How Much For The Cup?

Rangers roster

The Rangers went seven games without a victory before beating the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday. After 16 games New York is three games under .500 at 5-8-3.

"I've been in the NHL since 1973," said former goalie John Davidson, now a TV commentator for the MSG Network. "And I've never seen a team with this kind of God-given talent lose it's collective confidence like this."

A big reason for the Rangers' record is the almost total failure of their power-play. The team is 4 for 69 on power-play, a rate of 5.8 percent, ranking last in the league.

"The power play not working is the biggest thing in this whole thing," the Rangers' general manager Neil Smith said. "With the personnel we have, the power play has got to score."

Smith has been criticized for hiring high-priced veterans, who are simply not so hungry to win anymore, and for not fixing the power-play.

"In a way, this team was set up to have a good defense, good goaltending and good special teams," said Smith. "And we've got a horrible power play, the worst you could possibly think of."

Coach John Muckler has been unable to halt the skid, but players don't hold him responsible. Smith agrees.

"The players on the ice are accountable for the power play," Smith said. "Leetch, Mathieu Schneider, Graves, Nedved, Fleury. Even if you're playing Sega, you'd think you'd score some goals with those guys."

The highest payroll in the league might get even higher. The Rangers are reportedly ready to sign unrestricted free agent Joe Murphy to a one-year deal believed to be worth around $800,000.

"He has great speed. I think that's something we do need," said Muckler. "He has good hands and he can score goals. That won't hurt our hockey club, if that's what we end up doing."