There are three guarantees in life:

Death. Taxes. And Sather emerging victorious to every
challenge to his throne.

This is not because Sather has more positives than
negatives in his tenure, nor a result of a charming
persona. Yet it is reality.

To prove the point, let's analyze the plight of Larry
Brooks, who has recently made it his mission to try
and tear down Sather with a dedication that is
comparable to Sherry Ross at the Devils buffet line.

Historically, Brooks was the only beat writer willing
to write his conscience, taking on tough subjects
such as Messier's place on the team and specific
players faults rather than team performance overall.

But his agenda of lambasting Sather at every turn has
clouded objectivity frequently this off-season ...

Nick Boynton

A few weeks ago, Brooks wrote:

"[Boynton's agent] would not disclose the identities of
of those GM's with whom he had spoken, but he did say
that he had not heard from Glen Sather. Will wonders
never cease?"

But making an offer sheet to Boynton would be
illogical. An offer of $1.99 million would cost only
a second round draft pick, but Boston would match. And
an offer of $2 million or more requires a first and
third round draft pick, which is prohibitive.

Instead, Sather is talking directly with Boston about
a potential trade. It looks unlikely, but the effort
which Brooks maligns, does appear to be there.

Peter Worrell

In reporting Peter Worrell's reporting to the Wolfpack,
Brooks writes: "What in the world is 27 year old faded
enforcer Peter Worrell doing in Hartfordon a tryout? ...
the best answer is that this business-as-usual move by
Sather needs no further evaluation whatsoever."

Actually, business-as-usual would have been to demote
the young pugilists in camp, like Rullier, Purinton,
and Strudwick, and give Worrell the benefit of the doubt
at the NHL level.

By evaluating Worrell in the AHL, it gives the team an
ability to see how he fares in the 'new' league. And, as
of the last preseason game, Worrell has yet to don the
Ranger jersey.

Recent 'Bad Moves'

In Sunday's column, Brooks lists the good, bad and ugly
moves of the offseason.

In the good moves section, he lists the following Ranger
transactions:
- Um, checking, checking, ok, moving on ...

In the bad moves part, he lists:
- Not buying out Darius Kasparaitis
- Steve Rucchin trade

And in the ugly section, he lists:
- Marek Malik as the worst free agent signing
- The Rangers as one of four ugly NHL teams

Price check on bitterness, aisle three.

As the old adage goes, if you don't have anything nice
to say about someone, don't say anything at all.

Or said another way, if you can't be objective about the
team you're covering, perhaps it's best to follow Mark
Everson and leave the beat.

Marek Malik was the league leader in +/-, and is projected
to be a calming influence on a shaky defense. A good
comparison would be Cory Cross when he was here. Though
it was an overpayment, it hardly ranks as the 'ugliest'
move of the summer.

To understand the absurdity of the report, look across the
river to Lou Lamoriello's offseason moves. He signs Vlad
Malakhov for $3.6 million, more than a million more than
Malik, and if Sather had made that move, there would not be
enough ink on the East Coast for Brooks to criticize the move.

Or Dan McGillis, another signing by Lamoriello for only
$300k less than Malik. Or Mogilny, a forward with injury
issues signing for a million more dollars than Malik.

Let's Move On

I am not an advocate of Sather's tenure, and would agree
that he is overpaid, arrogant, distant and has never embraced
New York like other management figures.

But he has given us a legitimate youth movement that is
represented in both New York and Hartford.

Lundqvist, Tyutin, Kondratiev, Lundmark, Immonen, Prucha,
Jessiman, Montoya, Ortmeyer, Betts, Hossa, Staal, Korpikoski,
Dawes, Balej, Pock, and others.

It is time to stop obsessing about Sather, and instead watch
this group of players develop without an alternative agenda.

Hopefully, Brooks will snap out of it and return to the form
of an objective and independent writer. Otherwise, he may
as well get behind Everson and Ross at the Devils buffet line.

-Gabe

Recent Articles Verses Playoff Coverage Road Trip Pics

Web Hockeybird.com