A few years ago I bought the DVD set of the '94 Eastern Conference Final and Stanley Cup Final against the Devils and Canucks that was actually a gift meant for someone else but I wound up keeping it instead. I popped it in today during this rainy day with my internet turning off and on with the weather changing outside. Today, after watching game 6 against the Devils, what I came away with after that game and was cemented after the Rangers won the cup 2 weeks later, was the start of something special the Rangers never had. Messier was the judge, jury and executioner. He was the go to guy, on and off the ice. He was the face of the franchise for the latter part of the 1990's and the undisputed leader of the team. The Rangers have not had a personality like his in the locker room since he left and the fans are still waiting for that one guy to step up and assume that role.
With Drury's buyout and subsequent retirement, there is a big hole at the top. One of the big questions surrounding the team is who will be wearing the 'C' when the season starts up in October. While Drury was the captain of the Rangers since 2008, I never had the feeling that he was the one true leader of the team, especially after Torts took over. A man smarter than me once said that the leader of a team needs to reflect the personality of the coach and to be able to deflect away criticism and other distractions that may afflict a team over the course of the season. If Keenan were still coaching the Rangers in the 1996-97 season they would have beaten the Flyers and advanced to the Cup Finals. The current Rangers need someone right now to fill that role.
All above is reason why I believe that Ryan Callahan NEEDS to be the captain of the New York Rangers for the immediate future. Callahan has all the tools necessary to take the Rangers to the next level and without affecting his own personal production. It would put a stamp on the youth movement that has overtaken this team since the lockout. What he did on the ice this season not only granted him the respect of the fans as acknowledged by the two Steven McDonald Extra Effort Awards he won in 2009 and 2010 but most importantly the players and coaches. Torts speaks highly of Callahan constantly and I could only imagine that sentiment is reflected in the locker room. I understand that Callahan may not have that presence that Messier once had over his team, but I think Callahan is more than capable of filling in the role as captain and leader of the New York Rangers as admirably as Messier once did.
C- Ryan Callahan
A- Brandon Dubinsky
A- Marc Staal
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