Showing posts with label bad contracts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bad contracts. Show all posts
Friday, June 10, 2011
The Worst Moves of the Glen Sather Era
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Yesterday’s report that the Rangers intend to buy out the final year of Chris Drury’s contract signals the end of yet another Glen Sather mistake – something that is becoming a regular occurrence in New York.
For the past decade, Glen Sather has essentially dug a hole in the ground and thrown millions and millions of dollars into it. If there was an aging superstar entering free agency you could be sure that Sather was the most persistent suitor for their service. Even if there wasn't a superstar available, Sather would pay someone as if they were a superstar.
Now the hot rumour is that the Rangers are going to fall over themselves trying to sign Brad Richards to a lucrative contract. It almost seems unfair that a team can give someone a $7 million contract seemingly every season and wiggle out of these commitments when it becomes apparent they made a terrible mistake. (Note: my faux-outrage really stems from my yearning for the Leafs to sign Brad Richards).
What’s confusing is that aside from spending money, Glen Sather is an adept GM.
Sather has shown an ability to acquire superstars for close to nothing. He brought in Pavel Bure for two prospects and three draft picks that accumulated a mere 33 games in the NHL; Eric Lindros for Kim Johnsson and spare parts; and Jaromir Jagr for Anson Carter.
Injuries curtailed Bure's time in New York, but he scored 50 points in 51 games. Lindros suffered a similar fate, but still gave the Rangers a 70+ point season and a 50+ point one. Jagr was the true steal, scoring 123 points his first season (the 3rd best total of his career), 96 in his second, and 71 in his third. In total, Sather brought in close to 500 points for a bag of rocks.
Sather has also finally started building a solid young core of players that includes Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan, Marc Staal, Derek Stepan, and others.
Plus, he seems to find takers for some pretty unattractive contracts (which we’ll discuss in more detail later).
This is also a man inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. He’s clearly great when given all-world talent to work with. He won four Stanley Cups with the Oilers in the 1980s and played a major role in building team Canada for the 1984 Canada Cup, 1994 World Hockey Championship, and the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.
However, his Hall of Fame induction was in 1997, three years before he became this free spending maniac GM.
Enough with the pleasantries; you’re reading this for a juicy trash session. Here are the (current) worst moves of the Glen Sather Era. Remember, as long as Sather has money to spend as the Rangers’ GM, this list is a work in progress.
Yesterday’s report that the Rangers intend to buy out the final year of Chris Drury’s contract signals the end of yet another Glen Sather mistake – something that is becoming a regular occurrence in New York.
For the past decade, Glen Sather has essentially dug a hole in the ground and thrown millions and millions of dollars into it. If there was an aging superstar entering free agency you could be sure that Sather was the most persistent suitor for their service. Even if there wasn't a superstar available, Sather would pay someone as if they were a superstar.
Now the hot rumour is that the Rangers are going to fall over themselves trying to sign Brad Richards to a lucrative contract. It almost seems unfair that a team can give someone a $7 million contract seemingly every season and wiggle out of these commitments when it becomes apparent they made a terrible mistake. (Note: my faux-outrage really stems from my yearning for the Leafs to sign Brad Richards).
What’s confusing is that aside from spending money, Glen Sather is an adept GM.
Sather has shown an ability to acquire superstars for close to nothing. He brought in Pavel Bure for two prospects and three draft picks that accumulated a mere 33 games in the NHL; Eric Lindros for Kim Johnsson and spare parts; and Jaromir Jagr for Anson Carter.
Injuries curtailed Bure's time in New York, but he scored 50 points in 51 games. Lindros suffered a similar fate, but still gave the Rangers a 70+ point season and a 50+ point one. Jagr was the true steal, scoring 123 points his first season (the 3rd best total of his career), 96 in his second, and 71 in his third. In total, Sather brought in close to 500 points for a bag of rocks.
Sather has also finally started building a solid young core of players that includes Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan, Marc Staal, Derek Stepan, and others.
Plus, he seems to find takers for some pretty unattractive contracts (which we’ll discuss in more detail later).
This is also a man inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. He’s clearly great when given all-world talent to work with. He won four Stanley Cups with the Oilers in the 1980s and played a major role in building team Canada for the 1984 Canada Cup, 1994 World Hockey Championship, and the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.
However, his Hall of Fame induction was in 1997, three years before he became this free spending maniac GM.
Enough with the pleasantries; you’re reading this for a juicy trash session. Here are the (current) worst moves of the Glen Sather Era. Remember, as long as Sather has money to spend as the Rangers’ GM, this list is a work in progress.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Where Did It All Go Wrong For Ottawa?
