Maybe Petr Prucha doesn’t like Connecticut. Or perhaps he just likes watching games at the Garden.
But he is determined not to go along with the Rangers’ wishes and go down to their AHL affiliate in Hartford for a two-week conditioning stint, even though the winger has been scratched from 10 straight games.
“It was a tough decision,” Prucha said. “I don’t know if I made a good decision or not, but I hope I have a better chance if I stay here.”
Clearly, the team would rather he go to Hartford to get some time on the ice for when he is called upon by coach Tom Renney.
“He’s in great shape, excellent shape,” said Renney, who gave the team the day off yesterday, something he had opted to do even before its lackluster performance in a 4-0 loss to Florida at the Garden on Sunday.
“He needs game experience. Playing is important, playing is critical. There’s fitness and shape, and game-fitness and game-shape.”
And since Prucha hasn’t played in a game since Nov. 8 – and even before that, had not registered a point in eight games this season – it’s not unrealistic to think he may need a game or two before he can be competitive in an NHL game.
Though the Rangers did not order him to go down to the AHL, they did suggest it.
“It was more like, ‘Maybe it would be good for your confidence to go there and start playing again and get in shape. Maybe after that you’ll feel better,’ ” Prucha said.
“I’m in good shape and ready to jump right in. I feel like it’s better to stick around so they can watch me every day on the ice and see that I’m ready.”
Apparently, he believes he’ll be forgotten about in Hartford, even if it would only be for two weeks. And though Renney likely would have preferred Prucha to agree to the move, he was understanding of it yesterday.
“We’re going to let it go for the next little while,” Renney said. “We may come back to it. There’s no way I could dispute his level of fitness, his effort, his attitude. Never, ever. I can appreciate why [Prucha and his agent] want to be here and on the ready, and that is fine with us.”