Rangers to try Martin St. Louis at center
GREENBURGH, N.Y. – When center Derek Stepan broke his left fibula last week, winger Martin St. Louis texted New York Rangers coach Alain Vigneault and offered to try playing center.
At some point this weekend, Vigneault will take up St. Louis on the offer. In Wednesday's practice, St. Louis played center on one of the power-play units with rookie Anthony Duclair and Rick Nash on the wings, and Vigneault said he will use the 39-year-old in the middle 5-on-5, as well, for one of the remaining preseason games Friday vs. Chicago or Saturday in Newark.
"Marty's a lot like the Duke (Duclair) right now," Vigneault laughed. "Every time I go up to the Duke, it's 'Have you killed penalties before?' 'Yeah, yeah, yeah.' 'Have you played the right side before?' 'Yeah, yeah.' I say, 'Have you played the point on the power play?' He says, 'Yeah, yeah, yeah.' Marty's the same way. 'Can you play center?' 'Yeah, yeah, whatever you need.' Some guys are smart enough, they figure it out. Never say you can't play somewhere. Say, 'Yes, I can.' "
In Vigneault's system, the center's defensive responsibility is not a lot different from that of either winger.
"So I don't see that being an issue," the coach said. "Faceoffs? There may need to be some adjustments there."
St. Louis said that, on the power play at least, center's no different than winger, and that Nash is so good at using his size to get to loose pucks off draws, "It doesn't matter if I lose them, I just can't lose them clean."
He also played center in Tampa when the Lightning would often dress seven defensemen and play a forward short.
If this works it would theoretically change things in terms of which wingers might make the team. If St. Louis starts the season there, that means an extra winger spot for Duclair, or Jesper Fast, Marek Hrivik, Ryan Haggerty or Kevin Hayes (who has been playing center but arguably not likely to make the club there). Down the middle on opening night would then be Derick Brassard, St. Louis, Dominic Moore and almost certainly rookie J.T. Miller.
Vigneault made nine roster cuts Wednesday, sending Conor Allen, Mat Bodie, Ryan and Chris Bourque, Nick Tarnasky, Danny Kristo, Tommy Hughes, Petr Zamorsky and Jason Missiaen to Hartford (the Bourques and Tarnasky must clear waivers).
That leaves the Rangers at 34 players and Vigneault said they will be down to 22 or 23, depending on whether they put Stepan on long-term injured reserve for cap reasons, by Monday. He also said he will name a captain by next Wednesday, the eve of the regular season opener.
"It's going to be challenging," Vigneault said about the roster. "We have some decisions to make about personnel and where they can fit in, and we also have some restrictions because of the (salary cap)."
In addition to the St. Louis experiment, Vigneault is trying winger Lee Stempniak on one of the power-play points. Stempniak, a right-handed shot the Rangers need behind Dan Boyle, has experience there.
Rick Carpiniello writes for lohud.com