Since the Ottawa Senators entered the league as an expansion team in 1992-1993 they have won four division titles, one President’s Trophy, and made one Stanley Cup Final. They consistently topped 100 points a season and were a league powerhouse, albeit one that routinely fell short of expectations in the playoffs (“here’s Nieuwendyk again…scores again!”). Think of them as San Jose East.
However, the Sens put all that playoff baggage behind them when they made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final in 2007 before being ousted by the Anaheim Ducks. In a little less than four years the Senators went from a Stanley Cup finalist to the disaster you see before you. What happened? Where did it all go so horribly wrong?
However, the Sens put all that playoff baggage behind them when they made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final in 2007 before being ousted by the Anaheim Ducks. In a little less than four years the Senators went from a Stanley Cup finalist to the disaster you see before you. What happened? Where did it all go so horribly wrong?
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Deadline Day Comes Early
![dion phaneuf leafs trade](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin7r6MwvjXbvOfpFAkT1X20IrgAVbZjNQR2ewuwEPIU7p3eLrweu1HpDLe7aHaW6yfc1tRNVkcfVgAKcWcBU8vkRQwIGuHrZ3BRdwKIslHN7iK9MUNQPwflkjL6nW2APEU8lX0TiuVzwk/s400/dion.jpg)
Last night the Leafs lost after striking an early 3 goal lead against one of the best goalies in the league. My dad pondered aloud how they would blow this one. As the eternal optimist, I suggested Kessel had another 5 goals in him, so the night was over. Did I believe it? Well, certainly not the 5 goals and I was even skeptical about the win at that point. When Raycroft came in I outwardly proclaimed domination (inwardly, I was very scared for Razor’s wrath). The Leafs ended up losing 5-3 and I hardly cared, just another day in Leafs Nation. At this point I accepted the ex-Leafs pick will be in the top-5 and in all likelihood the Leafs will win the draft lottery when they no longer own the pick. I’ve soured on pretty much everyone on the team. I was apathetic. Then I woke up this morning to the sounds of trades. My dad was listening to the radio, I was scouring the internet for information, Rick called me jubilantly, and texts from friends flew rapidly. Just when I thought I was out… they pull me back in.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
I Love You, McCabe
![bryan mccabe handlebar moustache](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQiDRsvnlm82Wl6pwHXH7CjMVUnWk79eIrVximfkzWVNXHr-TX1bwS_PNj36wx6Uwo8NyeB6tPjn18mPPDd_KPAn5Tnzbp44G2rIc_VCs9pNkSQzYKgqGxgOBtvde0BEHh_ddtALXpt8/s400/article_11500_2.jpg)
I’m a hater. Big time. It’s already well documented in the brief history of this website. I also hate pickles, incorrect use of there/their/they’re, and tennis. I do not hate Bryan McCabe. Neither should you. Booing McCabe’s returns to Toronto is ignorant.
Here’s a man who did everything he possibly could have as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs and is now hated unconditionally. Cheering the return of Darcy Tucker, while simultaneously condemning McCabe’s is hypocritical.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Cognitive Decline in the Elderly
![don cherry stupid](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNBtNCMBYNbRsoNwW_oMwSjsSeTEV2CmcznjTFRSVfcjQI8ubxtvvZBqHQbP3ranapWb0mupq0Vi-XV1C5Odh64Q72XwcQNG5bxXELMFHj5hyphenhyphen-dTfHvJSrS6Z6qRiFKmcCoYM1rRUNh6A/s400/doncherryhnic20090511-hat-on.jpg)
Don Cherry has many valid and well-formed opinions on hockey. His advocacy for no-touch icing, illustrated almost weekly with graphic visuals, is the most sensible of all. He promotes a style of hockey that embraces blocking shots and sticking up for your teammates. He defends the underdog. However, he’s also like the one Grandpa everyone knows. The one who occasionally makes a remark at the dinner table about the coloured fellow down the street that causes uneasy glances between family members. It seems like with each passing week these comments are more common. It also seems like each week he just has to say something utterly stupid directly related to hockey.
Tonight’s verbal lunacy was directed to one of my favourite whipping boys, Sheldon Souray. Cherry had the audacity to mention both the Norris Trophy and Sheldon Souray in the same sentence. Cherry said that no one ever mentions Souray for the Norris and they should. What? There is a reason no one mentions Sheldon “excuse me while I collect this minus” Souray when they discuss the Norris. In which alternate universe is Sheldon Souray considered even an adequate defenceman?
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