My biggest gripe coming into this season was that the team lost its identity. Now the architect of the identity built up over the last few years is gone which means the Rangers are basically building a new culture from scratch yet again, and to be honest they haven't really had an identity since before the 2004 lockout, way before. Anyone who didn't love last years team must not really like hockey or the Rangers that much, a team that fought and bled for each other and put team first over individual.
I don't know how any Ranger fan can genuinely feel that Torts deserved to go after a second round loss this season, and one season removed from an OT loss in game 6 of the Conference finals - the first conference finals appearance for the franchise since 1997. (That was before Glen Sather)
No training camp, Staal out for most of the year and the playoffs, Richards being Gomez, the heart of the team lost in the offseason without adequate replacement- Feds, Dubi, Prust. These are not the coaches fault.
Stability is the problem. There is none with this team. Except for one person, Glen Sather. I won't get into a rant about him but he's the one that needs to go plain and simple. 13 years OTJ and 1 conference finals appearance, what 3 second round appearances?
To me next season was the put up or shut up season, not this half b@stard of a season with half of a new roster, and then another half of a new roster again by the trade deadline. Say what you want about blocking shots, the PP, the inept offense, the line combos, because I really believe that most fans have forgotten the Renney years, let alone the Muckler years, and I almost vomit at mentioning the Trottier year.
This won't be a magic wand wiping away all of the flaws of this poorly constructed team, regardless of what those flaws may have been. It could get worse before it gets better.
Edit:
One more thing, Sather was behind the bench before the 2004 lockout. Right before he blew the team up. Should've been fired then and there.
