The Season Opener

The actual games are still months away but for New York Ranger fans the 2009-2010 season is going to start on Friday when the 2009 NHL Draft begins. The draft starts what should be the first real look at the direction that the Rangers will be taking over the next couple of seasons.

It is the real start of the John Tortorella era as the players selected will represent the transition to the Tortorella system. What remains to be seen is exactly how much of any input that Tortorella is going to have on the selections or on the eventual makeup of the roster.

If the Rangers use their first round pick on yet another puck moving defenseman it is pretty safe that the Ranger Universe is not going to react very kindly. Size, scoring as well as speed are going to be the top needs for the Rangers at the draft.

Forget the stuff you have been reading anywhere (even here) but watch rather the kinds of players the Rangers select. How well they are as skaters will help give an idea as to whether or not Tortorella had a lot to say about which prospects got selected.