Plan Ahead

After the New York Rangers lost to the Carolina Hurricane on Wednesday night attention started turning toward an organized effort by some fans to hold a "Fire Glen Sather" rally. It has gotten some notice but as badly as I would love to see Glen Sather fired there has to be some realistic planning that goes into this effort.

The majority of Ranger fans are going to feel that the Dolans are not going to fire Sather due to their own poor management skills when it comes to operating Madison Square Garden. It is a valid feeling as since the Dolans took over the Garden corporation, they have led it to the worst period in both Knick and Ranger history.

The one thing that has to be suggested to those who are going to lead this effort is that they show up with a well thought out plan on not only why to fire Glen Sather but a plan as to how to not only replace Sather but how they would want to see the Rangers run. Just screaming profanities and chanting how Sather needs to go is not going to have any kind of an affect.

First off realize that with Cablevision spinning off the Garden properties into their own little company that any sort of protest has to include promises of hurting the Dolans in the only way they understand; in the wallet. It has to go deeper than not attending games or buying merchandise as the Dolans have so many different ways to make money off the Rangers.

Staying home and watching the game on television does not take revenue from the Dolans since they own MSG or MSG whatever. It does not matter if you are watching the channel on Time Warner or Dish Network since part of your bill includes a fee for the right to watch said channel.

As long as you are watching on television then the Dolans are going to make money off you to watching the Rangers.

Second firing Sather is not going to change how the Rangers operate as after a decade of running the Rangers then just about everyone working for the Rangers was hired by Sather. You are going to have to look at the entire operation and decide whether you want to hire someone who is going to just be the general manager or run the entire operation.

If you ask me then the first change I would make is to divide up the positions of General Manager and President because there really needs to be accountability in the front office just as much as on the ice. Hire a person to run the hockey operation like Jim Nill who has a proven track record with the Detroit Red Wings as your team president.

Let Nill hire a General Manager who will have the right to decide on who he wants as coach and/or staff. Please before the debate gets started the Rangers need a fresh start so that means Jim Schoenfeld should not be a possible choice.

Nor should Mark Messier be given the job as sorry but the Rangers need someone who an experienced manager of an entire system not a former hero. If you are serious about making a change then remove the emotional attachment to Messier as he has zero experience as a GM.

If we hire Jim Nill as President then we hope he hires someone along the lines of a Doug Armstrong who used to be the GM of the Dallas Stars. We choose Armstrong because he has a proved record when it comes to building via the draft.

Before you disagree then I will also point out that Armstrong was hired by some guy named John Davidson who runs the St. Louis Blues to be their Vice-President for Player Personnel. All Armstrong did with the Stars is win 2 Presidents Trophys and a Cup in 1999.

Go read his resume here and if you do not want him as your GM then fine at least use Armstrong as your role model. That leaves you wondering who you want as your coach; I fully acknowledge that I do not believe in John Tortorella is the right person to lead the Rangers in a rebuild.

There are several possible choices to become the Ranger's coach but since we are dealing with the Dolans then again instead of a Messier I would offer up 2 options. The first option is Tony Granto who we know is going to spur a ton of arguments but we will point to a 215-104-17-16 record as a Head Coach.

The other option is a selfish one because I have watched him now for the last few years and think the world of his knowledge and teaching ability. I am talking about Mike Eaves who is the head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers and here is his resume

Eaves is a teacher, an experienced coach who has worked at the NHL level as an assistant coach. I have seen Eaves coach at several different levels but what he done the last 2 years with Derek Stepan is clear proof for myself.

Stepan has grown as a player and leader faster than I imagined; yes Stepan deserves the credit for his own hard work but he has had a great teacher. Wisconsin is one of the very best defensive teams in college hockey and that is because Eaves demands it and preaches accountability.

Did I mention that Eaves has Wisconsin up to number 2 in the college hockey polls.

But I also think the bigger point is that when the "Fire Sather" rally takes place on March 7th that there has to be a serious well thought out plan. Turn it into a profanity filled chant fest and nobody will take it seriously; not the Dolans, not the media or their fellow fans.

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Ranger Prospects

Thursday was not a good evening for Ranger prospects as the 2 who played saw their teams lose and sadly another missed his team's game with what we suspect was an injury.

Chris Doyle (2008 5th) and his Victoriavilla Tigres traveled to Moncton to play the Wildcats in what wound up being a very tightly contested game. The Tigres lost 2-1 as Doyle was held scoreless and the Tigres lost for just the 2nd time since adding Doyle.

Daniel Maggio (2009 6th) and his Sudbury Wolves went up against the Barrie Colts who are ranked 2nd in the latest CHL Weekly poll with good reason. The Colts have been at the top of the OHL for most of the season and showed why after a 4-1 win.

Maggio was scoreless as the Colts just outplayed them at both ends of the ice.

Mitch Gaulton (2008 5th) was not in the lineup for the Erie Otters as they lost to the Niagara Ice Dogs 5-3. As soon as we find up why we will update this spot.

(Sather courtesy of the New York Rangers)