The New York Rangers seem to be using their old strategy once again, and once again to no avail. After finishing first in the league and becoming Stanley Cup champions in 94, the Rangers sought a way to win another. For 8 of the ten following years up to 2004's lockout, the Rangers would finish 4th in their division or worse.
The strategy I mention is the signing of superstar players. The Rangers had one of the league's highest salaries for many of these 10 years, topped out at 77 million in 2003-2004.
The Rangers began their shopping by picking up a young Peter Nedved in exchange for Doug Lidster and Esa Tikkanen. After the shortened lockout season, they shipped him off along with Sergei Zubov in exchange for Ulf Samuelsson and Luc Robitaille.
I might have thought their strategy in picking up Nedved was to get younger. But moving him and Zubov (23 and 24 respectively) for Samuelsson and Robitaille was a move in the opposite direction, and one that didn't pay off with a Cup victory.
Despite players like Robitaille, Gretzky, Lafontaine, Lindros, Fleury and Bure being bought or traded for, the New York Rangers went seven straight years without a playoff appearance from 97-98 until the lockout.
More recently of course, the Rangers have been making the post-season with Jaromir Jagr at the helm. However, it seems that when you bring help with names like Brendan Shanahan, Scott Gomez and Chris Drury (incredibly expensive help at that) you expect a certain level of, well.....dominance. And so far the only player showing dominant capability is Henrik Lundqvist.
Hopefully for the Rangers they can find some chemistry and a way for the big-contract superstar approach to pay off. Looks like you can't just buy a Stanley Cup these days.
Ironic that a non-superstar like Sean Avery had such a positive effect on the team, isn't it?
The strategy I mention is the signing of superstar players. The Rangers had one of the league's highest salaries for many of these 10 years, topped out at 77 million in 2003-2004.
The Rangers began their shopping by picking up a young Peter Nedved in exchange for Doug Lidster and Esa Tikkanen. After the shortened lockout season, they shipped him off along with Sergei Zubov in exchange for Ulf Samuelsson and Luc Robitaille.
I might have thought their strategy in picking up Nedved was to get younger. But moving him and Zubov (23 and 24 respectively) for Samuelsson and Robitaille was a move in the opposite direction, and one that didn't pay off with a Cup victory.
Despite players like Robitaille, Gretzky, Lafontaine, Lindros, Fleury and Bure being bought or traded for, the New York Rangers went seven straight years without a playoff appearance from 97-98 until the lockout.
More recently of course, the Rangers have been making the post-season with Jaromir Jagr at the helm. However, it seems that when you bring help with names like Brendan Shanahan, Scott Gomez and Chris Drury (incredibly expensive help at that) you expect a certain level of, well.....dominance. And so far the only player showing dominant capability is Henrik Lundqvist.
Hopefully for the Rangers they can find some chemistry and a way for the big-contract superstar approach to pay off. Looks like you can't just buy a Stanley Cup these days.
Ironic that a non-superstar like Sean Avery had such a positive effect on the team, isn't it?
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