PITTSBURGH — John Tortorella was looking for a few good men to step up during training camp and compete for the two vacant alternate captain positions. Unfortunately, the head coach of the Rangers only found one — Ryan Callahan.
“I don’t want this to be a negative thing, but I just don’t think we have the second guy now to give it to,” Tortorella said yesterday morning upon naming Callahan, a 24-year-old, fourth-year winger, as an alternate to captain Chris Drury. “Ryan Callahan has shown the capabilities for that role and that he deserves that role.
“It’s in the way he handles himself on the ice, the way he practices, the way he prepares, the way he conducts himself. It’s about being a pro. Ryan has been fast-tracked into being a pro.
“I was interested to see if someone else would step up to claim that other [opening], but I haven’t seen that,” Tortorella said. “I just don’t think you should give it to a guy because he’s your best player or to a guy to try to help him out.
“You have to go through the process and see if that player is here.”
Tortorella may not want the absence of a second option to be portrayed negatively, but how else can it be interpreted? It’s safe to say that young defensemen Dan Girardi and Marc Staal were in line for consideration when camp opened, but neither asserted himself.
Brandon Dubinsky’s contract dispute eliminated him from the mix. And apparently, Tortorella didn’t see enough of those intangible necessities to anoint Marian Gaborik.
But Callahan, who wore the “A” on his uniform for last night’s opener against the Stanley Cup banner-raising Penguins, has every intangible. The right wing finished every check and took every hit to make every play throughout the exhibition season. It might as well have been the playoffs for Callahan, whose work ethic is unsurpassed.
“It’s quite an honor to be able to wear a letter on your jersey, especially in this room with the veterans we have,” said Callahan, who skated last night with Drury and left wing Chris Higgins. “I pride myself on laying it all on the line every night to try to help us win.
“Part of the reason I have this is to set an example of hard work. It feels kind of natural for me to be more of a leader.”
Callahan, who is entering his fourth season in the NHL and as a Ranger, scored 22 goals last season, including nine in the 21 games he played after Tortorella replaced Tom Renney behind the bench. He also happened to have the Rangers’ only shot — a wrist shot from the right circle — in the third period of the 2-1 Game 7 playoff elimination loss to the Caps.
“I just want to pick up my game where it left off under Torts,” Callahan said. “I need to make sure that I don’t change anything because I have the letter either in the way I play or the way I go about my business.
“I’m just going to do what I do.”
And he’ll do it as the Rangers’ lone alternate captain.
*
Alexei Semenov, who both had earned and previously agreed to a $600,000 contract following his training camp tryout, finally rejected the offer yesterday, leaving the Blueshirts with the minimum six defensemen on the roster. The club will take some time before deciding whether to add a seventh, either by acquisition or promotion.
“Apparently his wife didn’t think [$600,000] was acceptable,” said general manager Glen Sather, who added that Semenov was in tears when he told him of his final decision. “It’s a shame.”
Semenov likely is to pursue a job in the KHL.
Michael Del Zotto, who made his NHL debut last night at the age of 19, switched from his training camp No. 43 to No. 4 in honor of Bobby Orr. “He was always my favorite player,” said Del Zotto, who was born in June of 1990, 13 years after Orr retired. . . . Sean Avery (knee) sat out. . . . Last year’s alternate captains were Scott Gomez and Markus Naslund. . . . The Blueshirts are home tonight against Ottawa.