Grading Glen
This probably won’t be a popular post because of the end result. Seeing as camp isn’t far away and with the off-season all bar over (Marc Staal aside) I thought it would be worth grading everyone’s favourite hockey recluse, Glen Sather.
Good Glen
- Addressing needs: signing Alex Frolov and Marty Biron to address flaws on the team with low risk, low cap deals.
- Drafting to need; the 2010 draft featured size and players were picked by organisational need. Not every need was addressed in the draft but many were.
- Something for Nothing; Brashear’s cap headache was removed, and Todd White a potentially useful part was added. If White doesn’t pan out he doesn’t affect the cap like Brashear.
- Being pro active and getting Ryan McDonagh and Derek Stepan under contract quickly while making a play to get Chris Kreider under wraps. Sather seems to be backing up his word by trying to bring in the youth.
- Sensible deals for Prust and Christensen.
Bad Glen
- The Girardi deal; Dan Giardi got too much dollar, even if it bought into his UFA years. A bad season prior should not warrant a 100% pay rise regardless.
- Marc Staal; yes Glen, we appreciate there was a ‘chasm’ but the team’s best defenseman shouldn’t still be without contract. Sather’s consistent mishandling of RFA’s is baffling and unnecessary.
- Derek Boogaard’s contract. Hate the deal, not the player.
The Jury’s out Glen
- Eminger for Voros; another case of acquiring something for nothing, if Eminger plays well this is a good move but if rumour is true, adding Eminger meant missing out on solid bruiser Shane Morrisonn which counts as a negative.
- Did we really need to share an affiliate with the Flyers?
- If PA Parenteau becomes Matt Moulson II on long Island, consider it egg on face.
- Will much sought after Mats Zuccarello-Aasen be another Euro flop (see Ambuhl, Andreas) or the next free agent Euro to make an NHL impact?
And the Grade is?…
Players were allowed to leave, relationships were forged (welcome Greenville), and camps were held with the underlying theme of roster transformation. Competition seems legit and not a single move Sather has made this summer burns the team long term. If certain players do well (hello Frolov) they have the opportunity to become core parts of the Rangers going forward.
This has been Sather’s best off season for a very long time, perhaps ever as Rangers GM. There seems to be a plan in place and reasoning behind every move. Sather gets a B+ at the moment. This may have been higher had he already resolved Staal’s situation and paid less for Dan Girardi’s renewal. If Sather really does admit to the biggest mistake of his managerial career and banishes Redden in camp then Sather will have redeemed himself to a degree.
By Dave, August 24, 2010 @ 11:15 am
I agree with pretty much everything here. I don’t think that letting Parenteau go is a big deal, he was never going to get playing time here, especially with the MZA signing. As for Voros, he clearly had no further role on the team, so getting a good veteran and locker room presence in Eminger to (presumably) replace Redden is a solid deal.
jurgenno88 Reply:
August 24th, 2010 at 11:51 am
Other than Boogy’s deal it really is hard to criticise. Yes, there’s a few question marks and I don’t like Girardi’s deal but the focus remains long term and there is still plenty of opportunity for the youth. Nothing Sather did this summer is detrimental long term. If anything, assuming Frolov pans out he has added good veteran scoring that can help ease-in the kids over the coming years.
As hard as it is to accept, this year wasn’t about competing with Philly, the Pens and jersey in the Atlantic but positioning the team to be on an even footing long term. he’s begun to do that.
By jack, August 24, 2010 @ 11:58 am
I would have given him an A but when u see James Wisniewski going to the Islanders for a 3rd, you have to wonder why he didn’t inquire about that player…who is very good, offensive, mean and still young.
jurgenno88 Reply:
August 24th, 2010 at 12:09 pm
its a valid point, Wisniewski is a solid player but saying that… maybe Sather was finally cost conscious? if he truly wants Ryan McD to make an impact, getting (an at best) 2nd pair guy with a 3m salary isn’t a great idea even for a 3rd pick.
jurgenno88 Reply:
August 24th, 2010 at 12:09 pm
its a valid point, Wisniewski is a solid player but saying that… maybe Sather was finally cost conscious? if he truly wants Ryan McD to make an impact, getting (an at best) 2nd pair guy with a 3m salary isn’t a great idea even for a 3rd pick.
jack Reply:
August 24th, 2010 at 12:20 pm
i think he only has a 1 year deal….plus, I would view Wisniewski as an upgrade over rozy and cheaper.
jurgenno88 Reply:
August 24th, 2010 at 12:35 pm
perhaps, I like Wisniewski too… but you have to rid that 5m contract first and anyway, Rosi improved a lot 2nd half of last year.
