Gone is the mantra that made them so hard to play against. John Tortorella prides himself on having an aggressive fore checking, physical style. Last year’s roster had it. They played with purpose, going after opponents. Every Ranger finished checks and won the battles in the corners. They were a T-E-A-M. That’s how they put together the East’s best record and willed themselves to the Eastern Conference Final. 

The Blueshirts weren’t overly skilled. It didn’t matter because of the collective effort they gave. They were a team every Ranger fan could be proud of. A resilient club who never quit. Hitting and blocking shots were great characteristics- epitomizing an unselfish brand of hockey that represented the city well. The whole was greater than the sum of its parts. 

When Rangers GM Glen Sather finally swung the blockbuster deal for Rick Nash, he thought he was adding the missing piece. No one can argue that part of the reason they didn’t win the Cup was due to a lack of scoring. They relied heavily on Vezina winner Henrik Lundqvist, who took them as far as they could go. It was his steady play along with a stingy team defense featuring Dan Girardi, Ryan McDonagh and Marc Staal that were the backbone. 

But they were so much more than that. Tortorella trusted his players. Led by Ryan Callahan, they were tough. A core which included Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov, Brandon Prust and Ruslan Fedotenko. Ironically, all four are gone. Slats parted with Dubinsky and Anisimov along with defense prospect Tim Erixon plus a first round pick to get Nash. It was understandable why he made the trade. To provide help for Richards and Gaborik.

One of the important decisions Sather made was deciding against re-signing Prust. The ultimate warrior became a fan favorite on Broadway. He teamed with roommate Brian Boyle and Fedotenko to form a cohesive checking line Tortorella trusted. Their ability to crash and bang was a key ingredient. All three also were used on the penalty kill with Boyle and Prust forming a potent duo who were dangerous shorthanded. By subtracting the team’s toughest player (Prust) and letting Fedotenko walk to the rival Flyers, it hurt Boyle the most. Without them, he’s a fourth liner.

Not every move Slats made was bad. Jeff Halpern has been a solid addition, adding a valuable faceoff guy who is a better skater than Boyle that also plays on the PK. Taylor Pyatt got off to a fast start even scoring twice on the power play. But he’s been moved around a lot since. Arron Asham was starting to mesh with Halpern before missing the last two with back spasms. Asham isn’t Prust. He hasn’t made opponents accountable. Former Blueshirt Mike Rupp was alright in that role. But Tortorella had no use for him. So, he was shipped to Minnesota for Darroll Powe. Unfortunately, Powe’s missed a week with a concussion.

Injuries are part of the game. The Rangers are already without Nash and Mike Del Zotto (hip) sat out last night. They miss him badly. With both Richards and Gaborik struggling, the onus has been on Derek Stepan and Carl Hagelin to provide offense. They’ve been the team’s most consistent performers. Even Callahan has under performed. Though he did score a big goal that helped them get a point at Ottawa. It would be nice if Tortorella stuck him with Richards. Maybe Captain Cally’s work ethic would rub off.

The area that’s hurt this team the most is the lack of depth. In a shortened season, injuries were the one concern. Nobody anticipates Nash going down and now possibly being without Girardi and McDonagh. Sometimes, sports can be cruel. Twenty years ago, many expected the Rangers to win the Cup following a strong ’91-92 season. Instead, injuries mounted and the team went through two coaches including Roger Neilson. They failed to make the playoffs. We all know what happened in ’93-94. 

Nobody is proclaiming the Rangers dead. They can turn it around. The trouble is they haven’t showed much lately to get optimistic. Tortorella has already made examples of Richards and Gaborik. He’s tried every line combo possible. J.T. Miller remains up with the big club and Chris Kreider’s trying to find his game. Christian Thomas debuted last night. Brandon Mashinter has played the last three. Assuming Girardi or McDonagh can’t go against Winnipeg, former No.1 pick Dylan McIlrath could be the latest prospect to join the fracas.

These aren’t easy times. Indeed, the Blueshirts are facing a challenge. Last year, they dealt with adversity and overcame injuries to become one of the league’s best. It’s time for the 2013 version to show resiliency. They must rediscover what made them successful. Time is ticking.