As many of you may or may not know, the New York Rangers will open up the 2011-12 NHL season in Europe. The Rangers will take part in a number of preseason exhibition match-ups and they will also play a regular season game against the Los Angeles Kings.
This road trip to Europe could prove to be an interesting one for the Blueshirts. There are some factors to consider when looking at how this could affect team morale and on-ice performance. The Rangers will be taking along some rookie players that have never been acclimated to a situation like this.
They will be in unfamiliar territory and many wonder how they will react. As most players, coaches, fans and scouts will tell you, hockey players are creatures of habit. They stick to certain routines and rituals before they step onto the ice. Could this affect the psyche of some players in a small way?
Chances are that it won't but there is always that one player who could upset the apple cart. This long trip will give players an opportunity to really get to know one another. Two players that really need to become acquainted are Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik. During these long plane rides and bus trips, Richards and Gaborik will be given extra time to get to know each other and will learn more about each other. Chances are that if they were in New York they wouldn't spend as much time getting to know each other.
The Rangers acquired Brad Richards in attempting to fill two key holes in their lineup. The key word is they are attempting to fix these holes. Adding Brad Richards to the equation is no guarantee for sure-fire success but he is an important addition in finding a solution to the Rangers' problems.
Marian Gaborik is a talented goal scorer that really has never played with a true No. 1 center before. If he could score 80-plus points with Vinny Prospal, there is no reason why Gaborik, with his speed and Richards' talented play-making abilities, shouldn't put up 40-45 goals.
Coaches have always said that you really get to learn a lot about your team's character when you're on the road. After home games, players return to their homes and unwind but on the road players have opportunities to interact and hangout in whatever city they are in. This trip gives the Rangers the chance to become a solid and cohesive unit. They can put their trust in each other and this chemistry will benefit them throughout the stressful and challenging NHL season.
I'm particularly interested in how young players like Tim Erixon, Derek Stepan, Ryan McDonagh, and countless others adapt to such a vast and extensive road trip.
Derek Stepan for example is a player whom the Rangers would love to see produce a lot this year.
Last season, the Rangers relied heavily on their young core players. With the acquisition of Brad Richards, Stepan will take a reduced amount of ice time in comparison to last year. This ice time, however, will be typical for a third-line player with Stepan's experience.
Stepan will also not be pressured to carry the offense for the Rangers. Last year Stepan was one of the few 20-goal scorers for the Rangers. Often times, Rangers bench boss John Tortorella put Stepan out on the ice when he needed a goal. This was because Stepan had shown early success when he was put in similar situations.
Stepan if anything will benefit from the reduced pressure and stress and could easily put up 50-60 points this season.
Ryan McDonagh and Tim Erixon are two young defensemen who have great potential. McDonagh proved himself last year on Broadway, and Erixon has been a highly touted defensive prospect. His father Jan was a solid Ranger and management hope for the same in Tim.
The Rangers do not play a home game at Madison Square Garden until October 27th against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Most of these players are not used to being away from home for such an extended period of time.
They are professionals and many feel that they will be just fine and will step up to the challenge. This road trip to Europe is going to be a major part of the Rangers' season. They can get off to a great start, can learn about each other, can bond as a team and once they return to the Garden, they can dominate on the ice.
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Tom Urtz is an NHL Featured Columnist.
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