New York Rangers

A perpetually underachieving star-studded lineup is beginning the season already in a hole

By Richard Deitsch

Team Page | Predicted Finish: 19

Right wing Anson Carter achieved a rare double among Manhattan's social set when he appeared twice in the gossip pages of the New York Post on the same day. On Sept. 15 the tabloid's Page Six observed "the dreadlocked Rangers star taking half his pastrami sandwich in a doggie bag" after lunching with local radio personality DJ Enuff. Another item noted that Carter and the Devils' Scott Stevens had taped a cameo on Whoopi Goldberg's new sitcom. "I took a lot of heat from the boys," says the 29-year-old Carter. "If it raises awarenesses and gets people turned on to the Rangers, so be it. But we want to increase awareness by having the team win."

Anson Carter Alden Pellett SI RANKING (1 best - 30 worst) OFFENSE 18 DEFENSE 25 GOALTENDING 21 POWER PLAY 21 PENALTY KILLING 23 G.M. AND COACH 27

Like a Victoria's Secret catalog, the Rangers always look good on paper, but whether the team's endless wave of high-priced talent will buy into coach Glen Sather's new defense-oriented system is anyone's guess. The club had a league-record payroll of nearly $80 million last year but hasn't made the playoffs since 1996-97. And it endured a perfect storm of misery before this year's training camp even opened: Goaltender Mike Richter retired because of postconcussion syndrome; two-time 60-goal scorer Pavel Bure was declared out indefinitely because of an ailing right knee; and All-Star defenseman Brian Leetch suffered a bruised left ankle, an injury similar to the one that sidelined him for 31 games last year. He's also out indefinitely.

The forwards remain a star-studded group: Eric Lindros, Alexei Kovalev, Bobby Holik, Petr Nedved and Carter, who was obtained from the Oilers last March and could provide a two-way presence the team has lacked in recent years. Mark Messier, at 42, will anchor the fourth line. When Leetch is healthy, he will join Tom Poti to give New York two excellent puck-moving defensemen. Goalie Mike Dunham was effective last season, but he's never been in a playoff series.

On a team that has more questions than answers heading into the season, Carter is more likely to find his name in the gossip pages than etched on the Stanley Cup.

Insider

Having Tom Renney as a new assistant coach will help; he'll see to it that the Rangers finally have a system in place instead of having players freelance.... Unlike last season C Bobby Holik must be used as a shutdown guy against opponents' top lines.... Signing free-agent D Greg de Vries was a good acquisition -- he's physical and can move the puck.... RW Alexei Kovalev needs to excel in five-on-five situations, not just on the power play.

Issue date: October 13, 2003