Feeling The Heat?

As the suffocating summer continues, it is best to look towards the cool fall and hockey season. Hell, it is the only thing getting me through this weather. And, in doing so, we are left to wonder what the Ranger squad will look like. A lot can and hopefully will change before the puck drops in October but this is what I see, right now:

* The Knicks didn't get cash cow LeBron James so the heat (pun intended) will be on the Rangers to up the revenue. And the easiest way to do that? Make the playoffs.

* Tortorella was in the position of coaching away from his comfort zone last season, rolling four lines as his bottom trio was better than the other three. Well, now he can with the signing of the Boogaard and Boyle and Voros (even though he was waived) still around.

* Looking at the roster (below), there doesn't appear to be any room for the kids Tortorella claimed he wanted to add. Even with the hail mary move of sending Wade to Hartford - made less likely in my opinion due to LeBron - there aren't any slots. A coach - even one with an ego the size of the Empire State Building - knows not to waste kids on the fourth line, getting six, seven minutes a night.

Prospal-Christensen-Gaborik
Prust-Anisimov-Dubinsky
Avery-Drury-Callahan
Boogaard-Boyle-Voros

Staal-Rozsival
MDZ-Girardi
Gilroy-Redden

Lundqvist
Biron

I know, I know, Prust on the second line is a stretch but Arty admitted his need for a tough guy to ride shotgun and Dubi adds skill that Shelley didn't have (if only he could have the same drive). That entire fourth line could be swapped based on opponents.

* Now the wild cards appear to be Evgeny Grachev, Mats Zuccarello Aasen, Dale Weise and Brodie Dupont. Grachev was a huge disappointment in Hartford but he could provide quite the boost to Arty (who lost his bromance with Enver Lisin). MZA is an unknown quantity while Weise and/or Dupont could fill in on the fourth line.

* Then again, Prust could be dropped the fourth line in Voros' spot should Sather do something stupid like overpay Frolov but I refuse to think about that.

* Mike Sauer and Ryan McDonaugh should get some consideration on the blue line. Sauer, like Dupont, has paid his dues and shown ability. After Sauer was screwed over two years ago, you would like to imagine him getting a second shot. As for the former Badger, with the amount of hype around him, he will be the first one in line for a spot. He could very well take Hobey's as Jimmy D's willingness to bury $6 mill in the minors wavers.

* Hartford has lost Corey Locke but, barring something incredible in training camp, will gain Derek Stepan. They will have to replace P.A. Parenteau's scoring, which very well could be the role of MZA as he acclimates to America. Lee Baldwin will step into Corey Potter's place on the blueline. Chad Johnson and Matt Zaba will still man the Pack net while Cameron Talbot will start for the new ECHL affiliate (whoever that may be).

I'm sure there is more but, damn it hot; time to go get a cool beverage. Let's hope whatever KoolAid the Rangers brass are drinking is as refreshing.