Truthfully, this whole coach search just feels like we're all looking for the magic spell that allows us to not be stuck in mediocrity for another decade.
I just don't know how anything changes if Dolan and/or Sather can meddle whenever they desire. We short circuited the rebuild. We tried to win without feeding our young players the proper ice time and opportunities. More importantly, we're not building around those kids. We're not bringing in any players to play with them at all. We're bringing in players to maybe fit with Panarin or Zib. We'll literally never know what we have in the kids as long as they're on the team unless we start making decisions that center their development. At best, their development is a, "...and we also need to think about developing the kids."
The promise of the rebuild was that we wouldn't end up being the Minnesota Wild, Winnipeg Jets or Calgary Flames. That we'd actually bother to properly rebuild and not be a perennial one-round playoff team doomed to never win and never pick above pick 12.
But here we here. And it's because Dolan always needs the shiny toy. He needs Panarin during a rebuild. He needs Patrick Kane on a bad hip for 2 months of jersey sales. For his other pet project, he needs Julius Randle during a rebuild. Our owner is Kendall f'ing Roy. The chances of us winning ever are so slim. At best is 1/32 every year. But with him meddling constantly it's like 1/320.
Don't you know when Jeff Gorton took over in MTL, his biggest condition was "I'll do the job if you promise me you won't meddle like Jim Dolan."
If I were Chris Drury or anyone in upper management, I would just send Dolan pictures of rare expensive watches and yachts all day just to keep him distracted.
On the Up In The Blue Seats podcast Larry Brooks said this season's failure was one of the most disappointing seasons he can remember in 50+ years. I tend to agree with him. It's not that they lost to NJD. They are a worthy opponent. It's how they completely lost their way this season and completely derailed whatever plan was in place. I've been through some very dark seasons as a Rangers fan, but I've never felt so befuddled, betrayed and disappointed. And I'm not really angry at the players. I'm angry at management for trying to develop two separate cores at once. A veteran core (that wants nothing do with the kids) and a kid core that doesn't get the opportunity to fail and grow.
If the Rangers went with a coach who's primary focus was on transitioning away from #10 and to #13 and #24. And someone who could install a system to help #79 and #4 flourish and build confidence, I might feel better about this team. There are simply not enough spots, cap space or otherwise to build around two different cores. It's sustainable for a season or two, but it's not a vision, it's like feeding two teenagers with enough food for one baby. But it seems like they're #1 goal is winning a stanley cup. And it sounds like this hire better result in a stanley cup or the entire Drury Regime is out in 1 or 2 seasons. Given that, I don't know what to feel other than a pretty strong sense of despair with just a tiny dash of optimism.
Finally, who the F goes through a rebuild, doesn't give the kids you draft much responsibility or PP time and then tells the whole team, you need to win the cup right now even though the kids are 21, 22 and 23. It's absurd. NYR are pretty much a laughing stock org amongst any truly thoughtful hockey fan. And deservedly so until Dolan is gone. (And yes I'll take my chances with a non-Kendall Roy option).
