Torts' Take 3: The Kids and the Tryouts

At Traverse City, where Tortorella watched four games featuring Rangers prospects and some others, he gave thumbs up to Evgeny Grachev, Derek Stepan, and Ryan McDonagh.

“Grachev came on as the tournament went on. I thought Stepan was the best player. McDonagh continues to impress….They can push (for spots on the roster)”.
 

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Left wing Ruslan Fedotenko (who played in Tampa for four years for Tortorella, including the 2004 Stanley Cup championship) and defensemen Garnet Exelby and Alexei Semenov are here at no risk to the club. “It’s a free look for us.”
 

Tortorella supported bringing Fedotenko in, and added that the two defensemen might offer an edge that was lacking at times last season. “I think we’re looking to play a little more physical at that position,” he said.

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At least publicly, Tortorella will not say definitively that he will carry six or seven defensemen or a 22 or 23-man roster.
 

“I think what dictates it is what your seven ‘D’ are, and are they capable? Or is it a kid that needs to play in the minors? I don’t want to box myself in. I just want to see how it works out. It depends who the seventh is. I just don’t know until I see what the makeup is.”
“I think some kids are going to push here…You have 20 and you have three (scratches). There may be some guys that have played in the National Hockey League for a little while, some guys who have been in the league, in those three…There’s a lot of competition. That’ll dictate what we carry.”