It's amazing how all of a sudden across Rangers Land confidence is soaring when it comes to the moves Sather has made this summer. The same fans who were calling for his head this past season, are now singing his praises after he shipped away Scott Gomez and his albatross contract and signed Marian Gaborik. The question I must ask is where did this new found confidence come from? This is the same GM who routinely since the lockout has overpaid and made severe miscalculations.

It's easy for Rangers fans to get excited about Marian Gaborik, he's a world class talent and is a helluva lot more entertaining to watch than anyone on last years squad. He's a game changer and the kind of player the Rangers lacked last season. He fits the bill as the prime time scorer but unfortunately is also one of the most notoriously injury prone players in the NHL over the course of his career. There is nothing that says his injury woes will disappear once he dons a Rangers sweater. As classic as the Rangers jersey is, last time I checked it didn't have any magical healing powers. Rangers fans are quick to point to the successful surgery he had that will alleviate his groin problems once and for all. Then there is also the fact that the Rangers medical staff examined and determined Gaborik as healthy and fit to play. That is all well and good, but Gaborik has yet to really prove to be healthy by playing a full season. Before the Rangers gave him a five year contract, I'm willing to bet that there weren't a lot of people out there who thought he would land big money. There was a strong contigency of people who believed that he would need to take a short term deal to prove himself.

This isn't to say that the Marian Gaborik is immediately determined to be a bad signing before he even steps foot on Garden ice. But what can be said is that this signing has a greater propensity towards failure than it does success. If Gaborik only manages to play 65 games (which is a little more than his average) or so a season than the Rangers have invested $7.5 million in cap space towards a 65 points. Gaborik's a point per game player, but when he only plays 65 games what good does that do? It's another case where the Rangers have shelled out a premium for mid-level production. They did it with Scott Gomez, Chris Drury and quite possibly (but lets hope not) Marian Gaborik will be added to the list.

It's easy to fall in love with talent, Rangers fans (myself included) marveled at the potential for Nikolai Zherdev just as we are now dreaming this summer about Gaborik wearing blue blazing down the right side and picking a corner on Martin Brodeur. But what needs to be taken into perspective is the risk involved. Throwing five years at a guy who played 17 games the previous season and has a long history of injuries is a reckless allocation of resources. It's a risk that the Rangers must absolutely hit on because they already have four large long term contracts in Redden, Rozsival, Lundqvist, and Drury.

This summer is no different than the past few years when Rangers fans saw the marque names come to Broadway and immediately envisioned a Stanley Cup. If there is anything that Rangers fans need to learn it's that free agency is russian roulette. When Scott Gomez and Chris Drury were signed in 2007 everyone prematurely popped with anticipation (pun intended).

They shouldn't worry in this neighborhood. Since the two free agents signed with New York, on July 1, the Garden faithful have been in a frenzy of anticipation: More than 96% of last year's season ticket-holders have re-upped for 2007-08, and those single-game tickets that were available sold out in an hour.

Even though this article is geared towards negativity, this isn't some far fetched frustration being voiced without reason. Marian Gaborik is an enormous risk and should be viewed as one. Don't let Sather off the hook so easily just because he managed to swindle a desperate Bob Gainey and tossed a big contract at a marque name.

Comments (11)

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written by D, August 14, 2009

Sorry but Gomez, Drury and Zherdev aren't even in Gaborik's league. He plays 70 games, he'll score 40 and you won't have much to say.

It's the other guys we need to concern ourselves with because how they perform including some of those kids on D will determine if this team has success.

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written by John Palumbo, August 14, 2009

Gomez had to go he wasn't going to be more than a second line center who may get you 55-65 points Gaborik is a risky move for sure but no risk no reward. marion's upside is light years above Gomez's. I doubt the Rangers are stupid enough not to have Gaborik fully checked befoer spending that kind of cash. And altought I think Sather had done a terrible job since he got here, he needed to go get a scorer and he got one of the best.

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written by Topher Jackson, August 14, 2009

Opportunities to add a player of Gaborik's ability come along very seldom. It was worth the risk. There are only a handful of players in the world on his level. Usually you have to finish last, draft first, and then wait - to have a threat like him on your team. Viewing this move in a microcosm (along with the Gomez trade) it has to be considered a success (at least for now). However, this in no way absolves Sather from past sins. He can only be judged by considering the entire body of work. Which IMO has not been good. Bad FA signings and bad drafts do not usually lead to long term success. Even pre-cap when being in New York gave him every advantage - he couldn't build a consistent winner. I do not consider myself a Sather basher, but a sober review of his results make him mediocre at best. I am however optimistic about this year and the current (and future) young core in place. Let's hope he finally gets it keeps them here.

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The Manic Ranger
written by R. McFadden, August 14, 2009

I'm not sure where the notion of me saying Gomez, Zherdev or Drury was in Gaborik's league came from. What I'm saying is is that Gaborik if he only plays 65 games or so is a point per game player which means his production will not warrant $7.5 mill per year, just as Gomez and Drury are not worth that kind of money.

Topher Jackson - great post. I don't consider myself a Sather basher either, but taking a look at his whole body of work and its completely baffling how he still has a job. Last summer was a complete and utter failure and I'm cautiously optimistic about his signings this summer. I'd be less concerned if the Rangers didn't already have big money tied up in Drury and Redden, but since they do the margin for error with a signing as big as Gaborik is little to none.

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written by lets go rangers, August 15, 2009

It's to soon to say anything about the rangers. It doesnt matter if you sign a player like ovechkin och a underachiving player like gomez. the most important thing for the team is chemistry among the players and the will to fight for their life. Do you remember a team of collage players that broke down a big red machine? They were not the best players available.. they were young and inexperienced.. but they still pulled it together and won.

