If the Ranger Season started today...

Long time Blues Brothers fan Mike Odell writes in to ask what would the Rangers do with their roster as it stands right now if the NHL season started today.

Odd question, Mike. But your friends at Blueshirt Brothers will do our best to answer it.

Okay - if the season started today - what would the Rangers do?

Well, first of all - they'd be really really surprised because the NHL season usually begins in September and the players haven't been through training camp yet. And they’d have trouble because MSG isn't set up for hockey yet. And since the rest of the league doesn't play games until September - the Rangers would have to play thier games with no opposing team.

But, since you asked Mike, this is how we imagine the game would go - if the Ranger's season started today.

1st Period

The Rangers starting lineup steps out on the ice. And discovers there is no ice - MSG's ice surface won't be ready until September.

20:00 - the Rangers win the opening face-off. But Gaborik, trying to skate across the blue line, finds himself clumping along an ice-less surface in skates. He trips and breaks his ankle. Gaborik is injured and play stops. The injury-free portion of his Ranger season lasted 5 seconds.

19:55 - Rangers win their 2nd straight face-off. Sean Avery, playing in a 3 piece suit becuase that's how he dresses in the summer - begins complaining about the ice surface to the referee. In the course of the discussion, Sean discovers the ref is dating an ex-girlfriend of his - punches him - and is given a game misconduct penalty. Rangers go on their first penalty kill.

19:45 - shorthanded - the Rangers dump into the opponent's zone, fall back, and the puck remains in the opponent’s zone for the rest of the period.

3:34 - Dubinsky shoots the puck wide.

1st Intermission - Rangers are tied 0-0

We’ll be back tomorrow with the 2nd period highlights.