Thursday, February 17, 2011

Rumor: Rangers Interested in Filip Kuba? Are Things That Bad?


As the trade deadline gets closer and closer the list of defenseman linked to the New York Rangers seems to growing longer and longer.  Any player that has ever even thought about being a power play quarterback is apparently up for discussion when it comes to New York being involved in dealing for them.  For the most part the candidates for the position have been of the rental variety, but that is not the case today.  In this morning’s New York Post Larry Brooks reports that the Rangers have interest in Ottawa Senators defenseman Filip Kuba.  Kuba currently has one year remaining on his deal for 3.7 million dollars.
Rumors fly from all over the place this time of year and there are always bound to be some bad ones, but this is clearly one of the worst I have seen suggested thus far.  I see absolutely no positives to this move.  Kuba, 34, has 0 goals and 5 assists this season while recording a whopping -25 in just 39 games.  I do not care how bad your team or your goalie are, when you are -25 in 39 games you are playing like garbage.  I know plus/minus is not the greatest indicator out there, but when it gets to a certain point it must mean something.  Rangers fans complained about Del Zotto last year at -20, but at least he was bringing some offense to the table.
Yes, he does have a history with Tortorella.  Yes he was a good power play quarterback; two years ago.  Do we have to revisit the last time that Glen Sather made a move for a defenseman coming from Ottawa based on what he had done two years before the Rangers got him?  This idea is worse than bringing in Sheldon Souray.  If you know me and what I have had to say about Souray over the last few seasons you will understand just how crazy that might seem.
Why on Earth would the Rangers waste a roster spot, development time and 3.7 million on this kind of a move?   I would much rather suffer the ups and downs with Del Zotto, Eminger and Gilroy than do something like this.  At least with Del Zotto there is the potential for it to be worth it down the line.

This one does not pass the smell test by a long shot, but if it goes down it will destroy a lot of the good will that Sather has earned over the last few years with his trades.