|
|
|
On The Bench
by Gary Pino
|
|
Monday, June 10 2002
Trottier On 34th St.
It's amazing how things seem to rapidly
change right before our eyes. Bryan Trottier hired by Glen Sather this
week marks "The Real" new beginning for the Rangers! If
Neil Smith were still the GM, Trottier's name would never even be
mentioned in the same breath with "NYR's Organization"!
But this is the new millennium, and hopefully a fun and exciting new
beginning for the entire Rangers organization?
For Glen Sather's sake I hope things turn around in a hurry, or he may be
looking for work come the end of next season! Trottier will have his
work cut out himself and needs to teach a team that has not seen playoff
games here at MSG, how to win and make it to the playoffs! Not an
easy task! Goalie Mike Richter has not seen or let alone played in
the playoffs in 6 seasons now, the biggest question I have on Richter is,
"Will he be around if and when the Rangers do make the
playoffs? Honestly, I believe Dan Blackburn will win the starting
job this season in camp! Dan has proven he can play at a very high
level for the then 18-year-old child he was. With that incredible
run at last season's end, and that stellar game in Philadelphia, he opened
everyone's eyes that doubted that the kid had that kind of game in him.
My concern is, if Blackburn does play at that level next season, will Mike
Richter take a backup roll on the bench? At this stage of his
career, I am not so sure he would want to do that here, when he can try
and break the bank with another team, and be the number one guy for a
contender. Glen Sather better think this through before he signs
Mike! Otherwise a goaltending controversy could be on the
horizon. And for a team like the Rangers, who are still trying to
find their identity, this would be the worst thing for Trottier to have to
deal with! The one thing you cannot do, is mess with Blackburn's
development like they did with Kloucek last season! Everyone around
the Rangers seems to think that they should split the games played
50/50? But, what if Danny gets hot during the season, and runs off 6
in a row? Now, Mike Richter is sitting on the bench, and the tension
will start to mount between Richter and the coaching staff. This
situation, I feel will have to be handled very carefully, and taken very
seriously!
Tomas Kloucek has to come to camp, and regardless of how he plays, needs
to be with the Rangers and not in Hartford! It's time for this kid
to come along, and learn how to play NHL style hockey. Kloucek is
ready! "No doubt in my mind"! He had his game where I
thought was the best I have ever seen him, early last season.
Kloucek was sending guys off the ice with crushing hits in at least every
other 2 games. The best hit that comes to mind was the whack he put
on Florida's Peter Worrell in Florida! Just let Kloucek play his
game! He needs to learn when to nail a guy and when not to! Judging
by the way the defensemen in Colorado were handled, I have a great feeling
Trottier will bring Kloucek up properly.
Bryan Trottier will have a lot of work to do in a short period of time,
and I am confident he is capable of getting the job done here in New
York! Bryan said at the press conference a word that I have been
longing to hear! "System". He plans to implement a system
on a team that I firmly believe forgot the basics of the game.
Judging from Trottier's comments, he plans on leaving the off ice stuff
like UFA's and personnel issues to Glen Sather, and that's music to my
ears. It means he is focused on his job at hand, and that's teaching the
team discipline! It sounds like the 2 men will get along very nicely
together, and that Trottier will be on his own as far as coaching.
I'd like to see Trottier bring in his own assistants, and not be given
Walt Kyle, or heaven forbid, Ron Low! I have always said that we
would need someone to remove the "Bitter Beer Faces" around
here! And maybe Bryan Trottier was the answer all along?
|
Additional stories from this Author:
|
|
|
|
April 23rd, 2021 |
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN |
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7:00pm -
|
|
|
|
|
► NEXT GAMES
|
|
Friday Apr 23rd 7:00pm - Home
|
|
|
Sunday Apr 25th 6:00pm - Home
|
|
|
Tuesday Apr 27th 7:00pm - Home
|
|
|
Thursday Apr 29th 7:00pm - Home
|
|
|
Saturday May 1st 7:00pm - Road
|
|
|
Monday May 3rd 7:00pm - Home
|
|
|
Wednesday May 5th 7:00pm - Home
|
|
|
Thursday May 6th 7:00pm - Road
|
|
Complete Schedule
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
September 29th, 2017
How many rostered players were on the ice for opening night 2016-17
Answer...
|
|
|
► STANDINGS
|
|
Team |
GP |
W |
L |
OT |
Pts |
|
|
Flyers |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
|
|
Lightning |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
|
|
Capitals |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
|
|
Maple Leafs |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
|
FULL STANDINGS |
|
|
► RANDOM RANGER |

|
 |
BERT MARSHALL
(1972-1973)
|
|
Born: |
Nov 22 - 1943 |
|
|
Pos: |
Defense |
|
|
GP: |
8 |
|
|
G: |
0 |
|
|
A: |
0 |
|
|
Pts: |
0 |
|
|
PIMs: |
14 |
|
|
|
|
|