Game On!

Without question, of all the Rangers' summer moves so far, three have piqued the fans' curiosity more than others. More so even than the acquisition of Marian Gaborik, striking as it may be.

Both Blair Betts and Colton Orr have become ex-Blueshirts while Donald Brashear – never to win The Lady Byng Trophy – will be wearing The Big Apple's colors.

To many observers, each of these changes has, to say the least, been perplexing if not downright daunting. Favorites don't become enemies simply by a finger-snap and longtime foes are likely to remain less than loved; at least until their opening shift for New York.

Betts' savvy and perseverance as a penalty-killer moved him to a high level among NHL PK artists, and he remained there through the season's end. Orr fought valiantly and often, rarely picked his spots, and at the very least, tried to improve his extremely rough-around-the-edges skills. By contrast, Brashear's playoff belting of Betts would never qualify him for the latest edition of "How to Win Friends and Influence Rangers Fans."

So what gives? What are John Tortorella's thoughts behind those moves?

When I raised these questions with the coach, his answers were patiently plausible; as logical as even a philosopher could expect. Before getting to them, it's important to understand above all, that Torts arrived late last season, inheriting – for better or worse – what essentially had been Tom Renney's team. You can look it up in the Constitution of the United States and Canada; there's no law stating that the new coach has to be madly in love with the former mentor's players; no way, no how.

This is John's team and he has an obligation to mold it, not only in his image and philosophy but also with the players he believes will best serve the Rangers interests.

Tortorella is emphasizing what the Canadiens called Firewagon Hockey, when Montreal won five-straight Stanley Cups between 1956 and 1960. He wants speed and more speed; along with as much youth as possible. Betts apparently does not fill that bill, admirable as his defensive skills may be.

In a nutshell, Orr has won a ridiculously high and long contract from the Maple Leafs simply because GM Brian Burke is building a behemoth roster. Brashear is a better fighter than Orr and skates faster. There was no way Glen Sather should have paid crazy bucks for Orr nor a long-term deal befitting a Sid Crosby.

As for Tortorella, he was typically candid about each of the trio, showing a sincere appreciation for the contributions of Betts and Orr while explaining the importance of the Brashear import.

"I really liked Bettsy," said Torts. "He was really good for us on the penalty-kill and on face-offs."

That said, the coach correctly noted that it's important for the new leader not to make sentimental mistakes; not to go along with players just because they wore Rangers blue last season or the year before.

Tortorella: "When a new guy (Torts) comes into an organization, there's a tendency to fall in love with players (such as Betts) who've been there a long time.

I'm not trying to run down Betts, but my job – my aim – is to improve this hockey club. We can do that by using top players on the penalty-kill the way Betts had done it before."

The Betts-Orr-Fred Sjostrom unit had been one of Renney's favorites. Yet, the former coach was criticized by both media and fans for giving them too much ice time in terms of the offensive rewards, which were next to nil.

"I want a different dynamic on my fourth line," Tortorella explained. "I want it to chip in some goals. That's one way I hope to improve the club."

More than ever since The Lockout, the Rangers will place an accent on youth, and that's another reason why Betts became expendable. And let's not forget that there's plenty of time to make moves before training camp opens next month.

"Youth is our lifeline," Torts insisted. "Betts fell into the equation in terms of bringing in younger skaters. I can't emphasize enough the importance of our youth movement."

Apart from the fact that Orr was lured north by a fat contract that made absolutely no sense for the Rangers to match, Tortorella explained why The Donald is a more than adequate replacement than The Colton.

"In a sense," Torts pointed out, "Orr's situation is not unlike that of Betts. I liked Colton as well as I liked Betts. Colton worked hard to improve himself and I appreciated that.

But the fact is that I don't play my fourth line as much as the prior coach did. I like to use the top guys more and Orr struggled with reduced minutes.

We need a different juice on the fourth line. Add to that the fact that Donald can skate better; plus I can move him around, which I could not do with Orr."

A new coach was hired for a reason, and it's not merely to have a new dynamic behind the bench, which IS part of the Tortorella equation.

No, there's more than that. All the changes are really easy to figure. They boil down to a simple point: this is John Tortorella's team to craft into a winner. All the alterations are what he believes are best for the Blueshirts.

So, as we say in Brooklyn, "What's to argue?"

MORE:

• A Talk with Torts, Part I
• Chelios as a Ranger?
• Complete Rangers Coverage