It will be an interesting night at the Garden tonight, with Wade Redden on display against the Ottawa team for which he played the first 11 years of his career before bolting to Broadway as a free agent this summer.
It’ll be interesting, too, with Michal Rozsival on display, period, after he was booed mercilessly during the second and third periods of Saturday’s victory over the Bruins.
“I’ve been thinking about this game and the one in Ottawa on Saturday, and I’m excited about it,” said Redden, who yesterday made the move across the practice locker room into the stall last used by Brendan Shanahan.
“I’m going to try not to get too caught up in it, but it’s going to be special. Part of being with this team here will be battling my old team. I’m a Ranger now. This week is going to be good for me. It’s time to get going in here.”
Redden, who signed a six-year, $39 million deal on July 1 in leaving an Ottawa organization that attempted to publicly embarrass the defenseman into waiving his no-trade clause by leaking his refusal to do so last winter, is coming off perhaps his sharpest game as a Ranger.
“I don’t know what [kind of transition] I expected, but I think it takes a little time,” Redden said. “For sure I wanted to come in and make an impression, but I also just tried to fit in. … I feel I can step it up.”
If Redden’s night bears watching, so, too, does Rozsival’s.
The defenseman was bombarded with abuse each time he touched the puck after two second-period turnovers immediately were turned into Boston goals, the second of which was converted into a short-hander. Rozsival did not get on the ice during the team’s two third-period power plays.
Coach Tom Renney delivered a passionate defense of Rozsival on Saturday, endorsing him as a man, teammate and player. But Rozsival has struggled badly, much as he did last year. He’s too easily ridden off the puck. He’s too fretful with it. And he’s on the first year of a four-year, $20 million contract he signed on July.
Renney yesterday was close to defiant – as close as he gets in dealing with the press – in responding to an inquiry about whether he is concerned about the situation with Rozsival, and whether he might have to adjust the way he’s used at home.
Still, if Rozsival is booed every time he touches the puck, it’s untenable to have him on the point. But how can Renney allow the crowd to coach the team?
The Senators, 6-9-2 after consecutive losses to the Islanders, are in desperate shape and desperately searching for a defenseman. The Rangers wouldn’t mind taking Chris Neil or Antoine Vermette off Ottawa’s hands. Perhaps the Senators are intrigued by Petr Prucha. Maybe there’s something to talk about.
Should be an interesting night.