State of the New York Rangers: A Positive Outlook on Glen Sather's Overhaul

True, it’s much more reassuring to hear Sam Rosen say, “Jagr with Dubinsky and Straka” than “Dubinsky with Zherdev and Naslund,” but perhaps this juxtaposition will put in perspective the power of name recognition. Zherdev and Naslund combined had roughly the same output as Jagr and Straka (pro-rated). The difference is that Zherdev and Naslund should be expected to do better this season rather than decline (which I will get to later).

I think that we have a good sense of what to expect of Drury and Gomez, but what of the unknown commodities?

The Rangers’ offense this year will rely on growth. The truth is, nobody knows what Petr Prucha, Ryan Callahan, and Nigel Dawes can accomplish on one of the top lines. All three will get chances to step into a major role.

Personally, I think that Prucha’s magic is gone, that Callahan will remain the same (a hard-working winger with some scoring ability), and that Dawes will continue to develop into a sniper.

If even one of the aforementioned players flourishes, the Rangers will be in great shape, with two full lines that can score. Besides, there’s no question that Brandon Dubinsky will continue to emerge as a threat.

What should we make of Naslund and Zherdev? With these acquisitions, Sather is betting against Ken Hitchcock and Alain Vigneault, and the odds are in his favor. Both Naslund and Zherdev are escaped prisoners of ultra-defensive trapping coaches. Both players are going to hit the ice as if they’ve just escaped prison.

We know that Naslund is aging, but it is perfectly realistic to expect him to score 30 goals, since he’s actually allowed to shoot the puck this year. Zherdev, only 23, is the wild card, having come from a similarly restrictive situation, and in addition having great potential. (One need only go on YouTube for reassurance.)

Also, lest we forget, Zherdev was acquired for Fedor Tyutin and a bulky bag of pucks that cost over $2 million (Christian Backman). The opportunity cost of the trade is very low. Tyutin is a defined commodity and is not going to explode offensively. The only thing to say about Backman is that Sather deserves credit for managing to trade him to clear cap space.

Let’s face it, the Jagr/Shanahan generation could only last for so long. For the first time in over a decade, a Rangers fan can look at the roster and minor league system and exhale because there is youth and talent throughout. If the team falters in the short term, it is built well enough to rebound the following season.

This team has nowhere to go but up. Thank you, Slats.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?