THE personnel is different this year, so is the head coach, and so is the role that Chris Drury has been assigned to fill on a Rangers team that brought an 8-3-1 record into last night’s match against the Islanders at the Coliseum.
For no longer is Drury in a top-six offensive position up front, skating now as he does as the third-line center. No longer is Drury, who scored 55 of his 114 goals on the power play the last four seasons, on that specialty unit.
“The minutes certainly aren’t as sexy as I’ve been accustomed to getting over the years,” Drury, who is averaging just 50 seconds of power-play time per game after getting an average of 3:34 last year and 3:57 his first year on Broadway, told The Post yesterday morning.
“The minutes I’m getting now are on the penalty kill and in more defensive situations, such as the shift after a goal is scored when keeping or changing the momentum is so important. Those are critical portions of the game, so I’m certainly approaching this as if I have an important role to fill for this team.”
Drury has scored two goals, including one in the first period of the opener in Pittsburgh. Skating primarily with either Chris Higgins or Sean Avery on his left and either Enver Lisin or Ales Kotalik on his right, Drury has been on the ice for just six Rangers even-strength goals.
“It’s been a huge adjustment for me after playing a different role for so many years,” the captain said. “If we get two or three power plays in a 10-minute stretch, that means I’m doing a lot of watching, so I have to focus on not getting stale so that my brain and legs are still going.
“I’d certainly rather be putting up numbers, I understand that this is a world in which production is important and rewarded, but at the same time I’d rather be on this team with this role than have a more offensive role somewhere else.”
John Tortorella, the coach who has altered Drury’s job description, understands the metamorphosis the captain is experiencing. Beyond that, Tortorella expects Drury to be play a vital role this year, and on both sides of the puck.
“Chris has to be a big part of it if we’re going to win consistently,” Tortorella told The Post. “And I don’t mean only in checking, defensive or penalty-killing roles.
“Our personnel has changed and some roles have changed, but I believe that Chris can be and will be a major factor on offense. He is going to be put in more offensive situations. He is going to get time on the power play as we move along.
“I know that there is nothing more important to Chris than winning. I know how he takes his role as captain to heart, and how much that means to him.
“I have nothing but respect for Chris. He is going to be a big part of our team going forward.”
Drury rarely talks about his leadership style. Yesterday, though, he revealed that his changed role has prompted him to adjust his approach to the captaincy.
“If anything, it’s made me more vocal,” Drury, a noted low-talker, said. “A lot of my leadership comes by example, from playing a lot of minutes and putting up offensive numbers.
“Now, I’m trying to talk guys through it. I’m not a guy who is going to nitpick or bark, but what I try to do is encourage guys by being positive and trying to have an impact that way.
“On the ice, I’m trying to do what I’m asked by the coaches. I think there’s a lot of upside on this team. I want to contribute to it any way I can.”