Glen Sather might have his man. Or he might not. He would know for sure if he'd call Larry Robinson back.

The New York Daily News reported Wednesday that Robinson called the Rangers general manager twice Tuesday to tell Sather his decision about New York's open head-coaching job.

Sather flew to Toronto last week to meet with Robinson before heading to Nashville for the NHL entry draft. Robinson, the former Devils head coach who has two years remaining on his contract with New Jersey, was given permission by the Devils to talk to the Rangers.

According to the newspaper, Sather didn't return Robinson's phone calls while away at a golf tournament and dinner in Westchester, N.Y.

"I left him two messages and he hasn't called me back," Robinson told the Daily News last night from his Ontario summer cottage. "I'm hoping he calls. But in my last message, I told him to just call me first thing (in the) morning."

Robinson wasn't necessarily concerned that the Rangers GM didn't immediately get back to him, and said Monday night that he has made up his mind. But he didn't reveal that decision to the newspaper.

"I don't think it would be right if I told you before I told Glen," he told the Daily News.

Robinson, a Hall of Fame defenseman, was an assistant coach on the Devils team that won the Stanley Cup in 1995, then coached the Los Angles Kings for four seasons.

He returned to take over the Devils for the final eight games of the 1999-2000 season and led the team to the Stanley Cup. He coached the Devils for one more season and then was replaced by Kevin Constantine in 2002. He returned to the team as an assistant coach and later became a consultant.

Sather took over behind the Rangers bench last season after firing Bryan Trottier. The Rangers went 11-10-4-3 with the GM doubling as coach. Sather said he had no timetable for hiring a coach and did not rule out returning to the bench.

The Rangers have missed the playoffs for the last six years, the longest postseason drought in their history, and Sather has hired and fired Ron Low and Trottier as coaches since becoming GM in 2000.