Earlier today reports surfaced that Glen Sather, long-time General Manager of the New York Rangers, will be undergoing surgery to deal with prostate cancer tomorrow.
Sather, 69 years old, has been the Rangers General Manager since 2000. Prior to going to New York he was in the Edmonton Oilers organization serving the club in various roles whether it be as GM, coach, or player dating back to their WHA days. He first joined the Oilers in 1976. Sather also played for the Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Montreal Canadiens in what was largely a journeyman career as an NHLer.
Sather was a larger than life personality on the 80s Oilers dynasty, and as coach helped to develop their high flying run and gun style.
In New York he has remodelled the franchise from one that simply signed all the best free agents that money could buy pre-lockout, to one that is now focused on drafting and player development (while still having those high value free agents as well).
Assistant General Manager Jeff Gorton will oversee Rangers hockey operations while Sather is out. Gorton took Sather’s place today at the NHL’s GM Meetings in Toronto.
We here at Last Word on Sports wish Sather a speedy and successful recovery as he goes through this important medical procedure. Knowing “Slats” we’re sure he’ll be back on the job, and patrolling the Madison Square Garden pressbox as soon as his doctors allow him to do so, and maybe sooner.
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Photo Credit: Buchanan-Hermit, Wiki Commons
