Brooks: Tortorella On Brashear
Larry Brook of the New York Post con
tinues his week-long series of talking with Ranger coach John Tortorella about the state of the Ragers.
Todays topic, is the controversial Don Brashear and how he will fit on the team after his incident with Blair Betts in the playoffs this past season.
“I don’t condone anyone trying to hurt another player. I don’t know that’s what happened with Bettsy, but if I ever think that Donald is trying to injure someone while he plays for the Rangers, that will be addressed.
“Things happen in hockey. We have to block out what happened to Blair Betts. The organization has to block it out,” Tortorella said. “If any of our guys have an issue with Donald, then settle it like men, because they are going to be teammates and they are going to have to respect each other.”
Even at 37 Tortorella believes that he Brashear can still be an effective member of the Rangers.
“I think Donald is a good enough skater that we’ll be able to move him up and down our lineup depending on game situations,” the head coach said. “He’s an intimidating force with good enough hockey sense, who knows how to play on the defensive side of the puck.
“He’s going to bring a certain demeanor to our team that we need a lot more of. We were too non-descript last year. I don’t want a team that’s non-descript. I want a team that has personality.
Torts also expects that any problems between any players and Brashear will be taken care of.
“Again, though, if there are players who have a problem with Donald because of Bettsy or anything else that’s happened in the past, I expect the issue to be dealt with and settled. I don’t care how, I don’t care where, but get it done so that when we come out of the locker room, we do it as a team.”
Brooks also notes on Marc Savard and Brad Richards after the jump.
….I have started to turn a little towards accepting Brashear on this team. They need an enforcer and someone who can protect the Gaborik’s and the Dubinsky’s and Callahan’s and Brashear is top-notch at doing that. I don’t for a second buy that Torts intends to move him up and down the lineup at 37 years old or even that he can be as a good a skater as advertised, but he fits a role on the team and thats all that matters.
On Savard:
As Philadelphia GM Paul Holmgren might have wanted to point out, we made a mistake last week in writing that Marc Savard has two years remaining on his contract. Fact is, the Boston first-line pivot has one season at $5 million remaining on his deal.
That would make it foolish for the Rangers to yield anything of value in a trade for a player who almost certainly will be available on the open market a year from now. Indeed, it would make sense for GM Glen Sather to pencil in Savard as his primary target for next summer should the Blueshirts be seeking a setup man for Marian Gaborik.
On Richards:
There is, however, widespread belief that Dallas owner Tom Hicks‘ financial problems — his team canceled prospects camp in order to save money — will force the Stars to cut payroll . . . with the cutting to feature former Tampa Bay Conn Smythe winning first-line center Brad Richards, who has two years at $7.8 million remaining on his deal.
It would take a newer new math to figure out how the Rangers could accommodate Richards under the cap, but there is no doubt that Sather will try if Dallas has to move him.
…Savard is otherworldly in his how he passes but he will turn 33 next offseason and you know that some team is going to give him that four year deal worth, $24 million and the Rangers shouldn’t be that team.
….As for Richards, if there is anyway they can get him, a third team would have to be involved.
