The NY Rangers "Clean Slate" Debuts Tonight
Tonight’s the first night of the Blueshirts “clean slate”. Tortorella & his stubborn, outspoken ways are now Vancouver’s problem while the Rangers hope Alain Vigneault is the coach to capitalize on the success they achieved in the last full NHL season. Hard to believe it was only 2012 when NY were the #1 seed in the East facing off against their rival Devils for a Stanley Cup Finals invitation. Last year’s lockout-shortened disaster was deemed a direct result of Tortorella’s backpedaling defensive scheme – so with all the big pieces of the roster still intact, AV & new assistant Scott Arniel are here to tilt the ice more towards the offensive zone. Will they make an immediate difference? They’d better.
2013-14 doesn’t start off very Ranger-friendly. Although Ryan Callahan is expected back soon, they’ll be without their captain & Carl Hagelin tonight in Phoenix as they kick off a 9-game road trip. That’s a tough way to open a new regime. If Nash, Richards & Co. are gonna light up the stat sheet and lead a respectable power play, it’ll need to come together right away. JT Miller will have to answer the bell. When the Blueshirts return to their newly renovated home with double-digit points in their newly renovated division, I’ll be a believer. Until then, I’m just as hopeful and eager as the rest of their fans.
LET’S GO RANGERS!