Collegiate Times

by Ira Podell
Associated Press



NEW YORK (AP)? New York Rangers president and general manager Glen Sather took over as coach of the team Thursday, one day after he fired Bryan Trottier.

The coach who led the Edmonton Oilers to four Stanley Cup titles will now be behind the bench for a team on course to miss the postseason for the sixth straight year.

Sather, who will coach the Rangers for the rest of the season, has other intentions.
?We?re making the playoffs,? he said Thursday from the team?s suburban practice rink.
Sather dismissed Trottier on Wednesday night just 54 games into his rookie season as coach. The 60-year-old Sather is the third GM to take over for a fired NHL coach this season. He said he is not an interim coach, and what happens beyond this season will be decided later.

When the players arrived at practice Thursday morning, they expected to hear that assistant coach Jim Schoenfeld was taking over. Hearing that Sather would be coaching surprised captain Mark Messier, who won five Stanley Cups under Sather ? the Oilers? coach and GM.

?I can?t believe that Glen Sather is coaching the New York Rangers,? Messier said. ?I can?t believe we?re in this situation again, and it?s hard to believe that he?s in the situation to be coaching. But we are where we are and he feels responsible, and at this point, probably doesn?t want to turn it over.?

Sather discussed the position with Schoenfeld on Wednesday night and told him to consider taking over as coach. The two spoke again Thursday, and Sather said Schoenfeld felt that the GM was best suited to fill the position.

The Rangers might have to make the playoffs, something they haven?t done since 1997, to help Sather keep his GM job in New York.

?If we fail, which I?m not thinking about, then I?m going to take the brunt of it,? he said.
Sather said Trottier could still remain in the organization.