Rangers News and Notes: Lidster-Gartner-Messier (6-22-11, See What I Did There?)

So after the rumors floated that it was going to happen, then the rumors that it wasn't going to happen, apparently it's semi-official: The Rangers will travel to the Home of Rocky Balboa to take on the Flyers at Citizen's Bank Park on January 2nd. Confirmation from the league could be as soon as tomorrow, when the 2011-12 schedule is released.

So let me ask you: With the renovations at MSG, the trip to Sweden to start the season, the HBO 24/7 cameras following the team around for a few weeks, and the Winter Classic itself, are you worried about the Rangers being focused, especially the first half of the season? Personally, I think they will be fine, if this team can survive all the injuries they had last year, they'll make it through this as well.

What I am anxious to see is will we see the fire and brimstone John Tortorella on "24/7", will he tone it down, or will he BE toned down by the Politburo MSG brass? He'll be keeping that crack PR staff on its toes, that's for sure. After seeing all the flack Caps coach Bruce Boudreau caught for his profanity-laced tirades, it will be interesting to see how Torts plays it.

Speaking of the MSG renovations, Henrik Lundqvist took a tour of the gutted Garden the other day, and the Examiner has the story and pictures.

If you've been to the Rangers website, you probably know that you can look at their entire all-time roster, and search by jersey number. But for some odd reason, Wade Redden is not listed for number 6, and when you look at his player page, there is no number listed. I smell a conspiracy.

I know we've mentioned it before, but it bears mentioning again: Glen Sather also wore Number 6 as a Ranger.

Speaking of Glengarry Glen Sather, did you know that over this summer, while you are laying by the pool or ocean, drinking beer, cutting the grass, and missing hockey, Glen is busy becoming the second longest tenured GM in New York Rangers history? He has passed Emile Francis, and is just ten years away from catching Lester Patrick.

I'll let that one sink in for just a minute.

Let me know when you get back up.

Ready?

Ok. let's get back to it.

Joe did a story over at SBNation NY about the possibility of the Rangers trading down on Draft Day.

Frequent radio guest Leslie Treff from Hockey's Future did her 2011 Rangers Draft Preview, and has the Rangers picking Tyler Biggs, a big tough forward. Read more on Biggs here in this profile on USA Today.

As I said before, this is the place to be for the 2011 NHL Draft. We'll have our usual open threads during the draft, and there will be an episode of Blueshirt Banter Radio during the draft, hopefully on the air when the Rangers make their pick. We'll also be live on the scene reporting from the Rangers Draft Party. There will also be an open thread on Day Two, and we may have a follow up show on Saturday evening, to wrap up Day Two as well, I will let you know.

Enjoy the rest of your day boys and girls.