The NY Knicks made a big splash when they signed Carmelo Anthony to play for them. Last night's debut was a smashing success and anyone who saw it, either live or on TV, will attest to that. The Rangers need that kind of impact. The Rangers need that type of player. The Rangers need splash.
Now the Rangers are a nice group of players but does anyone recognize them on the streets of NY? Outside of Henrik Lundqvist and Sean Avery, most Rangers are unrecognizable. Lundqvist is 'The King' and is always dressed to the nines. Avery? Well Avery is Avery and will always be recognized.
Remember 1994? The Rangers won the Cup and the Knicks were one John Starks clang off the rim from winning the NBA championship. Mark Messier was 'The Star' of the Rangers and would often be seen at Knick games with the babe of the month on his arm. Anthony Mason, the rugged Knick forward, would often be at Ranger games strolling around the Garden in a Rangers jersey.
So the Rangers must go out and pick up a big name star, a guy to make some splash. But whom to get? Ovechkin? It would be easier to get congress to work 40 hours a week and take a paycut then get the Great O to come to NY? Syd the Kid? Naw. He is too much of a whinner. Steve Stamkos? Too bland. The Sedin twins? We can hardly afford one. Jerome Iginla? Interesting. He might be the one but it is a stretch.
I know. Fire the Stealth GM and coach disagreeable. That would be a big splash. Replace them with Mike Keenan as GM and Adam Graves as coach. What a novelty. A GM who actually knows hockey and a coach who would not have a problem talking to the press and respecting the fans. Now that would be a splash.
This may have been possible in the bad old days before the hard cap but it's ain't going to happen today nor should they even think about it. Trading for big names, except in the one exceptional case of Messier, do not produce winners in hockey, team cohesion, champion attitude. Hoops is a unique sport in that if you get two or three super players you immediately are a contender or if you lose as in the case of Cleveland just one, you are dead. Or take Duncan from the Spurs and what do you have? In hockey you need talent at all levels working in synch, otherwise it's a case of shut the door, they are coming through the window Draft choices are a different matter. Pittsburgh, Washington, Chicago, and now Tampa Bay dumped everyone, survived the horror stage, and it paid off big time. It doesn't always work, but that's your best route to splash. The second route, now being followed by the Rangers, is to build from within and judiciously add quality pieces. Detroit has been doing this for years. Winning the cups produces the splash, not the individual players, unless it's Gretzky or Orr in their prime or someone at that transcendent level.
I think trading for Jaromir Jagr in 2004 was a big splash. That move worked out. Jagr took the team on his back for 3+ years, 319 points in 277 games. Sure he had issues and the supporting cast was not good enough. Also, Renney as coach was a massive monkey wrench in making a decent playoff run. But, still I'd love to see a repeat of that sort of move.
Dov-Good points. However, sometimes you have to be bold and break away from the norm. The Rangers are in an endless progression of trying to make the playoffs with mixed results.
I agree with you that the ultimate splash is to win the Cup. Right now that is a far fetched dream for the Rangers.
jb-It doesn't look like that is going to happen again.
I think the biggest splash Sather can make is to not make a move. We're having a quality year with first and second year players. We have a bright future and where we lack, our own players/prospects can fill those voids. I know "patience" has run very thin with this fan base but this time we have quality players and better yet we have direction. So no splash, maybe just a ripple.
I wouldn't call this a quality year. Although I've enjoyed parts of it. The Rangers currently have 68 points, there are 17 teams with more points (6 in the East, and 11 in the West). They are all of 2 games above .500. I like the toughness and work ethic of the team, but it's painful to watch the offense sputter, with all too many weak shots from the perimeter. Another potential problem is that if the Rangers wait too long and try and build internally that Lundqvist's best years might be slipping away. He's already shown cracks this year. Maybe Sather should pass on a big move before the trade deadline, if nothing is there. But after their 1 round and out playoff I think a big off season move is due.