First John Tortorella brings in his assistant coach from Tampa and now he gets one of the horses from the Lightning stable - Vinny Prospal. As Larry Brooks mentioned yesterday, the Rangers officially added Prospal to the roster.As I said last month, I think Vinny will look great across from Marian Gaborik. As Brooksie said, Vinny provides insurance if Dubi falters as first line center. Now, I don't think that Dubi will but I do believe in insurance. And it helps balance the roster a bit more:
Prospal-Dubinsky-Gaborik
Higgins-Drury-Kotalik
Avery-Anisimov-Callahan
Criminal-Not Going To Play Much-Who Cares?
Outside of the human refuse that they will use for the fourth line that won't see much ice time (Brash, Voros, Boyle, Arnason, Lisin), I have to admit that those lines look pretty damn good to me. Granted, there is only one legitimate first line/scorer/star in the bunch but hockey is a team game and those lines look like they could have some chemistry. You know, chemistry? It's not something we have seen much of in the last 15 seasons, outside of the post-lockout year with the Czechs (and Nylander), amazingly the very same season we got screwed by the Olympics too.
Now we can hope that this group becomes fast friends and finds that chemistry because if they don't, then they may just unite against a common foe - John Tortorella. And when Torts becomes the common enemy, he risks losing the team (see: Tampa).
One things is for sure, this team will score some goals and be interesting to watch. And that's all we can ask for, right?
7 comments:
God you really want Tort's to fail just so I could say "told you so" huh? Your like Rush Limbaugh saying that he wants Obama to fail.
I don't see it as Tortorella being expected to fail. He is a strong personality, and won't sway from it. Players either subscribe to it or are gone. Simple as that.
I do still hope they can get Dubi under wraps. While I don't see him as an All-Star caliber player for the immediate future, he's still got a lot of the character and skill that the team needs and that Torts looks for.
Hey, I said I would wait and see when he got hired, then was totally pissed off by his antics against the Caps. But regardless of that, he is well known to have a polarizing approach towards the team and we will just have to see how it pans out - that was all I was saying here.
Whats really sad is that of those 4 lines (12 players)... there are only 3 players whom were regulars last season... then theres avery who was obviously a regular when he returned to the team.
talk about rebuilding, haha.
anyways... im excited for the season to start. im anxious to see how the offense does.
even if they dont win, it should at least be entertaining instead of playing for a 0-0 tie
I think it's a decent move since Prospal is cheap, but damn if that guy isn't Zherdev-level flighty without being anywhere near as talented.
Still, can't argue with rolling the dice on a short term, small investment. Glenn Sather's just getting downright schizophrenic this summer.
I still say Sather is thinking of making his grand exit from this stage we call hockey (which the addition of Messier as his special helper or whatever may attest to), and this year and possibly next year are bound to see some very interesting choices from Slats, in an attempt to go out on top with his final Stanley Cup team.
I think he sees this team, as it now stands, as a solid platform. He has a solid group of veterans who have a boat-load of potential to put up goals )and yes, even play defense, if Wade Redden shows up this year). He has youth waiting in the wings to shine, if some of his aquisitions turn out to be comeplte busts (or busted, in the case of Gabbo). He has a rock-solid goaltender who only showed the slightest signs of breakdown being the only person keeping last season alive.
I think the final thing Slats does is sign Dubi. Then he lets this team play itself out for the first half of the season, barring anything horrible (injury, no charisma, etc). I think we then see a major aquisition before the trade deadline, and a push for the cup. If the team stinks up the ice this season, then the major acquisition comes next year during free agency. Either way, I say Slats is gone in two years, either by Dolan or by resignation.
I hate thinking of Brash wearing the jersey even as a fourth liner. He stinks and won't help this team at all. I hope he gets his teeth handed to him every time he steps on the ice. I saw pics of him on the internet hanging w Cote and Carter backstage at a Snoop Dogg concert. He should retire and be one of Snoop Dogg's thugs. Suits him better.
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