The trade of Manny Malhotra was not an anvil swung at the foundation of our team's development system. Though hockeybird's resident rodent fails to recognize the impact a third line with Holik at center and Manny on the wing could be, the irrefutable fact remains that this one trade didn't knock the team off its moorings.

But that doesn't mean Glen Sather isn't trying.

The Fruit of our Discontent

Ranger fans endured years of playoff-less seasons, and watched underachievers like Valeri Kamensky, Stephane Quintal, Igor Ulanov, and others enter the MSG revolving door and then exit with millions in cash no worse the wear.

But there was an upside that knowledgeable Ranger fans understood; losing meant high draft picks. And Neil Smith, whose tenure is looking better and better, refused to relinquish those highly rated prospects. No one believed all would pan out, but at least a few would do so and become the new Rangers core.

Jamie Lundmark. Pavel Brendl. Manny Malhotra. Mike York. Tomas Kloucek. Mike Mottau. Radek Dvorak. Yup, they were all Neil Smith acquisitions.

At some point, those players were to form our nucleus for a new era at MSG. So when Glen Sather arrived with a reputation for putting together gritty, competitive and young teams, there was much rejoicing.

Crumble…

Arrogance. Glen Sather's arrogance, to be precise, is the reason we're going to lose that foundation.

You see, Glen Sather believes that he doesn't need a high draft choice to find talent. He believes that he can outdraft other GM's if he has the last pick in the draft and they have the first.

So the vaunted corps of young Rangers? All expendable. Good ol' Glen will simply pick up a Jamie Lundmark with a late round pick just as easily as he was selected with the tenth.

Is there logic?

To some extent, yes. Novak and Tutin are quickly emerging as top prospects. So is Garth Murray. And there are inherent problems with anointing 18-year olds as club saviors. It is rare than players under the age of 23 make a marked impact in the NHL.

Isn't getting high priced NHL stars business as usual for the Rangers?

Actually, no.

Getting Lindros was a good move, despite the risk, because he still has the capability to be a dominant force in the league, when healthy.

Getting Bure for the rumored York, Ulanov, and Novak, would also be a good move, because Pavel instantly raises the offense to a new level.

In the past, we tended to get mediocre players such as Valeri Kamensky and hope that player would have a career season after they received the big contract.

So what's the problem?

The supporting cast. The Rangers always pick up other team's under performing veterans and their contracts, and then place them in the lineup no matter their play or competitiveness at the expense of youngsters.

And with this, Glen Sather has been no different.

Igor Ulanov was given a spot in the lineup for half a season, basically taking away an opportunity from deserving Dale Purinton, despite atrocious play.

Barrett Heisten and Manny Malhotra were inconsistent in their play this season, but were they any more so than Petr Nedved and Radek Dvorak?

Mark Messier was a weight to the team's performance, but he was still out there gliding on the ice while the Rangers tried to kill 5-on-3's. Wasn't that an opportunity for a deserving kid to show his hustle?

Sylvain Lefevbre was called up to bail out a shaky defense corps that consisted of all veteran defensemen!

The big picture

Don't let anyone tell you a Bure deal is business as usual for the Rangers. Having Lindros on one line and Bure on another would be lethal and exciting to watch.

The business as usual is putting through our system in 2002 Mark Messier, Dave Karpa, Igor Ulanov, Zdeno Ciger, Martin Rucinsky, etc. at the expense of Manny Malhotra, Barret Heisten, Dale Purinton, Petr Smrek, Michal Grosek, etc.

We thought Sather would be different. He's not. It's not the end of the world, it's simply the continuation of the world Ranger fans have lived in for years.

-Gabe

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