Ranger Roster Problems

Glen Sather's counter intuitive retention of Brad Richards over the summer is already causing problems and perhaps comedy as the Rangers head into their regular season opener in Phoenix tomorrow night.  Comedy because not only are they playing the shot Richards on the first line, but they are playing him at Forward instead of Center.   Granted his days as a first line C seem long gone, but his days as a first line F never started.    He'll be playing with Stepan and Nash, instead of centering a third line.   Instead, our third line C will be the brutal (and not in a positive hockey sense) Brian Boyle.   Dom Moore becomes our 4th line C.   So we essentially have a real #1 C, a presumptively real #2 in Brassard, then 2 #4's.    We have no #3 C, unless Richards gets moved there, and it's unclear if he's even that anymore.

We also have Brian Boyle playing on the 3rd line.   There were reports that he was with Miller and Fast, and others that he was with Pyatt and Miller.   In the first event, I feel sorry for Miller and Fast, in the second, I feel really sorry for Miller.   Our second line features Brassard, Poulliot and MZA.   That one makes some sense, but the other two do not.  Dom Moore should be an improvement at 4th line C, and gives us another good PK.   Actually, if the 4th line is Moore with Dorsett and Fast, I wouldn't be surprised if they're more effective than our 3's.

Callahan should be back soon, and that may confuse things even more.    Would he play on the first line moving Richards to third line C?   If that happens things will start to make sense.  I know the plan is to banish Miller or Fast when Cally returns, but what do we then do with Boyle and Pyatt?

Despite the line confusion, our top 6 defenders should be rock solid, especially if Staal is as close as he looked in pre-seaon.