Dave Reply:
August 24th, 2010 at 1:08 pm
Rosi is very under appreciated by Ranger fans. He was the best defenseman on the team not named Staal last year.
Dave Reply:
August 24th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
I think that the Rangers were looking to dump a spare part to get a 7th defenseman, as it would be less of a cap hit to have just Eminger as opposed to Wisniewski and Voros.
By Jordan, August 24, 2010 @ 12:52 pm
I think this grade is a little high for one reason, Marc Staal.
Without him, everyone shifts up a spot and that makes the solid unit a below average unit.
Jordan Reply:
August 24th, 2010 at 12:53 pm
With that said however, if Sather somehow ends this crap and signs Staal to a good contract, I’d give him a B+ or higher.
jurgenno88 Reply:
August 24th, 2010 at 1:10 pm
the Staal situation is definitely a blotch on his record at present. Hard to criticise too much without knowing the negotiations though. still… get him signed!
By Dave, August 24, 2010 @ 1:18 pm
I don’t think the Staal thing is that big of a deal just yet. There are a ton of high profile RFAs that are still unsigned. It’s not like Staal is the only one out there not signed.
Brian Reply:
August 24th, 2010 at 6:00 pm
Exactly, there is nothing wrong with letting other teams set the bar for a change and he didn’t handle Dubi nor is he handling Staal any differently than he should. Why does everyone assume that the problem is Sather when we have no idea what Orr/Staal is asking for?
Jordan Reply:
August 25th, 2010 at 10:04 am
If Staal is asking for an unacceptable price, Sather should look elsewhere.
By The Suit, August 24, 2010 @ 1:43 pm
I agree that this has been one of Sather’s best summers as Rangers GM. It’s funny that it took the man to not through a lot of dollars around to finally get that distinction.
He’s always been good at drafting and he’s always made some good trades, it’s free agency that has killed him and he seems to have finally got it right.
jurgenno88 Reply:
August 24th, 2010 at 2:21 pm
free agency is definitely his Achilles heel. though you can argue that was pretty good this year too.
By Dave, August 24, 2010 @ 2:47 pm
An interesting look at some of Sather’s contracts: all except Hank, Gaborik, Boogaard and Redden expire before the new CBA. Both Redden and Boogaard can be sent to Hartford if necessary.
Just something interesting to note.
Dave Reply:
August 24th, 2010 at 3:23 pm
Forgot Girardi, but he’s on this list too.
By jack, August 24, 2010 @ 3:22 pm
I don’t think someone who makes $5 million a year and scores 23 points is under appreciated. To me he is a cap killer, soft and his ineffective quarterbacking the power play was a direct result of signing Redden. Wisniewski is younger, scored more points and played fewer games.
Until the Rangers rid themselves of the killer 3…then we will not be able to compete with the elite teams and also prevent us from signing elite players. The more I think about it…I want to give Sather an F for 10 years of failure.
RangerSmurf Reply:
August 25th, 2010 at 9:08 am
Rozsival was coming off consecutive seasons of 20 and 18 PP points. Redden was signed in addition to, not because of him.
Points are not the only mark of a defenseman. It’s true that for $5m, he should be providing more than 23, but you’ll also note that if you take out the special teams, here’s how many points Rozsival has gotten you:
18, 18, 18, 14, 18.
So it’s not like his ES production is a mystery. The addition of MDZ was as much a factor in Rozsival dipping to 23 as anything.
By Mikeyyyy, August 24, 2010 @ 3:58 pm
I give sather an A-
He gets the – for still having dreary, and redden on the roster.
You should also remember that he got us through a transition. From defensive club to building an offensive club. That’s not half bad. Only dreary, dubi, and cally remain from that time and we have a good homegrown d Corp. It’s been two years and I am happy with where we are going.
With players like grachev, Stefan, mcdonough, pashnin, kreider, and aasen on the horizon, they will become a powerhouse in the east in two years.
Bravo Glen, keep up the good work.
Jordan Reply:
August 25th, 2010 at 10:03 am
This team isn’t offensive by any stretch of the imagination.
And Grachev, Stepan, McDonough, Kreider, etc. have yet to play a game at the NHL level. Let’s see them do well at the AHL level before we give the Rangers the Atlantic.
Mikeyyyy Reply:
August 25th, 2010 at 10:49 am
Compared to the rangers under Renney, they are.
And we are talking about a team in transition.
And in two years I say they make it as a top 4 team in the east.
Prospects are good and doing well in their development so far. We have good players. We barely missed the playoffs.
