Tortorella on Drury, Stepan, McDonagh etc...

              Losing captain Chris Drury for up to four weeks with a broken left index finger is a blow, said head coach John Tortorella, and the veteran center, who has suffered two hand injuries since April 2009, may need different gloves.

             Drury, who generally leads NHL forwards in blocked shots, wore extensions of the gloves for a while last season, but changed them, Tortorella said. Drury was unavailable for comment yesterday after he left the ice after being struck with a shot and was diagnosed with a non-displaced fracture.

            "He's a big part of the club," said Tortorella of Drury, who began organizing informal group workouts at the MSG Training Center in August. "I know he was anxious to get back. I think we'll be able to condition him (while he's sidelined) but we're going to have to do something with the gloves. It just happens too much." 

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           The head coach wasn't surprised that Marian Gaborik said that rookie Derek Stepan wasn't afraid to make plays when inserted between Gaborik and Alex Frolov on the No. 1 line in the first scrimmage. "He's played in some pretty high intensity tournaments. There's no question we want to look and see where he is. We're going to have to make a decision."

          If Drury cannot start the regular season, Stepan is a candidate to make the roster, along with centers Todd White, Tim Kennedy, Brian Boyle.  Erik Christensen and Artem Anisimov are locked in.  Vinny Prospal also has centered the top line. Drury also could come back as a right wing; he swung between center and right wing last season.

          Tortorella said Kennedy "had done some good things" and when asked about  Boyle, said he had "a good start to camp." 

          Stepan, on an entry-level deal, wouldn't have to clear waivers. Both White and Kennedy would.

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            As for young d-men Ryan McDonagh and Pavel Valentenko, Torts said McDonagh "has really good feet...he has an awareness. That's why we wanted them ( he and Stepan, his Wisconsin teammate) to turn pro."

            Valentenko, who spent last year in the KHL, "struggled through the skates, but he hasn't given in to it. It's the first time I've seen him and he's done pretty well."