Two Options

First, I would like to apologize for falling off the face of the Earth last week. Work got in the way.

With the Rangers loss last night against Phoenix, our beloved Blueshirts dropped to an even .500, losing five in a row, and to the #12 seed. Of course, two points separates #12 from #6, but the Rangers are still on the outside looking in as of this afternoon. With every upcoming game until the Olympic break against playoff bound teams (save for Tampa), this run of losing doesn’t appear to be ending anytime soon.

With Glen Sather being on the record as a buyer at the deadline, the Rangers really have two options:

The first, and probably the better option, is to play out these seven games before the break, and see where the Rangers stand.

Should the Rangers spin off a solid record, say 5-2, then most of us will have no problems if the Rangers look to make some minor deals to patch some holes, such as Ray Whitney. Sather, of course, should not be looking to make any major deals that would sacrifice the depth in the system. Prospects like Ryan McDonagh, Derek Stepan, Chris Kreider, Evgeny Grachev, and most of the current young roster player should be strictly off limits. However, considering the depth of the system, guys like Tomas Kundratek, who have promise but are buried by better prospects, or Michael Sauer who have no place in a Tortorella system, are expendable.

Of course, should the Rangers continue their losing ways, then they should be sellers. Vinny Prospal can fetch a decent return, comparable to what Ray Whitney should fetch. Christopher Higgins can get something, probably a mid-round pick.

Then there is the second option, which is to jump start the trading and make a splash now. The Flames and Rangers have been scouting each other, and with Dion Phaneuf off the market, it’s safe to assume that the scouts have been looking at other players, or that any deal is now dead. The Rangers and Thrashers aren’t really good trading partners, and with the limited cap space, any dreams of Kovalchuk to the Rangers are just dreams.

I don’t really see the second option as viable right now, especially with the Rangers in the tail spin that they are currently in. Management should be taking a long, hard look at this team, and see if band-aids can really help this team go far in the playoffs. The only way they can get this long look is by waiting out the next seven games, and see where the team stands at the break.

Wait and see is the best approach. No rash decisions. Boy, the next two weeks are going to be painful.