Torts Talks Seventh Defenseman & Drury

Steve Zipay at Blue Notes has this quote from John Tortorella on the Rangers needing a seventh defenseman...

"I'm not gonna lie to you, sure it is. It is a concern, I'm sure something will give sooner or later. We need to do our due diligence. To me, if it's a guy who has some warts, as some of a young kid in our organization, I'd rather keep it within our organization...I don't think that's a really good situation for us. Obviously, we'd like to try to get some sort of veteran who can help out. You can't force-feed that position continually, as young as we are right now. That's why it's taking some time, we want to find the right guy that understands that role while we get to continue to develop our young guys along the way."

...its too bad the Rangers couldn't get something worked out with Semenove b/c he would have been the perfect seventh defenseman.

Tortorella also explained why Chris Drury hasn't gotten any time on the power play...

"Dru will get some power-play time along the way but right now I think those six forwards who are playign it now deserve the time," Tortorella said after a team meeting this morning in Westchester. "I think (Enver) Lisin has played very well on the power play and has done some really good things offensively there and 5-on-5. Our team has changed a bit as far as personnel. I think he (Drury) will get some time. It's something I'm going to monitor, as far as the finish. To me, he is not a half-wall guy. He's a guy who has done his thing around the net, tipping in goals, banging in rebounds. it's something I have to consider if we don't get finish."

...despite not scoring, I'm loving the power play this year. Del Zotto, Gilroy and Kolatik have been great on the point and the forwards have been going hard to net. So until that changes, I'm fine with Drury watching from the bench.