Plenty of questions as Rangers training camp begins

GREENBURGH, N.Y. - Rangers coach John Tortorella knows he has an elite goaltender in Henrik Lundqvist and a veteran backup in Martin Biron. Marian Gaborik is his No. 1 right wing. Alexander Frolov, the former King who has scored 30-plus goals twice, will start as the first-line left wing.

Beyond that, as training camp opens here Friday for the Blueshirts, there is uncertainty. Tortorella has a wish list for his overflow of forwards and defensemen, including some youngsters banging on the door, but publicly, he's playing it close to the vest.

"I have some thoughts as to where I'd like these guys to play and I hope they earn their position in those positions," he said in a 45-minute media session that stressed the competition for the spots. "I have a pretty good thought as to what the strongest lineup would be."

Things will shake out through six preseason games, after which the Rangers must shed about $5 million in salaries and shape a roster that ideally will provide a springboard to a season that will extend into the playoffs, unlike the last one.

Given that he hasn't had time to observe the troops, Tortorella took the Fifth when asked if he could define the team's strength outside of goaltending. He was assertive on this: "No question, our home record [18-17-6] . . . we have to improve on. We're going to end up where we were last year if you're a .500 team at home."

Uncertain also, according to Tortorella, is the fate of defenseman Wade Redden, 33, who is coming off another disappointing season and carrying a $6.5-million cap hit for four more years.

"We're not going to single out Wade Redden . . . and say he's going to Hartford, right now," he said. "I know Wade has read all that, and I'm sure it's weighed on him a little bit. We need to let this play out. A lot of different things can happen before the season starts . . . It could be other people going to Hartford. Wade gets beat up a little bit, and listen, he makes his own bed. Some of the stuff that comes his way is earned, some of it isn't."