The Rangers need to follow Neil Smith's model between 1989 and 1994. Smith inherited all the Patrick/Espo youth like Leetch, Richter, Amonte, Mallette, Dahlen, Turcotte, Granato, Miller.
The first thing he did was give them a chance, and in 1989 they stunk the first half of the season. Then he made the Nicholls blockbuster (Nicholls had 70 goals the year prior) at a very high price (Granato and Sandstrom were dynamic but both struggling).
IIRC Bernie joined the team and they hit the road and won huge games in LA and in Edmonton. The trade was a success, but adding Gartner for Dahlen made them a legit threat, all with Leetch having a miserable season.
Still, that Nicholls trade is what started making the Rangers a serious Cup threat. They won the division in 1990, should have won in 1991, and won President's trophies in 1992 and 1994. Anybody who followed the team back then is lying their ass off if they deny how dominant and fun to watch those teams were.
The Rangers need to start parting with their youth. They arent going to Cup contend with what they have. Even if the window is only 5-7 years old, they need to go for it.
And there's this misconception that 1994 gutted the team. It didnt. The trades Smith made after 1994 gutted the team. A defense of Zubov, Leetch, Beukeboom and Norstrom would have been one of the league's best. Smith was greedy and it cost him.
Seriously. Start cutting the cord. We all love prospects and original Rangers but this isnt working. Keep Henrik, keep McDonagh, keep Kreider and keep Staal. Everybody else, including Callahan, should be put on watch.
some fans think by trading picks is the way to build a championship... lets keep trading prospects for the next overpaid player 
im glad some of these fans arent the gm of this team, they would be no future prospects or draft picks... Eberle good player but so overpaid... no thanks.
