Back From Delaware, Redden and Kotalik Stay on the Bench

I’m back from Delaware:

Wayne Campbell: Or, imagine, being able to be magically whisked away to…Delaware.

Hi….I’m in Delaware.

Yea, that’s pretty much all there is to say about Delaware.

Anyway, what an eventful week in Rangers hockey. The Rangers were embarrassed against the Islanders, coach John Tortorella had a memorable tirade, Wade Redden and Ales Kotalik rode the pine, and the Rangers came back with what could be called a better, if unspectacular, win.

As per Andrew Gross, it looks like the Rangers won’t be shaking things up for tomorrow’s game against the Flyers. Redden and Kotalik will still be on the bench. My personal feelings about a combined $9.5 million sitting in the Prucha Box aside, at least it shows some balls by Tortorella. He has been playing underachieving, overpaid veterans for about a month too long at this point. When he was hired, we at BSB praised the hiring because a coach who preaches accountability was hired. Now, it looks like we are finally seeing the Torts that will bench anyone and everyone who doesn’t play up to their potential.

As a side note, maybe the fourth line is what Chris Drury needs. He scored a goal in that role last night. Keep him there, see how he does. There’s nothing like having $16.5 million in three players to either play on the fourth line or sit in the Prucha Box. That’s not Torts’ fault though, that’s on Glen Sather, and will be getting a whole series of posts from me in the coming weeks.