I completly agree that sather isnt the best GM.. sometimes he even seems to have the intelligence of a 3 year old kid. and sure... bringin Gaborik to the rangers is a big risk.. but you have to remember that he is fully recovered and he is a big game changer. and dont say "what if".. sure.. Gaborik can get injured... so can lundqvist, dubinsky, drury and anyone else.. even tortorella can be hit by a car on the way to a game... but none of those tings have happend.. so please dont say what if.

Gaborik can become a real hero for the rangers.. or he can be the biggest mistake in the history of the nhl.. but we dont know anything yet.. only time will tell.

I do belive that rangers will have a good season. Anything can happen and i feel like were on the right track. We have some intresting prospects that might show the same fighting spirit that the "red machine collage players" has shown us in the past.

I think the rangers will show some real fighting spirit this year.. and as long as they're fighting and gives us their absolute best.. then i'm happy.

So please dont judge rangers moves to soon. Let time tell.

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The Manic Ranger
written by R. McFadden, August 15, 2009

Sure any player can get hurt. But Gaborik seemingly always is hurt, it's undeniable. It's to the point throughout his career where it's less of a what if and can almost be an inevitability. Saying what if is a realistic question. Teams need to cover themselves for foreseen future problems and Gaborik missing time to injury is a foreseeable risk. For that reason they should go and sign some depth scoring like Sykora, Tanguay, Bertuzzi, or Prospal (one year deals tho). "What if" is a legitimate concern when it comes to certain things and Gaborik getting injured is a legit concern.

You're dead on when you say chemistry is important but regardless of how they come together, the Rangers aren't even remotely similar to the 1980 team.

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written by lets go rangers, August 15, 2009

Dont get me wrong.. of course i agree on Gaborik beeing a risk. But just because he's been injured serveral times before doesnt mean he's gonna get injured this season. And even if he gets injured I dont think we're in deep shit. If Gaborik is gone then the other players have to step forward to fill his spot.
If we're gonna talk about what if gaborik gets injured, then we have to include how the team will react.. wich players have the potential to take a big step forward and fill his sport until he's back. Everyone that has played hockey knows that the best players are almost always in the first line.. and you always play with your best guys on the powerplay and in the end of the game. If you would put younger players like our new draftpicks Kreider and Bourque in that position they would grow just from the excitement. This happens very rarely but my point is that players grow when they're put in a harder position. That's how it was for the collageplayers in 1980. They werent near as good as soviet. It really was impossible for them to win... but they pulled it of.

I think if torts can build up the rangers team chemistry then it doesnt matter who you put up.

I think the rangers team last year was really good. But it was alot of individual mistakes that made last season a disapointment. Small mistakes on the blueline, some players wasnt focused enough when taking a shot. Rangers outshot the most teams.. but the couldnt score. we made mistakes on the blueline giving the other team scoringchances.. the diffenence was that the other teams scored.. we didnt. So why didnt we score? I think it's because of low team chemisty and low confidence.

Gaborik will bring great scoring ability. And I belive that Torts can build up the team chemistry.. so if Gaborik gets injured the team will be ready to pull it together without him.

I totally agree that we need more depth to the team. I would love to see Tanguay on the team. I havent followed the cap this year.. but wouldnt signing a player like Tanguay or bertuzzi mean that we've reached the cap? And that in return would mean that we have to use our AHL defencemen?

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The Manic Ranger
written by R. McFadden, August 15, 2009

Kreider and Bourque aren't even options for the next two seasons or so. If Gaborik goes down, the Rangers are essentially the same mediocre team as last year with a bit more scoring ability. If Gaborik goes down, naturally they won't have a single player to fill his role, they will have to share the load between Drury, Cally, Dubi, Higgins, and Kotalik. There isn't a whole lot of scoring there which is why signing a Petr Sykora could make sense.

In terms of the cap, Bertuzzi, Sykora, and Prospal can be had for between 1-2 million. They could fit them under the cap and still sign a defenseman. Tanguay on the other hand I'm not so sure about. He also might be taking more than a one year deal.

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written by lets go rangers, August 15, 2009

Sorry if you understood me. I didnt mean that we would even have Kreider or Bourque on the team. But i would like to see rangers letting them play a game or to in the fourth or third line. My point was that players grow under pressure. As would the whole team if Gaborik is injured. Is that enough? probebly not. But we wont know for sure until it happens.

Thats why i think it's pointless to say what if

Lets say gabby plays 70-80 games (please god). Then we have a high scoring forward. Who should play center? Lets say we sign a more expensive player like Tangauy.. I would like to see Dubinsky with Gabby. and a first line with Tangauy, Dubinsky and Gabby sounds alright to me. Second line with Drury, Kotalik and callahan.

This of course would mean using AHL players as third defensive pair. I for one like to see rangers trying some young talents. We have all seen disapointing veterans coming to the rangers and underachive.

I think everything comes down to how Torts handles the team. If he can build up the teams confidence and chemistry.. Then we'll be dangerous

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written by Topher Jackson, August 15, 2009

Ryan - given a choice between those 3 (only cap space for one of them) I'll take Sykora. Tanguay wants more $ (although as options dwindle for Tanguay who knows what he'll end up signing for. Welcome to the cap era - patience may be a virtue here) Sykora would put up 60+ points if he gets a regular shift and is deadly in the shootout. Bertuzzi brings size, grit and toughness but we have enough big slow people to play on the fourth line.

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The Manic Ranger
written by R. McFadden, August 15, 2009

Agreed on Sykora, he's my choice of those guys. He's useless on defense but hes a lock for 20 goals and nice production on the power play. Tanguay wants too much money, for not much more production than sykora. The Rangers need a stop gap type goal scoring forward to make way for Grachev who I dont think is playing this season. They also need a scorer to cushion the possibility of Gaborik being injured.

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