The decision of the New York Rangers general manager Glen Sather to hire Bryan Trottier as the team's next coach is a bold choice -- and hardly the safest route to take.

For a team such as the Rangers, a veteran coach such as Ken Hitchcock, Pat Burns or even Herb Brooks would have been a safer choice. In Trottier, Sather is not just getting a first-year NHL coach, which is always risky, but he's also putting Trottier in a very curious and unique position with the problems presented in New York.

First of all, there is just the general status of the Rangers, compared to the other teams in the East such as Carolina, which is now in the Stanley Cup finals, and the Islanders, who are on their way up as a playoff contender. The Rangers haven't made a move toward the top or even a move to make themselves into a playoff qualifier.

Second, there is a very curious mix of players. Trottier may have had some experience with difficult superstars in Pittsburgh, such as Jaromir Jagr, but it will be far different in New York trying to coach players such as Eric Lindros and Pavel Bure. True, while in Colorado, Trottier dealt with stars such as Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg. But those two personalities are far different, and it's easier to sell the concept of defense to defensive players such as Forsberg and Sakic, than it will be to Lindros and Bure.

Then, too, there is the matter of the captain, Mark Messier. Much has been made of the fact that Carolina coach Paul Maurice often leans on the veteran leadership of Ron Francis for assistance. That probably isn't going to be the case with a Hall of Famer such as Trottier. Trottier better hope and pray that Messier is on board with everything, because the Rangers captain has a lot of pull in the organization -- probably more pull than even a coach.

Finally, there is the matter of it just being the New York Islanders' Bryan Trottier. Many fans will look behind that Rangers bench and for at least a while, see only No. 19 from the New York Islanders. OK, the Rangers could have done something worse, like hire Denis Potvin as their coach. But after Potvin, Trottier is the guy who tormented them the most.

It's a lot to overcome for Trottier, but he's the kind of guy who can do it.

Give Glen Sather the credit for rolling the dice on this one. He did last summer with Eric Lindros, when the fans complained that they should have rather gone after Jagr. But for a long time, Lindros was among the best players in the NHL and finished the season strong.

Sather is not the kind of guy to listen to the criticism; he's going with this hunch. And this time he better be right, because it's hardly a safe route to winning.

Al Morganti covers the NHL for ESPN.