Leadership No Laughing Matter for Drury and Gomez

The October issue of Blueshirt Bulletin was put to bed last night. Today the printer produces a proof that allows to make sure everything looks good, tomorrow we get to send back any changes we want to make, the issue goes to press overnight the next night, and then it is delivered to various locations the day after that. If all goes according to schedule, the issue goes into the mail on Friday and will start to reach subscriber mailboxes as early as Saturday but more likely early next week.

With the advent of Blueshirt Bulletin+ we have the luxury of letting you see some of the material that appears in the magazine even before it's printed and distributed. Last week, we gave you a sneak peak at a portion of Bruce Berlet's story on newly signed Ranger draftee Dale Weise. Today, we have a slightly abridged version of an article on the Rangers' new leadership group, captain Chris Drury and Scott Gomez, contributed by Ranger beat writer Andrew Gross of the Record -- as you can see from the image to the left, this is our cover story this month, because there is no doubt that “It's Their Team Now”:

That friendship will now play a huge role in the Rangers’ ultimate success this season. Drury was named the Rangers’ 25th captain the day before they opened the season with back-to-back 2-1 wins over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Prague. At the same time, Drury’s linemates on the Rangers’ first unit, Gomez and left winger Markus Naslund, were selected as alternate captains. “I’m kind of looking at it as we have three [captains],” Drury said. “Markus is a longtime captain [the last eight seasons in Vancouver]. Scott and I came over together and I’m going to lean heavily on them. I hope we tackle it all together.”

Not only will Gomez and Drury guide the Rangers as team leaders this season, they are also being relied on to provide a good portion of the goal production that left town with the departures of Jaromir Jagr, Martin Straka, Brendan Shanahan, and Sean Avery. “Just the fact that it is our second year here, you know everyone better,” said Gomez, a 28-year-old Alaskan. “The better you feel in the locker room, the better you’ll be on the ice. It’s family now -- it’s familiar. Last year, everything was up in the air.”

Don’t let Gomez’s normal joke-first, be-serious-later persona fool you. There are moments when he can be intensely serious. His teammates see it on the ice, whenever he or they do not play up to his exacting standards. “If you’re out there and not doing the job, he’s going to let you know,” right winger Ryan Callahan said. “Off the ice, he’ll give it to you joking around. On the ice, it’s all business. He just grabs you and says, ‘Pick it up a little, you need to get going.’ Coming from a guy that everyone has a lot of respect for, you take it and do try to pick it up.” Scraping for a playoff spot is not part of Gomez’s hockey DNA. “We were still struggling for a playoff spot [late last season] and that’s just something I never was a part of,” he said. “You’re going to the playoffs. That’s automatic. That’s the attitude you’ve got to have. That’s the way it was over there.”

Gomez and Drury’s ascension as the Rangers’ team leaders harkens back to the days when Team USA alumni Brian Leetch and Mike Richter led the Blueshirts. Drury is the second American-born captain in Ranger history after Leetch wore the “C” from 1997 to 2000. Without Gomez’s OK, Drury would likely be skating elsewhere these days. “I called him and made sure he was OK with it,” Drury said. “He was first. Honestly, if I had called and he said, ‘I don’t know if we both can fit there,’ I probably wouldn’t have signed. I always thank him for saying yes.” Even before they were teammates, the two talked often. And not always over dinner. “He’s a big talker out there,” Drury said of times he had played against Gomez. “We’d have a conversation that would last three periods. There’d be a whistle and it would pick right up. He’s pretty funny. I’d always try not to get caught talking to him or laughing. He’s pretty witty, so it was a challenge.”

In the end, though, Gomez knows hockey can’t be all fun and games. Helping Drury as a team leader is no laughing matter. “I like to kid around, I like to have fun,” Gomez said. “It’s a fun game. The second year around, maybe there are certain guys not here, maybe there is more responsibility. But the room is so close, so tight, anything you say to a young guy, anything you say to someone, you’re only helping them out. I’ve been on teams where you’ve got to say things a certain way to a certain guy. Not this team. It’s a special group.”

Comments

[Sam]

Great article, can't wait for the October Issue.

Hope Rangers dominance over the Devils continues tonight.

Let's Go Rangers!

[BLAZEPHR]

BREAKING NEWS: Cherepanov in ICU

http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=561325

[kovazub94]

From Russian websites, Cherepanov's heart stopped during Avangard's today's game. He is in the hospital right now. A lot of rumors are floating around about him recovering and (I don't want to say it). No official word yet.
I hope he survises and recovers quickly so that his life is no longer in danger!!!

[Alan]

In last night’s Avangard Omsk/Chekhov Vityaz game, Rangers first-round pick Alexei Cherepanov collided with a teammate on a change and was knocked unconscious. Later, his heart stopped and he had to be taken to the hospital.

According to the Alexander Ovechkin blog, which is a great source for Russian hockey news, the player he collided with was Jaromir Jagr, who was crying and screaming for Cherepanov to wake up. You may remember that the two had forged a tight relationship early in their Avangard time together. Jagr was Cherepanov’s boyhood hero.

The comments on the article paint a particularly grim picture, with one saying Cherepanov has died. Really hoping that’s not the case.

Update: Sports.ru is indeed saying that Cherepanov has passed away.

Jesus Christ.

[Laserman]

I'm hoping that this is premature however both TSN and Sporsnet is saying that Cherapanov passed away. Sad indeed!!! http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2008/10/13/rangers_cherepanov_dead/

[pghas]

Indeed, it appears he's died.

[Sam]

A good solid win.

Kept the turnovers to the minimal. The defensemen were quick to swat away rebounds (beside the Madden goal).

Voros was right in the face of Marty and scores 2 goals.

Mara has been playing physical, Girardi was taking bodies down and Staal was his calm self (loved the way he took the puck away and shielded himself from 2 defenders during last part of third period).

5-0!

[Godot]

I just want to say the AC was the age of many of my students--makes me remember they're still kids, and that I'm lucky to have their energy in my life. His passing is a real sobering event. RIP, Chere.

G

[kogan]

This is a video from Russia;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_h_-tFD41N0&NR=1

[kovazub94]

Sam,

Do you live on the moon? Don't answer it's a rhetorical question.

[rangerbill94]

The suprise for me is the way Mara is playing. Maybe he stopped reading what he WAS SUPPOSED TO BE and started playing like he is. He is not the big, offensive defenseman who will put up lots of points and because of that we don't care about his defensive skills. On this team he needs to be a defenseman FIRST, the rest will take care of itself. He wanted to came back here, probably to show that what he was doing at the end of last season is what he can do all the time. The "edge" is very appriciated. To look at the trade of A. Ward for him now is beginning to look like a steal. I always liked Kalinin, even though he'd take a night off now and then. These two are allowing Renney to distribute ice time more evenly throughout the game and that should pay big dividends come playoff time. Finally, Renney's puck management system, the great backpressure from the forwards is making the job of the defensemen much easier. Overall, this is a very sound hockey team and the system is fun to watch. I'm sure it's also fun to play, as long as each guy understands and commits to working every shift.

BUF is a speed team, so the next game should also be a good test.

Last, Renney is a very good coach. Just look at Colton Orr. His improvements over the past 2-3 years has been dramatic and all in a positive direction. I said it when Hollweg got traded, TOR won't be able to control him. Renney did his best and most of the time Ryan did his job. The playoff hit cost him his job in NY and he won't be long for this league if he continues his out of control game. Renney may not be a very flashy guy, but he knows hockey and he knows how to get the best from each of his players. Can't ask too much more then that. (A cup would be great, though!)