asphyXy
02-25-2004, 09:23 AM
<font color=969696 size=9>MY PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED!</font><font color=969696>
NEW YORK (AP) -- Glen Sather will step down as coach of the slumping New York Rangers just more than a week after saying he would remain behind the bench for the rest of the season, the New York Post reported Wednesday.
Sather met with team owner James Dolan on Tuesday and decided to relinquish his coaching responsibilities, but will remain the Rangers' president and GM, the newspaper said, citing unidentified sources.
An official announcement was expected before practice Wednesday, the Post reported.
With 20 games remaining, it appears the Rangers will miss the playoffs for the seventh straight season despite a roster loaded with expensive stars.
When Sather said he'd remain the Rangers' coach on Feb. 17, he didn't rule out stepping down for a while to concentrate on his GM duties as the March 9 trade deadline approaches.
``Anything is possible,'' he said. ``Let's just wait and see what does happen.''
The Rangers are 22-29-7-4 -- 14 points behind the New York Islanders, who hold the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Rangers, 4-13-2 in their last 19, play the Islanders on Thursday night.
The 60-year-old Sather has been booed recently by disgruntled fans, and chants of ``Fire Sather!'' have been common at Madison Square Garden.
Despite that, Sather said last week that he'd stay behind the bench.
``I'm coaching the rest of the year,'' he said. ``Who knows, but I don't expect to make any changes in that position at this time.''
On Jan. 26, Dolan gave Sather a vote of confidence despite the team's struggles.
``I don't agree with anybody who thinks Glen has lost the team,'' Dolan said. ``I don't think that's the case at all.''
It was unclear who would take over for Sather, 33-39-11-7 in 90 games with the Rangers. Assistants Tom Renney and Terry O'Reilly would be possibilities, as would former NHL coach Jim Schoenfeld, the GM of the Rangers' AHL affiliate in Hartford.
Two other coaches became available when they were fired Tuesday: St. Louis' Joel Quenneville and Phoenix's Bob Francis.</font>
NEW YORK (AP) -- Glen Sather will step down as coach of the slumping New York Rangers just more than a week after saying he would remain behind the bench for the rest of the season, the New York Post reported Wednesday.
Sather met with team owner James Dolan on Tuesday and decided to relinquish his coaching responsibilities, but will remain the Rangers' president and GM, the newspaper said, citing unidentified sources.
An official announcement was expected before practice Wednesday, the Post reported.
With 20 games remaining, it appears the Rangers will miss the playoffs for the seventh straight season despite a roster loaded with expensive stars.
When Sather said he'd remain the Rangers' coach on Feb. 17, he didn't rule out stepping down for a while to concentrate on his GM duties as the March 9 trade deadline approaches.
``Anything is possible,'' he said. ``Let's just wait and see what does happen.''
The Rangers are 22-29-7-4 -- 14 points behind the New York Islanders, who hold the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Rangers, 4-13-2 in their last 19, play the Islanders on Thursday night.
The 60-year-old Sather has been booed recently by disgruntled fans, and chants of ``Fire Sather!'' have been common at Madison Square Garden.
Despite that, Sather said last week that he'd stay behind the bench.
``I'm coaching the rest of the year,'' he said. ``Who knows, but I don't expect to make any changes in that position at this time.''
On Jan. 26, Dolan gave Sather a vote of confidence despite the team's struggles.
``I don't agree with anybody who thinks Glen has lost the team,'' Dolan said. ``I don't think that's the case at all.''
It was unclear who would take over for Sather, 33-39-11-7 in 90 games with the Rangers. Assistants Tom Renney and Terry O'Reilly would be possibilities, as would former NHL coach Jim Schoenfeld, the GM of the Rangers' AHL affiliate in Hartford.
Two other coaches became available when they were fired Tuesday: St. Louis' Joel Quenneville and Phoenix's Bob Francis.</font>