Sean - Here Today (but will he play?)

Wednesday felt a little like Christmas. Sean Avery reported to the New York Rangers and got on the ice to practice. Tortorella had him as an alternate on the 4^th line – just barely on the team - but we'll take what we can get.

So, boys and girls, we can see a few things that the Rangers are not telling us:

1 - Rupp is hurt bad.  (Editor - that's "badly", not "bad")  (Dave Pucks - you're not bad yourself Ed - welcome back.  I missed you)  Where was I?  Rupp is really hurt.  Maybe requiring surgery. Maybe ending his season. It's a shame, in a way because Michael looked like the real deal as an enforcer/protector. I remember one fight in particular where Rupp looked positively methodological as he removed his opponent's helmet and then started pummeling his now-available head. But now, there a knee injury – there's no timetable for return – and – the Rangers are not ruling out surgery. So the big guy may be gone for a while.

2 – Sather wanted Sean back. Above all - Glen likes to push buttons and pull levers. He likes to look busy. He likes to make it seem like he's the Great and Powerful Oz making things happen. So when the Rangers start 3-3-3, and Glen has a switch to throw – by God he will throw that switch. And it has already worked without Seanny getting one minute of ice time. Just the idea that Pest-a-rama was heading through wavers was enough to energize the 4^th line – now playing for their ice time – to raise their collective games and propel our Red-pants to a much-needed home win.

3 – Wow – does Tortorella hate Avery. He hates him more than Larry Brooks. This move has to be just killing the Tort-man. This whole Sean revolving door figures to be an ongoing argument between the coach and his boss. (Editor – Dave, you're speculating wildly) (Dave Pucks – yes, and you're interrupting).

We can just picture the following scene taking place in Sweden in the preseason:

John Tortorella: Glen, it's time. We have to shut down Aves.

Glen “Slats” Sather: John – I still like his energy. And he's the only guy on your squad that can skate as fast and Richards and Gabby

Torts: Glen, Richards knows Sean from his Dallas days. One of his conditions for signing was to quietly move the crazy man out if at all possible.

Slats: I negotiated that deal - you don't have to tell me. But I never promised him that. I said we'd see how it went.

Torts: Well, he'll never touch the top line as long as I'm in charge

Slats: You're not in charge, John, you work for me.

Torts: Yes I do Glen, and if you'll get out of my way I'll save your fading reputation.

(The men stare bullets at each other)

Slats: Okay John, send Sean down. But you've got 9 games. If this team isn't everything you say it is – I'm rolling the dice again. And I don't care what you – or Richards – or the LAPD have to say about it.

(Editor – Dave can we restart the post? You've knocked it off the moorings again)

(Dave Puck – sorry Ed. Here goes)

Anyway – my point is: Rupp goes down – the Rangers look lifeless – and suddenly the impossible return of my favorite hockey player suddenly becomes possible. But – as this never-ending struggle between Coach and GM plays out – expect Torts to give Sean a healthy scratch tonight. Sather did what he could – he got him in the building. But Torts will do all he can to keep him off the ice.

I would love to be wrong about this – but the 4^th line played well on Monday – and I don't see Sean playing tonight. They may not even dress him.

But Sean Avery is a New York Ranger again. Let's enjoy it while it lasts.

And thanks to all of you who wished us a welcome back. To answer some of the questions we've gotten – we've just been really busy these last 18 months – but in the end we just couldn't stay away. And I want to thank Kevin DeLury for his great blog that has kept us up to date on all things Ranger these last 2 years and always. 


And remember - we are now Blueshirt-Brothers.com (with that hyphen)   Let's go Rangers!