Well Done Coach

Let me take a moment here and say thanks to the Rangers Coach - John Tortorella. Torts took over a Ranger club in disarray - reeling from a tumble from first to nearly out of the playoffs - that resulted in the ousting of his predecessor, Tom Renny. He didn't have the luxury of a training camp, a player evaluation period, or the chance to select his own roster. He was thrown into the fire - then - within a few days he was assigned the task of trying to fit the volatile Sean Avery back into an already unhappy team.

What he was able to do was quite amazing. He transformed the club in real time from a defensive shell team to a team that pressed forward - forechecked - and kept the puck in their opponent's zone. He realized that offense is the best defense - and that offense is the best offense too.

Tortorella also did something so obvious - that no Ranger coach in the last decade ever did. He rewarded hustle with ice time. He punished lack of hustle with lack of ice time. Suddenly the players felt accountable . The change wasn't quick or without bumps - but the players have responded - and what you see now is hustle every night.

And the players look coached now. We're seeing far fewer odd man rushes against us - where we used to have several every game. He's gotten more productive play (with less distructive non-play) out of Sean Avery than anyone else ever has.

And Tortorella looks different on the bench than any Ranger coach I've ever seen - maybe any hockey coach I've ever seen. He always has a lot to say - to individual players - all game long. Usually a coach will say one sentence to one player once in a while - almost muttering behind them as they sit staring straight ahead, barely listening. Not Torts and the Rangers. Did you see him late in the Flyers game - he had a lot of different things to say to a lot of different players. Where Renny was often rendered almost speechless and tight-jawed in exasperation - Torts gets more motivated and more communicative the madder he gets. In short - he coaches. All the time.

And as a sideline observation - he's fun to watch in a press conference because he gets mad at the reporters all the time - and he has no problem showing it.

Plus - he says all the right things - giving credit to the players for all success - and even Tom Renny for the club's early wins - a real classy move.

So, thanks, Coach. We remember what it feels like to not make the playoffs. Thanks for leading us to the 7th seed.

And beyond? Time will tell.