Why Playing Like Ryan Callahan Will Lead the New York Rangers To Success

A few weeks ago, I had a conversation with my five-year-old daughter about whom our favorite players on the Rangers are.

Granted, she can only name about four on the whole team, and thinks Guy Lafleur is one of them, but she’s a Brandon Dubinsky girl.

I think it’s the funny-sounding name that won her over (and I recently found out that Marian Gaborik ’s first name is a laughfest for the kindergarten set).

I mentioned that Ryan Callahan was my favorite. When she asked why, it was easy to sum up in one simple sentence: Because he tries the hardest.

Callahan’s the one guy who hits everybody in sight, forechecks like a demon, gets back on defense, and does all the little things a player is supposed to do. Ever since PRB (post-Redden benching), the Rangers are starting to follow his example and play like him (with the exception of the Flyers debacle, of course).

Last night’s thrilling game was exhibit A. They did everything right but score (unfortunately, they may be following Callahan a little too literally since he’s not a big-time scorer). They forechecked, were responsible on defense, were quick to the puck, played with energy, played physically—they played like Ryan Callahan plays (who had six hits and five shots himself).

This 8-1-4 stretch has mainly been against average or mediocre teams, but the Devils are one of the elites, and the Rangers matched them stride for stride and shot for shot (96 of them!). The preceding game vs. the Bruins on Saturday was an even better all-around game, as they actually scored some goals and won.

We know the Rangers can’t put the puck in the net like Washington or Chicago, so the only way they can win games is by the old cliché—“finding a way to win.” That usually means trying harder than the other team. But giving a consistent effort has been one of the weaknesses of this team, at least the first couple of months.

Are they finally getting it? After all the team meetings, tirades, benchings, demotions, and scratchings, is this the Rangers team we’ll see the rest of the year? Callahan is steady, dependable, and his game is consistent night in and night out. Will the Rangers finally be able to play like that, game after game, as well?

The Rangers have a flock of youngsters on this year’s roster, but who do they have to look up to as an example of how to play the game? What were Michael Del Zotto, Matt Gilroy, and Artem Ainisimov thinking the first two months of the season, watching veterans like Wade Redden, Michal Rozsival, Donald Brashear, and Chris Drury going through the motions and mailing it in?

The kids on the Rangers were looking up to their big brothers, but their older siblings were sitting on the couch, getting fat eating Oreos and watching cartoons all day. They were George Costanza running out of the bathroom, pants at ankles, trying to protect an imaginary job, tripping and yelling, “Vandelay Industries!” while Jerry (John Tortorella ?) says, “And you want to be my latex salesman.”

The rookies would have been better off looking to Callahan as a role model. The right winger only has 10 goals, 12 assists, and 22 points, and is minus-13, but he gives the most effort game in and game out.

If the other kids want to know how to play the game of hockey, they should follow his lead. He’s only 24 years old, but they should run away from Redden if he’s giving them any advice (how many times have we seen him trip over his own pants while coming up with elaborate schemes trying to avoid hard work the last two years?) and look to Callahan as an example.

He’s not flashy. He doesn’t have great skills. But he plays hockey the right way. That can, and should, describe the New York Rangers as well. The other Rangers, young and old, should look to Ryan Callahan and continue to play like he does. The team as a whole will be a lot better off.