Show Time For Young Hopefuls

Marc Staal and Lauri Korpikosko were two of the many Ranger prospects who played in their second straight Traverse City tournament ealier this week, and both attributed past experience as one of the reasons for the team's good showing there. "The group we had this year was the same kind of guys we had for the past two years, so we were more familiar with each other," Staal said. "That played a big part in it. Everybody's older and better, and we played pretty hard every game." Korpikoski added, "We has some guys who'd been there before, like me and Dubinsky. We just had a good team, some good prospects in this organization. We played good together. [His line with Dubinsky and Bourret] seems to work well. We played two games together then we split up, but those two games went well, we scored some goals, and we won."

Both players have their sights set on making the Rangers out of training camp, which is how the coaching staff has trained them to approach camp. "Right now I'm trying to play and do the best I can," Staal said. "It's everyone's goal here, and obviously it's mine, to play the best I can to make the team. Right now that's what I'm concentrating on doing, not get too far ahead of myself." Said Korpikoski, "Of course when you go to training camp your main goal is to make the team, and that's my goal this year -- it was last year's also. It's not the end of the world if you don't make it, but I don't think of that, I think of making it."

Staal has the example of his brothers to follow. "Eric did it after his third year of junior, Jordan after his second," he said of their path to the NHL. "I played four years of junior, so hopefully it's enough and I can adapt to the professional style here." Korpikoski's examples are different -- several ex-teammates from Hartford have left the Ranger organization to play in Finland, his home country, including fellow Finns Jarkko Immonen and Hannu Pikkarainen, and a fellow with a Finnish name who hails from Michigan, Dwight Helminen. "I don't think about going home now," said Korpikoski. "But it's true -- two of the guys are playing for the same team [in Finland] now, Helminen and Immonen. It's kind of funny. I don't think about that now, I just think about playing here. My goal is to make a career here."

From the quote book: Jaromir Jagr said several times over the summer to reporters in the Czech Republic that the Rangers still needed to address their defense. Today, he said, "I was happy with what we had [on defense] last year. There's a salary cap. When you sign two offensive forwards for a lot of money, there's not going to be a lot of money left for defensemen. Tom has to realize, we may have to change the style of play. Maybe now we have to start scoring more goals, not win 2-1, win 4-3. You have to work with you got on the team."

Scott Gomez on the culture change he has seen take place in New York over the past two years: "The Rangers, what changed with them, these last couple of years, you could tell the discipline was there. Talking to Chris [Drury], that was one of the main reasons we wanted to come here. They're ready to win. When Renney got here, there was a difference, you could tell the discipline was there. To go far in the playoffs, you gotta have that."

Chris Drury's guide to winning: "It's pretty simple, on any team I've been on, you're responsible for being mentally and physically ready any night. If you have those two things in order, you give yourself a good chance to win. On this team with all the talent we have, it gives you a great chance to win... One of the things I did learn in Buffalo is the deeper your line-up, the better success you're gonna have. It can't be the same two-three guys every night. We won the President's Trophy last year based on a deep line-up. At certain times certain lines will carry you. Other times it's everyone chipping in."

Brendan Shanahan on depth: "We have better depth, more experience. We've not only added some depth, but some young guys are ready to step in, give us the same sort of boost guys like Girardi and Callahan did for us last year." Drury on the leadership role he plans to take with the Rangers: "It'll just develop on its own. In Buffalo when I came in I was already one of the older guys. Here we have a lot of guys with a lot of experience, so I'm just gonna let that naturally develop and not force it."

Comments

[Jess]

Mystery Solved

Antoine Lafleur basically got a cameo day at the Ranger training camp as he was headed back to Prince Edward Island for the QMJHL REGULAR season opener against 2006 3rd Round Pick Ryan Hillier and his Halifax Mooseheads.

I will hopefully be posting where you fans can either listen or (even better) get to watch tomorrow night's game.

Also in action will be 2007 7th round pick David Skokan as his Rimouski Oceanic take on the Gatineau Olympiques. We will have a report on that game as well.

Next Wed, Tomas Zaborsky will lead the Saginaw Spirit into action as they open the 2007 OHL season.

This is why if you are not a Blueshirt Bulletin subscriber you are missing out on a ton of Ranger coverage

[Mike]

This coverage today has absolutely inspired me.. I want in.. I'm signing up.. An email is coming your way guys.

Do I get the first issue of the season? Did I miss it?

[Inferno]

as usual, unparalleled coverage.

awesome job Dubi.

[Matty]

Great coverage ... love the pictures!

[Jeff]

Mike,
I think you'll get the first issue of the season, which is probably going to cover the off-season as well as the beginning of the season.
There was an article up here recently regarding the upcoming issue...here it is:

http://ordinaryleastsquare.typepad.com/blueshirtbulletin/2007/09/kicking-off-a-n.html

[Hockey Dude]

Do I sense some potential drama between Renney and Jagr here? I don't see Renney changing the system he's worked so hard to create.

[paulf]

MSG,NY news did a feature on LaFluer, the coaching staff seems high on him, big kid, butterfly goalie in the mold of JS Guigere who they think will benefit from coaching that he hasn't had before.

ALso they had a logn interview with Jagr but I don't remember him saying anything controversial.

[Matty]

I don't see any drama of any sort ...

[Ana]

What drama? Being hyped up for the new season is drama to you?

Everything for the 2007-2008 season looks promising and exciting.

Let's go Rangers!!! Love the practice t-shirt!

[henkarizsdo]

Hi to all.
I come from Italy and I am new from here.
I hope of being able to work well
G'night, Sebastiano