I guess your a glass is half empty kind of person.
Jordan Reply:
August 25th, 2010 at 3:10 pm
Goals per game from 2003-2004 (beginning of Renney) to present:
2.51 (Sather & Renney)
3.05
2.84
2.50
2.44 (Renney & Torts)
2.67
The numbers speak for themselves.
By Brian, August 24, 2010 @ 6:24 pm
I second the A-, Yes he has made some awful UFA signings in previous years, but this offseason is a strong indication that he is truly making a commitment to building from within and adding complementary UFA pieces when the price is right. Frolov, Biron excellent moves, Boogard – should have been for no more than 1 mil but if he takes care of business then the fans will be okay with it. And the Eminger deal was an excellent move considering Voros had no place on this team regardless. The Todd White trade for Trashear and Rissmiller is icing on the cake.
Dave Reply:
August 25th, 2010 at 9:20 am
It’s interesting though, because Boogaard turned down more money from the Oilers.
I like the Boogaard signing, even at that price, but I do not like the fact it is a four year deal.
Brian Reply:
August 25th, 2010 at 10:11 am
Is 4 years for a 28 year-old player that bad? Would a 2 year or 3 year deal be better? I know this move was panned by the media as outrageous but there is a short list of heavyweights in this league and considering our divisional rivalries I see a need for a player like Boogard.
I wasn’t aware that of the Oilers offer – more money really? Maybe the demand for his services was higher than what we thought.
jurgenno88 Reply:
August 25th, 2010 at 10:23 am
there’s definitely a need for his sort in the Atlantic this year. Bringing him in isn’t a bad idea, the term is the issue but i suppose he can easily be waived as he’s under 35 if he is no longer of use.
By patrick, August 25, 2010 @ 8:07 am
Jurg88-you are one of the few people who have shown objectivity in regards to slats. Nice post
jurgenno88 Reply:
August 25th, 2010 at 10:07 am
Thanks Patrick. At times i can be a bit too ‘glass half full’ but i always try and be objective. I dont like 90% of what Sather has done in NY but you have to also give credit where (and when) its due.
By jerry, August 25, 2010 @ 12:05 pm
look ive said this before the boogyman contract a little too much, yes but the first time he pummels someone for taking a run at one of our stars we will forget about it and cheer for him and love the guy.and 4 years isnt bad when hes 28 years old.im getting his jersey for opening night.
jurgenno88 Reply:
August 25th, 2010 at 12:24 pm
not that I will be getting one, but you definitely wont be the only one with a Boogaard jersey!
By Fotiu is God, August 25, 2010 @ 12:21 pm
A stick-tap for fairness as much as foresight, Jurgenno.
I, too, lined up with a few posters here, advocating for Detroit-born James Wisniewski, and, to a lesser extent, Shoane Morrison. But the math, as you deigned, for what amounted to a second pair D-man made little sense. Especially once Dan Girardi was resigned.
Frolov and Biron represented solid, if not cost-expedient pickups.
Moreover, should Todd White put up numbers close to what he bagged in Minnesota, or develop chemistry with Gabby, this acquisition might be Slats’ best.
Bobby Sanguinetti to the ‘Canes? We’ll have to wait that one out.
At times, P.A. Parenteau’s play intrigued. But unlike Matt Moulson, who’s been John Tavares’ wingman–literally and figuratively–since childhood, I don’t see him elevating his game on The Island.
The reality is P.A., as a third or fourth liner will suit up alongside solidly AHL-level Fishsticks.
Give Dane Byers a good long look. I think we might have another Dubi: good size, relatively decent hands and, above all, someone who sticks up for teammates. (Sorry, but there’s no erasing the image of Schultz-Rolfe II: Girardi slowly passing through frame as Carcillo bombs aweigh on Gabby… We need to rid the Blueshirts of that culture.)
Building around our youthful, dynamic core, I’d gladly accept a .500 season if it means not rushing Stepan, McDonough, Krieder, Werek, Thomas, McIlrath, Niemi (perhaps another steal?) Pashnin…
The kids will be alright.
jurgenno88 Reply:
August 25th, 2010 at 12:30 pm
i hear you about Sanguinetti but his star was fading in NY and at least we got assets back. However it falls under bad pick territory now.
Niemi could be a nice pick up. He has tools, lets see how his next year goes. He does have question marks. I agree that Byers deserves a long look but i have my concerns. If he doesnt make the team out of camp i think his time has passed in NY.
Im all for not rushing the kids. if they are ready, sure throw them in but please… no more Lundmark’s and Malhotra’s.