Picture the New York Rangers’ draft table on the floor of the Scotia Bank Saddledome in the year 2000. Cablevision heir James Dolan handpicked the legendary former head coach of the Edmonton Oilers, Glen Sather to serve as the general manager and president of hockey operations for the co-tenant to his favored New York Knicks.
New York is coming off of a 29-35-11 season and finished in fourth place in the old Atlantic Division. The team is six years removed from the summer of 1994, ever since then captain Mark Messier rode on a float down the canyon of heroes, the Rangers have drifted further and further away from that mountaintop.