Sather says he's sticking with youth

GREENBURGH, N.Y. - Although the Rangers struggled for most of last season and missed the playoffs, coach John Tortorella has the full support of president and general manager Glen Sather, who also has no intentions of going anywhere.

Asked Sunday if Tortorella was the right leader for this team, Sather answered, "Absolutely," and dismissed any notion that he was about to relinquish either of his posts. "I don't feel any different now than I did 10 years ago," he said. "I guess I'll work until somebody doesn't want me to work, or if I don't feel like working."

In an interview with writers between the team's two scrimmages, Sather also declared that he wanted to keep rebuilding the team, which he has overseen for a decade, with youngsters, recently turned down trades for players with high salaries sweetened by draft picks and made tryout offers to players that weren't accepted.

There are 60 players in camp, the team is over the salary cap and has few jobs open, so logically, some swaps should be in the offing. But Sather said: "Nobody's making any phone calls right now. There had been a couple calls before camp, people have offered good players, and they want to give up draft picks for them to get out of the contracts. I want to see what our kids can do here first before we do anything, see how they look in the [exhibition] games . . . The more kids we have on the team, the better off we are. We want to keep the core, the way it's been going the last few years. A veteran who loses his job to one of the kids doesn't deserve to be here."

Sather didn't seem averse to the idea of shedding salary, as rumors of waiving Wade Redden and his $6.5-million cap hit continue. When asked about the key elements in shaping the roster, he said: "I'd say talent and fit. I don't think salary should have a big distinction on whether the guy makes a hockey team."