The New York Rangers have been one of the teams to watch in the pre-season. With new faces all around and spots to be won, it was anyone's guess what the Rangers might look like to start the '09-'10 campaign. With only 24 guys remaining on John Tortorella's roster, one would assume the picture is becoming a lot clearer.It's not.
The last two to three cuts are still very much up in the air, and the question of where everyone who does make the team will line-up has gotten progressively murkier.
First, Bradon Dubinsky ended his hold-out, signing a two-year deal that will pay him a total of $3.7 million over two years. It was assumed he would definitely center Marian Gaborik on the first line. But will he?
Right now, it's looking like the top-line pivot of choice for Tortorella is Vinny Prospal, who hasn't played center consistently since his pre-NHL days. Combine the fact that Prospal will probably be centering Gaborik, along with the fact that "Torts" has been quoted as saying he doesn't think wing is a great fit for Dubinsky, and you get one interesting situation.
Artem Anisimov, who has had an excellent training camp, was going to be the third line center. But now, with Prospal, Chris Drury, and Dubinsky all above him on the depth chart, where does he fit in? How about Brian Boyle, who has looked solid down he middle on the fourth line - someone who is probably better equipped to handle playing the five minutes a night Tortorella has been known to give his fourth lines in the past?
In today's practice, Anisimov and Boyle took turns participating on the fourth unit.
The situation on the wings is far from clear as well. Sean Avery suffered a sprained MCL yesterday in practice, an injury the Rangers are saying isn't serious, but, none-the-less, still makes things even more puzzling.
The three wild-cards are Enver Lisin, Evgeny Grachev, and Aaron Voros.
Enver Lisin, whose enjoyed what Tortorella has desribed as an eye-opening camp, can really spot in anywhere in the line-up. In today's practice, he was given a shot on the Gaborik-Prospal unit.
Evgeny Grachev, whose forechecking has shown a level of tenacity that has many Rangers fans, including this one, brimming with excitement, is one player the Rangers really want to be careful with. Playing on the fourth line would probably be a waste, as he would be better served to play 20+ minutes a night in Hartford. But with Avery out, one can't help but wonder if Grachev will start the season with the big club. In today's practice he skated with Drury and Ales Kotalik.
The third wild-card is Aaron Voros. His play the last three games has been inspiring, as he is laying it all out on the line to make this team. He is probably suited better for a fourth line role than Grachev and possibly Lisin, which could actually help his chances. Today Tortorella said of Voros, "He puts his time in and he is playing well. He has done a lot of good things for us. It is a good problem for us to have. We have a log jam in some areas and he is part of that log jam. I am not sure where it is going to settle but he has certainly played to a level where he is fighting for a position on this club."
It all comes down to where Tortorella decides to use Prospal. If he plays center, two things happen. First, one of Anisimov or Boyle will probably start the season in the AHL. My guess would be Anisimov, who would be better served playing 20+ minutes a night with the Hartford than five a night with the Rangers. Plus, Boyle is better suited to play with a vigilante like Donald Brashear. Second, Grachev's chances improve to make the big club, as one less wing is there to take a spot - and that hole would be on a scoring line, as well.
If Prospal plays on the wing, two different things would happen. For starters, Anisimov would center the third line, and Boyle the fourth. The other occurrence would be Grachev almost surely starting the season in Hartford.
This is, of course, assuming Avery is healthy enough to start the season. If not, expect Lisin and Grachev to both play in the top-nine.
But then again, without Avery maybe they move Prospal back to wing?
Only time will tell...
As far as the defense goes, I think the situation is fairly straight forward.
Bobby Sanguinetti will be the odd man out.
Unfortunately for Sanguinetti, he got banged up during the grueling laps that Tortorella administers in training camp, giving Michael Del Zotto and Matt Gilroy a head start in the pre-season games for the two spots Tortorella has reserved for youngsters. I say "unfortunate" because the kid worked hard to get into shape for this season, leaving home and heading to work-out in Toronto for the summer.
Del Zotto and Gilroy have looked exceptionally solid, whereas Sanguinetti has looked "okay," and has shown little to nothing offensively. Expect try-out Alexei Semenov to round out a defensive corps of Marc Staal, Dan Girardi, Michal Rozsival, Wade Redden, Del Zotto, and Gilroy.
The one big question is who gets the power-play time?
Del Zotto has looked great manning a point along with Ales Kotalik, and I have the impression he will continue to get a chance to stay there. Simply put, the Ranger's pre-season power-play has looked better when he's been on the ice. Redden and Rozsival's horrible exploits on the power-play are still fresh in Tortorella's mind from last year, so I wouldn't be surprised to see the other two spots on the second unit go to whoever has the hot hand out of those two and Gilroy.
Then again, this is pre-season. Maybe he lets Del Zotto and Gilroy take a backseat offensively, at least to start, and allows Rozsival and Redden the chance to prove they can get the job done this season.
My guess is Del Zotto plays the point with Kotalik on one unit and Rozsival and Redden take another, with Gilroy jumping into the mix if and when the power-play underperforms.
It will be interesting to see how the Blueshirts look come October 2nd in Pittsburgh.
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