While we wait

A couple of thoughts about John Tortorella, who will be named the next coach of the Rangers presumably later today. Everything is in place but since Tortorella, contractually, still belongs to the Lightning, the Rangers and Tampa Bay need to agree on compensation for Tortorella's services. Wouldn't call it a snag just yet, just the price of doing business.

That said (a Tom Renney phrase I will no doubt continue to use), the Rangers still have not announced a time for a conference call, most likely meaning the negotiations are not over.

Give GM Glen Sather a little bit of credit here. He could have taken the easy route and named Jim Schoenfeld interim coach for the rest of the season and then decide whether to give Schoenfeld the job full time over the summer. But Sather chose (or was convinced) to go outside the organization for a proven winner. Look at Sather's previous hires with the Rangers: Ron Low (an Edmonton buddy), Bryan Trottier (a disaster), himself (ditto) and Tom Renney (who was in the organization already and ran many of the practices during Sather's tenure as coach). Trottier was the only outside-the-organization guy and Sather hired him for the wrong reasons (famously: his good penmanship, though surely there were other things that impressed Sather).

The fiery Tortorella will, in many ways, opposite to Renney. He's not afraid to call out players publicly, something Renney abhorred. He'll no doubt have the Rangers playing more aggressively in the offensive zone. And players not playing well can expect to see their ice time slashed. Renney did that, at best, in drips and drabs, never fully bringing down the hammer that he so often talked about.

Tortorella can certainly be grating, no doubt one of the coaching tools he prefers to use. I'm sure he'll come in and light some kind of fire under the Rangers' collective backsides. But a switch behind the bench doesn't change the fundamental flaws in the composition of this roster. Even if it attacks in the offensive zone with greater consistency, it's still bound to be a low-scoring team because of a lack of finishers. And Tortorella's relationship with the mercurial Nikolai Zherdev will bear watching. Zherdev's often frustrating penchant for freelancing may quickly try Tortorella's patience.

Comments

[Matt]

His penmanship? Explain please.

[LI Joe]

andrew - do you think torts lessens the likelihood that the rangers claim avery if and when he is exposed to reentry waivers. supposedly torts is not a fan of avery.

and would that be something they would discuss up front before he would even take the job.

finally would any of this have dolans hand in it. like for instance he tells sather et al he wants avery here no questions asked.

[Dan]

Torts is a more polarizing leader, not sure which camp I fall into, however it's going to be a fun ride and I'd rather go down laughing than watch more of the same.

[TK]

Trottier apparently had a very impressive written "essay" on why he would be a good choice as the Rangers coach.

[Andrew Gross]

1. Penmanship - One of the things Sather raved about when he hired Trottier was a neatly written hand-written report on the Rangers that Trottier submitted. Sather specifically mentioned how good Trottier's penmanship was, even if he didn't use that word.

2. Tortorella and Avery - I'm sure that's one of the things Sather and Tortorella have discussed. I've seen that TSN roundtable and know Tortorella's feelings on Avery. However, I also know Sather's and he truly believes Avery deserves a second chance. If anything, Tortorella might have to bend to Sather's wishes here. And regarding the Dolans, I think the Avery situation is all on Sather, he's the one who wants to see Avery get another shot at the NHL.

[Mark]

Andrew

I know this is probably a dumb question, especially with the new coach coming, but with Mara out for another few weeks, and everyone pretty much saying Reitz isn't in the greatest shape do you think we will see a d-man from Hartford, or trade for another d-man soon?

[Andrew Gross]

Mark,

Not a dumb question at all. Tortorella may very well have different views on how to construct the roster. He may want the flexibility of having a seventh D so he can sit somebody without calling somebody up. If it's a call-up, I'd expect to see Corey Potter just so Bobby Sanguinetti can remain playing every game at Hartford.

[graves9]

Tampa's ownership is insane so who knows what will happen.