Stop The Madness

July 9, 2009   ·   Derek Felix   ·   Jump to comments

Stop the madness. Please make it end! If I sound like Barnabas Collins in the cult drama Dark Shadows begging for his curse to end, it’s because that’s what it’s like to root for this team.

Just when you think you’ve seen it all, our senile GM did it again. Britney Spears’ hit song really does apply to Glen Sather, who just can’t help himself. If there’s a reason I loathe Jim Dolan, it’s because handing this overrated Cuban smoking buffoon free reign is like giving candy to a baby. There are just some things you don’t do because of the risk. When it comes to Slats, there really should be a big sign that reads:

KEEP AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE FROM THE BANK

Because somehow, for as good a deal maker as he is, is as bad at handling money as Lenny Dykstra. Coughing up three million over the next three years to the inconsistent Ales Kotalik wouldn’t be so bad if there weren’t this thing called a salary cap. Newsflash to Dopey: It’s been in place since the lockout when at least you did your best work bringing in Michael Nylander and Martin Straka to play with Jaromir Jagr. Hey. Even Marek Malik and Michal Rozsival panned out on that all Euro-team.

What’s ironic is that the last dream I had was an inexplicable nightmare that concluded very bizarrely. Everyone’s had those types that leave you waking up asking why. At least it was all in the mind. How to explain Sather’s sheer stupidity today? I just knew he was one bad move away from ruining a decent summer. Yes. Even if he did overpay for injury prone Marian Gaborik, it was well worth the risk given the team’s lack of finish.

Perhaps it could’ve been different had our brightest prospect Alexei Cherepanov still been around. Sad as it might sound, his tragic death last Fall changed everything. So, Slats had no choice. If it works out, Gaborik’s the shiniest star in this year’s free agent class. If not like other past failures (Fleury, Lindros, Bure), we’ll never hear the end of it.

Running the Rangers has its perks including Dolan’s blind allegiance along with plenty of cash that seems to grow on imaginary trees no matter how poor a job you do. Being front and center can also leave you subject to plenty of criticism. No wonder most Ranger fans including respected blogger peer Scotty Hockey are always so negative, almost burying their heads in the sand. That’s how this loyal Section 411er feels at this very moment.

Why have we continued to support this club when all they do is further numb the pain by wasting valuable cap space on classic teases? Cue another cheesy 1994 MSG tribute. Oh. With Brian Leetch going into the Hockey Hall of Fame, you know they’ll find another reason to milk that Cup. How do I feel about that year now? It’s become dead to me. That’s what it’s like supporting a Dolan team. Where four consecutive postseasons and only two series wins including a historic 3-1 blown lead- where the turning point was our coach losing discipline is enough to ripoff paying customers by elevating ticket prices. The Rangers are one of the most expensive tickets in the league. Partially due to location and the everlong waiting list that works in Cablevision’s favor. If someone gives up their seats, they’ll be scooped up. Despite that, you can usually find tickets on most game days. Cue up The Who classic, “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” Unfortunately, that’s a daily occurrence required to be employed at 2 Penn Plaza.

Guess I shouldn’t be surprised that Sather would sign a regressing player. Kotalik isn’t awful by any stretch scoring at least 20 the past three seasons including 2008-09 with both Buffalo and Edmonton. However, the 30 year-old Czech is clearly not the answer. Perhaps Slats believes the 6-2 227 pound streaky scorer can benefit from playing with Gaborik on the top line. That’s about the only logic. It still doesn’t explain committing three years to a guy whose best point total is stuck on 43 the past two NHL campaigns. Since a bustout 62-point 2005-06 on a very talented Buffalo squad that reached the Conference Finals, it’s been all downhill. Need the proof?

Ales Kotalik The Past 4 Seasons

Yr            GP      G      A      Pts

’05-06  82      25    37    62

’06-07   66      16    22     38

’07-08   79      20    23     43

’08-09    75     20     23     43

Note: 2005-06 across the board are career highs.

Does this sound like a $3 million-a-year player? Sure. Kotalik has a lethal shot including an excellent one-timer that he can get off with regularity while playing the left point on the power play. Is that what he’ll do here? Don’t count on it. The Rangers rarely ever employ key additions in familiar spots. Just ask Alex Kovalev or Matt Cullen.

True enough with Nikolai Zherdev clearly on the outs, the team was going to need a replacement. Why did they essentially replace him with a B copy? For the money they spent, I’d have rather signed Petr Sykora. At least he’s played here before having reasonable success. To quote another Ranger blogger:

“Sather logic!“

Maybe it will workout this time. I’m not optimistic. Hell. I disagreed with our passionate Sabre blogger when his team traded Kotalik to the Oilers for a second round pick because he wasn’t in their future plans. Though I understood why Brian wanted to retain him. To make the playoffs. Had Ryan Miller not gone down, that likely would’ve been the case. Though it still doesn’t explain the failed Dominic Moore experiment.

Most troubling of today’s classic Sather moment is that it leaves less space to get Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan and Lauri Korpikoski re-signed. Per nhlnumbers, they list the Rangers at 45.6 million counting Kotalik. However, it excluded Brian Boyle, who will be on the books for 525 K the next two years. For some reason, they still include recently retired Markus Naslund (4 M). Perhaps because he turns 36 later this month? From what I understand, due to how he retired, Naslund took the Rangers off the hook. So, that four million should come off. I’ll try to find out more on the situation. They sure could use that valuable space to fill out the roster.

With Kotalik in, it’s dac vee daniyah to Zherdev, who concluded his short stay on Broadway by registering only an assist the last 13 games including a no show versus the Caps. This also probably means they won’t sign another center which bodes well for former second rounder Artem Anisimov.

The only remaining question is will they trade for one sacrificing Dubinsky and other prospects? Being a fan of this team, it can’t be discounted. Does Donald Brashear backer John Tortorella ask for a reunion with former Conn Smythe winner Brad Richards? If it happens, figure Michal Rozsival to move the other way along with Dubinsky.

Of course, I’d prefer to see Dubi given an opportunity to center Gaborik and Kotalik. But as was again proven today, you just never quite know what the thinking is. Where’s Bob Page when you need him?

Maybe we really are hexed.