Rangers, minus Staal, have a lot to prove

Don't blame Rangers fans if the rosy afterglow from the summer signings of elite free-agent center Brad Richards and rugged Mike Rupp, the naming of heart-and-soul leader Ryan Callahan as captain and the retaining of a homegrown core of young players, has faded a bit.

With the curtain rising on the season Friday against the Los Angeles Kings in Stockholm, the absence of All-Star defenseman Marc Staal, sidelined indefinitely with concussion-related headaches, has cast a disturbing shadow on the fortunes of the Blueshirts.

Without a doubt, the Rangers are deeper and younger than at this juncture last season. On opening night last October, veterans Chris Drury and Vinny Prospal were injured, and the 23-man roster included Michal Rozsival, Alex Frolov, Todd White, Tim Kennedy, Derek Boogaard, Matt Gilroy and Sean Avery. They are no longer around.

But missing Staal, 24, an alternate captain and one of the league's best shutdown defenders, has created a significant hole that can't easily be patched. While the offense is upgraded, the defense on a club that finished 44-33-5, just two points ahead of the ninth-place Carolina Hurricanes, is unquestionably weaker -- until the Thunder Bay, Ontario, native returns to form.

And there are early challenges and distractions -- not just the HBO cameras that will invade the sanctity of the locker room, team flights and hotels for the "24/7" series that precedes the Jan. 2 Winter Classic against the Flyers in Philadelphia. "We have the Garden renovation; we don't play our first home game until Oct. 27,'' coach John Tortorella said. "We're overseas, then we're out West [for a week-long trip]. You can't complain, you can't get flustered about what's going on."

But Tortorella, in his third season, has exerted his influence on the roster and personality, and believes his charges will be focused. "I thought we took some major steps in our identity last year," he said. "We're a straight-ahead team, a hard-working hockey club. No nonsense."

In July, the Rangers wooed Richards with a nine-year, $60-million contract and the opportunity to rejoin his former coach, with whom he won a Stanley Cup in 2004. Richards' arrival should significantly boost the offense -- no Ranger had 55 points last year -- and he posted 77 with the Stars last year. Besides quarterbacking the Rangers' often anemic power play (18th in the league), Richards' mission is to get the puck to sniper Marian Gaborik, who tumbled from 42 goals to 22 last season.

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The Rangers also gave multiyear contracts to Brandon Dubinsky, who will start the season on the left of Richards and Gaborik; centers Artem Anisimov and Brian Boyle, and right wing Callahan, each of whom is being counted on to raise their production. Contributions are also expected from second-year pro Derek Stepan, who had 21 goals last season, as well as Wojtek Wolski and Mats Zuccarello, skilled players who have yet to find consistency.

To fill the gap on defense, sophomores Ryan McDonagh (who will be paired with Staal's partner, the underrated Dan Girardi) and Michael Sauer will be asked to log more minutes. Michael Del Zotto, who endured an AHL demotion and injuries in his second season, hopes to rebound to top-four status. Veteran Steve Eminger is back, and smooth-skating rookie Tim Erixon, 20, the son of former Ranger Jan Erixon, has a chance to secure a spot early or by midseason. The Rangers Thursday claimed Jeff Woywitka, 28, a former teammate of Richards in Dallas, off waivers from Montreal.

In goal, perennial team MVP Henrik Lundqvist, who tied for the NHL lead with 11 shutouts, is targeting a sixth consecutive 35-plus win season, and a deep playoff run. Expectations are high, but there's a lot to prove on Broadway.