Home » Sports » New York Sports » 88 Headaches

88 Headaches

© Brian Igel

Desperation. That's why Rangers' GM Glen Sather is willing to trade the farm for Eric Lindros, the disgruntled (and nearly disabled) former Philly stud with more baggage than Laguardia Airport. Pure, unadulterated desperation.

Sather, who could barely watch his dismal franchise during his first season on the job, vowed to fix things before the upcoming campaign. But after missing out on available players like Keith Tkachuk, Doug Weight, Jeremy Roenick, Joe Sakic, and Jaromir Jagr, Sather still holds the keys to the same clunker that missed the playoffs for the fourth straight season… and training camp is right around the corner. So, like a gambler chasing lost money on the Vegas strip, Sather raced after his last option: Lindros.

Against the wishes of most of his own organization, Sather has decided to roll the dice…and the stakes are high. The proposed trade is Defensemen Kim Johnsson, Forward Jan Hlavac, Forward Pavel Brendl and a middle-round draft pick for Lindros. All three Rangers are regarded as future stars. All three are under 23 years old. None of the three have had their noggins cracked by a get-out-the-smelling-salts crosscheck from Scott Stevens.

If you’re a hockey fan, you can’t help but think to yourself, “Couldn’t the Rangers have landed Jagr for this package?” Considering what Washington eventually gave up for him, I’m confident the answer to our question is “Yes.” Jagr, remember, seemed like a done deal about two months ago but Sather wouldn’t give up his prized youth – something I commended him for at the time. After all, it takes a big man to admit retooling is needed in this city. For a perfect case study, please refer to the Rangers’ Gardenmates. In New York, “rebuilding” is a four-letter word.

That said; let’s break down this trade.

When healthy, Lindros was among the top five players in the league. Period. But, can he stay healthy? His track record, combined with the unfortunate circumstances of his brother's forced retirement, says it's not a matter of if he'll get hurt, but rather, when. Just a couple of seasons ago, the Rangers took a similar gamble on Pat LaFontaine. That gamble ended abruptly when LaFontaine collided with teammate Mike Keane. Like LaFontaine, Lindros is just one collision away from retirement. Unlike LaFontaine, Lindros brings some other heavy baggage to New York.

Many insiders question his ability to be a leader and team player. He sat out last season after rejecting an $8.5 million qualifying offer from the Flyers. Most important of all, THE GUY DOESN’T EVEN WANT TO BE HERE!!! He wants to play for Toronto and maybe Detroit, Colorado, or another championship caliber team that he can dog it on. The Rangers are cellar-dwellers even with Lindros at his best.

The copyright of the article 88 Headaches in New York Sports is owned by . Permission to republish 88 Headaches in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.