No one knows what to make of this team, the 06/07 New York Rangers are a club searching for an identity. With a very thin roster, little help coming from the farm, and some cap problems, this years team promises to be a bottom feeder in the east. When your best center is John Madden and you starting goalie is Kevin Weekes, nobody is going to expect much. The holes are obvious and many, but management believes the team will be able to compete for a lower playoff spot pointing out the teams strong defensive core and the fact they have one big gun in Paul Kariya.
The offseason plan was simple, get a strong goaltender to play behind a strong defense and let Kariya try and win some games by himself. The Blueshirts set their sights on Marty Turco from the onset of free agency and after putting in more than four offers the Rangers weren't Turco's choice who went to Washington instead. New York did try and sign Nik Khabibulin but entered the game too late in waiting on Turco's decision. In the end the Rangers still do have a veteran in Kevin Weeks who shouldered most of the load last year in a playoffless season. The defense wasn't nearly as strong last year compared to now, and Weekes has shown he can be a teams starter in the past. Young Jason Bacashihua was signed over the summer to be the backup and if all pans out, eventual number one a few years down the road.
Larry Robinson knows his teams best asset is it's defense and he plans on playing a trap style system this season which is different for the Rangers who usually play a more open skating style brand of hockey. The Blueshirts may not have many fowards outside of Kariya who can score, but there are guys who are very competent defensively which is all Robinson is asking for right now. "I don't care who scores.......I am more interested in strong defensive play from all our fowards coming back into our zone and helping the defense. Our offense will come from strong defensive play and transition." Robinson is one of the best defensive coaches in the league and knows what it takes to win as a player. "We are trying to build a TEAM here. If Paul scores we all score, if Sergei scores we all score. Everything we do this season good or bad will happen as a team.....there will be no scapegoats."
So far this season the plan seems to be going right as scheduled with the Rangers playing two games; scoring 2 goals and giving up 4. They lost both games by the score of 2-1. While the hockey may not be as pretty or entertaining as Ranger fans are used to, if it racks up more wins than losses no one will complain.