Rangers News: Morning Updates

Andrew Gross from Ranger Rants has some updates from yesterday's practice: (click link for full story)

Off the ice, captain Chris Drury (concussion), who has missed the last three games and does not have a timetable for returning, will visit the doctor this afternoon, which the Rangers are taking as a potentially hopeful sign.

Good to hear there seems to be progress with Drury. With the Rangers traveling next week, my uneducated guess on Drury would be Monday November 30th at home against the Penguins. Dubinsky is still about a month away. Ok, here is more from Andrew:

On the ice, Tortorella put the Rangers through a spirited, hard-skating, point-making 50-minute practice today. But when it was over, it was over. Everybody was off the ice as a group, something that’s rarely seen at an NHL practice. Usually, a group of players will linger to take shots, either against a goalie or on their own. Some players will work on a specific area like faceoffs. Essentially, that post formal practice is like free play in the schoolyard. But the coach has been talking lately of trying to get his players a break as the long season grinds on. One way is to not have them in their practice gear all the time.

As far as the abrupt end to practice, Steve Zipay also said that the Rangers locker room door was shut for about five minutes before the reporters were allowed in. Not sure if it all ties together somehow, but its fun to speculate.

I would not call this earth-shattering news, but Dan Rosen at NHL.com talks about how the lack of secondary scoring is killing the Rangers.

Michael Obernauer says the Rangers are looking to Del Zotto to ignite their slumping power play.