If the Rangers plan on improving on their early-season play, they’re going to have to do it on their own.
After a day of tug of war, the Rangers have lost the negotiations battle for Martin Rucinsky to the Blues – and Rangers GM Glen Sather doubts any other moves will be made.
When asked what options he and the Rangers now have, Sather said incredulously, “Options for what? Are we trying to fill some hole that we don’t have? Is there a glaring hole that we need to fill with somebody?” Although he did add, “We’re always trying to improve our hockey team.”
Rucinsky, a 31-year-old left wing, yesterday reached an agreement with the Blues for a one-year deal with a club option that would pay him $1.7 million a season, as well as up to $500,000 in incentives. The deal is contingent upon Rucinsky passing his physical. The Rangers reportedly offered Rucinsky a one-year, $1.6 million dollar deal, but refused to tack on a second year.
“The last thing I understood was that once we gave [Rucinsky’s agents Petr Svoboda and Paul Kraus] an offer, they were going to look at it,” said Sather. “They probably took that offer and moved it on to someone else and got them to throw another year on the deal. We gave him an offer, but only a one-year deal. We didn’t offer them a two-year contract and I wasn’t interested in getting in any kind of long-term deal with him.”
Sather said he talked to Svoboda three times yesterday but failed to finalize a deal.
Rucinsky scored 11 goals and notched 27 assists last season and added offensive pop to the first line with Eric Lindros and Pavel Bure. Petr Nedved and Rem Murray have tried to fill that role this season.
So, the Rangers lost a game Wednesday and lost a player yesterday. Still, Sather sees upsides to both setbacks.
As for Rucinsky, he said, “I’d really like to see some of the young guys crack in and stay in the lineup.” If Rucinsky were signed, the Rangers would most likely have sent one of the younger players back to Hartford.
As for Wednesday night’s loss to the Capitals, he said: “I thought [it] was the best game we played.” Troubling thought.