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Until Daniel Snyder buys a hockey team or George Steinbrenner decides to exert control over the Devils, the Rangers will have to suffice as the NHL's model of fiscal foolishness. Somehow, however, that still doesn't fit Glen Sather's management M.O.
By the time Eric Lindros' 300 bonus clause payouts were deciphered and Sather stopped retooling in the spring, the Rangers had a $73 million payroll, or nearly $15 million more than the combined payrolls of East playoff beasts Carolina and Ottawa. For this, the Rangers folded early for a sixth straight year. So Sather started hacking away at his roster, added a couple of free agents and voila! -- it's well up and over $70 million again.
For better or worse?
What a Mess: As of this writing, Rangers' captain Mark Messier is on the verge of signing a two-year deal, which would carry him just beyond his 90th birthday. Rather than worry about a few wasted millions, Mess mentor Sather figures it's better to keep Mad Mark around to smooth things for rookie head coach Bryan Trottier. Besides, beyond Lindros and free agent Bobby Holik, isn't depth at center a prime concern?
Figure 88: He gave the league and its teams a conscience it comes to concussions, and for this, Eric Lindros was reviled in Philadelphia. At least by his bosses, he was. So amid much Flyer flippancy, he went to New York and not only proved he was still a major force on the ice, but could stay there for longer than a few weeks. Despite a couple of injurious annoyances, Lindros kept his head intact and in the game, scoring 37 goals and getting that look back in his eye. Of course, that doesn't mean he isn't one blow to the helmet away from retirement, does it?
Harlem shuffle: From across the river comes Holik, who will stabilize the forward lines and correct a lot of ills, and would like nothing more than to rub it all in Lou Lamoriello's face. From across the country comes Darius Kasparaitis, back in the East after renting his services to the Avalanche. He should do much to steady the Rangers' young defensive guns and take pressure off Brian Leetch. But in their never ending battle for postseason justice, perhaps the Rangers will benefit more from Sather's subtle goodbyes, especially that of Theo Fleury. You can only have so many high-maintenance superstars. And Sather has to pay Pavel Bure somehow, doesn't he?
Preseason schedule
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DATE
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OPPONENT
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TIME (ET)
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Sat., Sept. 21
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at Montreal
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7 p.m.
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Sun., Sept. 22
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Philadelphia
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5 p.m.
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Tue., Sept. 24
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New Jersey
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7 p.m.
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Fri., Sept. 27
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at New Jersey
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7:30 p.m.
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Sun., Sept. 29
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Boston
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5 p.m.
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Tue., Oct. 1
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at Philadelphia
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7 p.m.
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Wed., Oct. 2
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at Columbus
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7 p.m.
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Fri., Oct. 4
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at Florida
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7:30 p.m.
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Sat., Oct. 5
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at Boston
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7 p.m.
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