New York Rangers Stand Pat at Trade Deadline
Despite a storm of names swirling around this team all morning and over the last few days, the New York Rangers chose to make only one move today, a minor league deal sending Jordan Owens to the Detroit Red Wings for Kris Newbury.
It is almost shocking that Glen Sather did not make a move because he has in every season since becoming GM of the Rangers, regardless of their place in the standings. The Rangers had one big move in their sights today, and that was to acquire defenseman Sheldon Souray on Edmonton, but he was hospitalized in just the last few hours with an infection in his hand, a result of a surgery he had just a few weeks ago. That was going to be the Rangers big deal today, but the injury threw Sather completely off and he chose to not make a move at all. The Rangers also reportedly made an offer for Tomas Kaberle of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
When looking back on it though, Sather did make his big move a month ago when he acquired Olli Jokinen and Brandon Prust for Ales Kotalik and Chris Higgins. Any other year that would have been the deadline move, so in reality, the Rangers didn't not do anything this season. That move was made before the Olympic break which was actually the first of the two trade deadlines this season. All the big moves were made then, including Kovalchuk and Phaneuf.
As a side note, this was the most boring trade deadline day ever. TSN started their annual "Tradecentre" show at 8am and will be broadcasting through 6pm. There has been absolutely nothing and how the analysts haven't strangled each other out of boredom is beyond me. Their show today has been an absolute joke, and fellow writer Joe Alianello described it like Christmas morning, saving the biggest box for last only to find out it's clothes or something stupid. Loved when TSN announced, "Oh! Oh! Oh! We got a trade!....Joey Macdonald for a 7th round pick." It's time to sign off the air guys.
There is still a chance more deals will be announced in the next hour but it is believed to be that the Rangers are done and will not announce any moves. We all wanted deals to be made but perhaps not making any was for the better.
