New York Rangers need a rebuild with a new GM
The New York Rangers are in desperate need of a rebuild if they wish to be successful in the post-season. The team has struggled trying to get past the conference semi-finals since their Stanley Cup in 1994.
Roster
One could argue that no one has signed worse contracts then general manager Glen Sather over the last five years. He signed Scott Gomez to a ridiculous $7 million contract and could not have been happier when the Montreal Canadiens were willing to take it off his hands.
In addition he signed washed up defenseman Wade Redden to a $6.5 million contract that still has four years left on it. To make matters worse he has Chris Drury locked up for another two years at over $7 million. Not to mention the fact that Michael Rozsival is paid $5 million for another two years.
All these signings have made it difficult for Sather to put together a decent roster. He signed Marian Gaborik last year to a $7.5 million contract. Unlike Drury and the rest, Gaborik is worth this kind of money, but it adds to the fact that the Rangers are always in a salary cap crunch. With four players totalling nearly half of the salary cap, it has become difficult for Sather to ice a productive side, and it shows.
After Drury and Gaborik the roster falls off, the next best player being defenceman Marc Staal who is a restricted free agent and is currently unsigned.
Up front this team is pretty embarrassing with Alexander Frolov likely playing on the teams top line, and it only gets worse from there.
The defence is hampered by Redden who does nothing but take up space on the back end. Daniel Girardi, Staal, and Michael Del Zotto are quality defenseman, but they are surrounded but average to bad players.
The only place the Rangers do not have to worry is in net. Henrik Lundqvist is perhaps the best goaltender in the league, while back-up Martin Biron is well versed in the position.
How to Fix the Roster
In order to really fix the squad and its roster the Rangers brass need to let go of Sather, who does not seem to have adapted to the new NHL. The Rangers need to look in another direction, one that is not simply randomly filling a line-up every off-season.
The team is locked into a couple large contracts, but they also have three contracts expiring at the end of the year, and it is important that they let them walk. Frolov, newly acquired Todd White, and Vaclav Prospal need to be let go at the end of the season. However, if the Rangers are able to get anything for them at the trade deadline that would be a better option.
The team is really at a turning point because over the next two years they have another six players that will become free agents. The ownership group needs to recognize this and hire a new GM, giving him enough time to change the culture of the organization.
Players like Drury, Rozsival and Sean Avery do not seem to be part of the winning formula, and it is time to admit that and move on.
Youth
Like any rebuild it starts with youth and draft picks. The Blueshirts are lucky to have a very good group of young defenceman on their squad. Girardi, Del Zotto and Staal are the future of the franchise, and they need to be locked up long term while the forward core is being built.
The Rangers need more youth up front, as the forward core is almost entirely devoid of it. However, that can be easily solved through trades for youngsters, and holding on to their draft picks.
The Rangers are going to have to change their approach if they plan to get back to the Stanley Cup. Patch work simply will not cut it any more in the city that never sleeps, and neither does handing out oversized contracts. The Rangers need to develop the talent they have to become a contender.
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