No Identity

Each team in the NHL has an identity. The Red Wings are Lidstrom / Datsyuk / Zetterberg. The Capitals are Ovechkin. The Penguins are Crosby / Malkin. The Sharks are Thornton / Marleau. The Flames are Iginla. The Devils have become Parise. Etc. Notice the trend here?

What type of identity do the Rangers have? Who do they look to when they need to find that extra step? As Larry Brooks has pointed out, they don’t have an identity. Two years ago they were Jagr. Before that, Messier/Leetch/Graves. Before that, Duguay.

Who are they now? The most tenured Ranger on this team is Betts, he’s not it. The only person that any fan can identify with is Henrik Lundqvist. Sure, it’s great to have a franchise goalie that you can always rely on to make the big save, it’s what the Wings are missing in their quest for back-to-back Cups. But when a team needs a goal, Hank can’t do that. They need to turn to their on ice leader.

Who is their leader? My gut reaction says Chris Drury, not just because of the C, but because he scored a few big goals last year (namely against the Devils). But honestly, can you turn to someone who has scored 30 goals just twice in his career?

Gomez? Nah. Naslund? Maybe 5 years ago. Zherdev? Maybe in 5 years, if he decides to care on a regular basis. Avery? Eh. Sure, he’s been a surprise, but until he has the bullseye off his back, he won’t be allowed to be that guy. Callahan? He’s the best Ranger this season, and he’s the closest to becoming a go-to guy, but I don’t know if he has the skill level to be that guy. None of them, currently, are the type that can take control of a game, or on a smaller scale, the powerplay. Almost all of the Rangers issues stem from not having the on-ice leader that the players look up to, to take control of the game when they need it most.

Argue all you want that the higher paid players should be these players. But ask yourself this, outside of Chris Drury, were Scott Gomez, Wade Redden, or Michael Rozsival ever put in a position to be THE team leader? Gomez had Stevens, Redden had Alfredsson, Rozsival wasn’t a #1 pairing until he came to the Rangers. Anyway, as I’ve said before, you can’t blame them for signing these contracts. I’d play for the Rangers for $6 million a year.

Before this team can even be considered a contender, they need an identity. If it comes from a player, then they need that player. Granted, with the salary cap situation, that player has to be homegrown, but I digress. Every contender has the one player that can take control of their team on the ice.

Who takes control of the Rangers?