By TOM GULITTI
 
Who better to boost the Rangers sagging playoff chances than the Russian Rocket? Without giving up a significant player off their roster, the Rangers acquired five-time 50-goal scorer Pavel Bure and a second-round draft pick from the Florida Panthers on Monday night for 19-year-old prospect Filip Novak, disappointing 31-year-old defenseman Igor Ulanov, a first- and second-round draft pick in this June's entry draft, and a fourth-rounder next year.

The Blueshirts have scored only 10 goals in losing five of their last six games to fall out of the top eight in the Eastern Conference. Montreal is in eighth place, two points ahead of the Blueshirts after the Canadiens' 1-1 tie with Carolina Monday night.

Bure will be in the Rangers' lineup tonight when they take on Vancouver at Madison Square Garden.

"We need somebody to help push us into the playoffs," Rangers general manager Glen Sather said after making what is by far his biggest trade in his two years in New York. "He's a great player. I think he's one of the top five guys in the league. It's a great opportunity for us. It makes our team much better."

And Sather probably has at least one more deal to make before today's 3 p.m. league trading deadline. A league source said Sather was continuing to talk to the Edmonton Oilers about defenseman Tom Poti - possibly for Mike York, who was part of the Rangers' original offer for Bure, but did not go to Florida in the trade.

"We've got a few hours left," Sather said. "I'm not sure what will happen. A lot could happen by [3 p.m.] No one is really sure."
Rangers coach Ron Low was under the impression his boss had at least one other trade up his sleeve because he wasn't sure as of Monday night where he would be able to fit Bure into his lineup.
"I really don't know where he's going to play until I find out what we've got after the trade deadline," Low said. "I firmly don't believe this is the last thing that's going to happen."

If anything, though, Sather has made it clear by acquiring Bure that ending the team's four-year playoff drought is his top priority.
"We've always said that we've got to make the playoffs," Sather said. "We're back [in the standings] right now, but it doesn't take very long to get back up into the middle of this whole pack. We just have to have to get some wins and we've got to get some goals and play a little bit smarter."

Sather said he spoke extensively with Panthers GM Chuck Fletcher and assistant GM/head coach Mike Keenan during the last month, but it appeared the deal had fallen apart over the weekend.

"It was real roller coaster," Sather said. "[Sunday] they called and said they weren't doing the deal and they called back [Monday] morning and wanted to see if they could get it back on the drawing board again. So, we worked on it and it happened. But I don't think over the last couple of weeks I really thought anything was going to happen."

The Panthers were mostly looking to unload Bure's contract, which pays him $10 million each of the next two seasons and has an option for a third year at $11 million, and begin rebuilding with young players after a horrendous season in which they have won just 19 games.
A team source said the Rangers did not rework Bure's contract prior to completing the trade. An erroneous report last week indicated getting Bure to rework his contract was a precursor to the trade.

In the end, the Rangers were the only team in the bidding for Bure, who has hit 60 goals twice in his 11 NHL seasons. The Dallas Stars showed strong interest at first, but dropped out late last week when the Panthers continued to insist that both Brenden Morrow and Jamie Langenbrunner be included in the deal.

Bure, who will turn 31 on March 31, won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy each of the past two seasons for leading the NHL in goals. Bure scored 59 goals last season and 58 the season before, but has only 22 in 56 games this season.
Sather already was talking to the Panthers about Bure before the Rangers lost Radek Dvorak for the season when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament in his right knee last Wednesday against Boston. That injury only magnified the Rangers' need for goal-scoring help.

Getting Bure certainly addresses that problem.

"The guy has pretty amazing skills," Low said. "You don't generally get 50-goal scorers for what we got him for. To not have to give up anybody off of our team, to me is great."

There is some concern over Bure's attitude. Some of his former teammates viewed him as a selfish player. But, to the Rangers, his ability to put the puck in the net far outweighed his drawbacks.
"I would look at the positive side of this deal," Sather said. "How many goals has the guy scored over the last three years? There aren't many people in this game that score like he's been able to score and be on teams that haven't been contenders. He's been a great player. He's exciting. There's two guys in the game that can lift you out of your seat when he's got the puck. [Dallas' Mike] Modano is one and he's the other one.

"There aren't many guys that skate like those people do."

BURE: PLUSES AND MINUSES

PROS
1. Scoring: Although Bure has only 22 goals this season, he averaged 56 goals over his previous three full NHL seasons.

2. Playoff boost: Bure is a streaky scorer and if he gets hot in the Rangers' final 12 games, he could push them over the top in the playoff race.

3. Star value: New York and Madison Square Garden love stars and Bure is one of the biggest in the game.

CONS
1. Defense: Bure can put the puck in the net, but he doesn't always help out in the defensive zone.

2. Character: Bure was thought to be selfish by some teammates in Florida.

3. Money: His contract calls for him to earn $20 million over the next two seasons, which might not leave room in the budget to sign big-name unrestricted free agents this summer.