THE “clueless” John Tortorella ran his first snappy practice yesterday of a Ranger team he admits to knowing not enough about. In time, he is not going to be especially pleased to make the acquaintance.
“I think (Henrik) Lundqvist is the best goalie in the league,” said Tortorella. Beyond that, we’ll see how much deeper grows the coach’s comfort level with these players’ ability to play the attack hockey to which Tortorella subscribes.
“We do have a philosophy difference from the prior staff and that is not to run down that staff because I thought it was a very good staff,” he said. “But I know how I want them to play. The most important thing as a coach is ‘what do we have as personnel? Can they play your style?’ ”
Tonight in Toronto, a Boston native pumped to be coaching again in “hockey country, back in the Northeast,” who quickly barred players and media from standing disrespectfully on the Rangers logo in the locker room carpet, will start to get his answers. True to the Tortorella M.O. that won the 2004 Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay, the underachieving Scott Gomez, Chris Drury and Nik Zherdev will be pushed. We’ll see just how far is possible.
The Rangers have been falling off a cliff in slow motion since a fast start because they have a ponderous defense and no superstar outside the crease, a heavy burden on good players not great enough to carry the team and a reality that made Tom Renney wise to drill safe hockey.
“I know what’s been troubling them,” said Tortorella. “I think the team has been a little paralyzed through all the things going on. Losing knocks you down. This reputation that I kick the hell out of people takes on a life of its own. As a coach, you gotta understand what your team is. This is a time to try to get them to feel decent about themselves.”
Confidence has eroded over the course of a 21-21-7 run following a 10-2-1 start, culminating in a 1-9-2 knockout of Renney and top assistant Perry Pearn. They coached what they had, which probably will prove nothing like what the new guy wants.
“A hockey team has to have an identity, that’s what’s difficult right now, creating that identity and not giving them too much because we need to win, we’re in a dogfight,” said Tortorella. “Last year in Tampa, I was too aggressive, our D couldn’t handle it and it cost us. I made a major mistake in not changing that a little bit, I waited too long.”
Time is short to save this season. But not for a recast of the Rangers by a strong-willed coach wanted enough by Glen Sather to break his hiring pattern of old cronies.
“Three games in four nights is good for a new coaching staff to figure out where some guys can succeed,” he said. “Maybe some guys can’t handle this type of situation.”
This change will get some Rangers going, and some others will be going. It’s always that way. But this is a coach who knows what he wants in players. And the recent track record of the GM indicates he can use some strong guidance.