is how Dolan sees the Rangers (and Knicks) as a part of his business.

It is well known that Optimum/Cablevision is a lucrative business. It's how papa Dolan made all this money, and how we got stuck with Billy Madison as MSG's dictator.

At the end of the day, the major money comes in from subscription fees paid by other cable providers (Comcast, Time Warner, etc) to carry the MSG networks. Every few years, that fee comes up for negotiation.

Dolan doesn't need to win the Cup yearly, he doesn't even need the Rangers to dominate. He just needs them to be relevant. He needs them to be marketable. It's why the Knicks & Rangers ALWAYS mortgage the future for now. It's not about whether St Louis is the key to us winning the cup. It's about how St Louis can be marketed and make the Rangers and MSG more "valuable."

This is why you don't see the Rangers ever "blow it up." The excuse is always that the fans in NY can't handle tanking or losing. BS. It's that the tv ratings will plummet, and MSG channels "brand" will take a major hit.

I'm not absolving Sather - he's a clown - but, this won't be solved by hiring a new GM tomorrow.

Maybe 4 courses with JB Shmoove can carry the slack.

 

[aufheben]

Faith? How about being realistic? Look at how the roster is constructed and look at the other teams. In a playoff series, it's different having to face the same team every game for two weeks. Sather said Marcel brings the Rangers closer. Lost to Boston in 5. On the verge of losing in 5 again. Wasted another season with the same garbage. The Garden sold their tickets. The players got paid their millions. 1 Cup in 74 years.

For some reason, people refuse to do this.

 

[charliemurphy]

Sather is more a symptom of the issue rather than THE issue.

The issue is how Dolan sees the Rangers (and Knicks) as a part of his business.

It is well known that Optimum/Cablevision is a lucrative business. It's how papa Dolan made all this money, and how we got stuck with Billy Madison as MSG's dictator.

At the end of the day, the major money comes in from subscription fees paid by other cable providers (Comcast, Time Warner, etc) to carry the MSG networks. Every few years, that fee comes up for negotiation.

Dolan doesn't need to win the Cup yearly, he doesn't even need the Rangers to dominate. He just needs them to be relevant. He needs them to be marketable. It's why the Knicks & Rangers ALWAYS mortgage the future for now. It's not about whether St Louis is the key to us winning the cup. It's about how St Louis can be marketed and make the Rangers and MSG more "valuable."

This is why you don't see the Rangers ever "blow it up." The excuse is always that the fans in NY can't handle tanking or losing. BS. It's that the tv ratings will plummet, and MSG channels "brand" will take a major hit.

I'm not absolving Sather - he's a clown - but, this won't be solved by hiring a new GM tomorrow.

Bingo!!!
This is why I hardly chime in after games or about trades going bad.
Ranger fans have to get it into their heads that it starts and ends at the top. The sooner they do the sooner they'll realize what realistic expectations are and that is to sell tickets and merchandise. Dolan (along with far too many other team owners are of all sports) is not interested in winning. It comes down to the bottom line. If you build a team that will be a playoff contender year in and year out then its good enough.
Dolan has no interest in rebuilding from scratch. If you've listened to him speak you'll quickly realize that he must have just woken up from another all night drinking binge after rocking out all night with his classic RnR cover band. You clearly get a sense that MSG was given to him by his father to conceal the embarrassment of the family name he would get if he had to go out into the real world.
If you really want to see a change in regards to the Rangers, the best thing Ranger fans can do is boycott Cablevision entirely. Don't go to games. Don't buy any merchandise. Switch cable providers. And throwing a few rally's outside MSG wouldn't hurt either.
Chanting "Fire Sather" or whoever does absolutely nothing when the game is sold out. That chant with an empty arena, loss in merchandise sales and subscribers... thats when it will get into his head. But that won't happen.
Ranger fans just have to hope that Gorton has a lot of pull in Sather's ear and that he or someone like John Davidson returning to takeover.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Assuming this is true (and I don't know if I think it is), it doesn't preclude Sather (or any other would-be GM) from building and organizational philosophy. It doesn't preclude them from being better at talent evaluation on both the amateur and professional levels.

Although it would make Sather a true fan if he developed a classic winning hockey environment, the New York Rangers have been in top 3 for the value of a NHL franchise for at least a decade. The franchise is currently valued at ~$850 million. The Rangers are only behind the Toronto Maple Leafs who are valued at $1.15 billion. Forbes noted that after "the garden transformation," MSG generates more revenue from premium seating than any other NHL team.

Quite frankly, Dolan may think Sather is great!

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

Quite frankly, Dolan may think Sather is great!

I'm sure he does. Gary Bettman told him so.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

Bingo!!!
This is why I hardly chime in after games or about trades going bad.
Ranger fans have to get it into their heads that it starts and ends at the top. The sooner they do the sooner they'll realize what realistic expectations are and that is to sell tickets and merchandise. Dolan (along with far too many other team owners are of all sports) is not interested in winning. It comes down to the bottom line. If you build a team that will be a playoff contender year in and year out then its good enough.
Dolan has no interest in rebuilding from scratch. If you've listened to him speak you'll quickly realize that he must have just woken up from another all night drinking binge after rocking out all night with his classic RnR cover band. You clearly get a sense that MSG was given to him by his father to conceal the embarrassment of the family name he would get if he had to go out into the real world.
If you really want to see a change in regards to the Rangers, the best thing Ranger fans can do is boycott Cablevision entirely. Don't go to games. Don't buy any merchandise. Switch cable providers. And throwing a few rally's outside MSG wouldn't hurt either.
Chanting "Fire Sather" or whoever does absolutely nothing when the game is sold out. That chant with an empty arena, loss in merchandise sales and subscribers... thats when it will get into his head. But that won't happen.
Ranger fans just have to hope that Gorton has a lot of pull in Sather's ear and that he or someone like John Davidson returning to takeover.

Exactly!

Even if Sather is out of touch, and Gorton could be the savior, do you really think he will be able to man up and call out this entire organization?

Get real! If he stepped on enough toes, he be sent packing quickly.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

I'm sure he does. Gary Bettman told him so.

I'm not sure what you are trying to say.

If you are saying that Dolan doesn't know **** about hockey, I agree.

But if Dolan doesn't give a **** about hockey, and he only cares about profit, why would he do anything to destabilize his revenue stream?

 

[Blueshirt Special]

I'm still in.

It ain't over til it's over.

I made a commitment and I'm sticking with it.

I STILL like the MSL trade. That doesn't mean I like Sather or other moves he's made.

We'll see what happens.

FYI I haven't read 95% of the posts since the last game because I'm chairing an event today so...

 

[Trxjw]

Some people seem to think that there is a mandate from Dolan to spend money at all costs to build a winner. Let's assume that's true, despite the fact that it goes against sound business practices. Spending money isn't the same thing as wasting it, and that's exactly what Sather has done in his time here.

He's spent so much money and received so little return that I can't for a minute begin to think that Dolan has any sort of say into day-to-day operations of the team, let alone giving him a mandate to spend money. In the 15 years Sather has been here, he could have completed two major rebuilds of the team and likely had more success than he's had to date. Instead, he kept trying to buy a team instead of building one.

 

[RangerBoy]

Dolan is still praising Sather for the McDonagh trade. The statute of limitations have run out on that trade. Sather is the hockey expert. 14 years. Ed Snider moved out Holmgren yesterday and installed Hextall as the Flyers new GM. Holmgren is now team president. He had 7 years. They won almost 60% of their games and went to a Cup final in 2010 and lost the ECF in 2008. Sather has been to one ECF. Nothing else.