Rangers Look Good In Preseason Thus Far

A leading scorer, the second highest goals for, a goal a game scorer, and all while missing superstar Daniel Alfredsson. Is this really the New York Rangers?

The overhauled New York Ranger team is looking very impressive through the first 5 games of preseason.

The controversial Nash for Bertuzzi trade is paying big dividends as Bertuzzi is second in league scoring with 9 points in 5 games. Pavel Bure is proving he's still one of the most dangerous pure scorers in the league with 5 goals in 5 games, the team is second to the mighty Islanders in goals for with 22 in 5 games, and Daniel Alfredsson will start in 2 games which will add another massive threat to opposition goals against averages.

The teams juiced offence has come at the cost of defence as they are no longer playing the stifiling defensive game that frustrated teams so often last season.

"We're definitely focusing on offensive pressure more," said team captain JP Dumont. "Last season we scored by comittee and squeezed the life out of teams but with the offensive talent we have this season we're looking to open up and trade chances more. So far it's been sucessful."

"It's been fun," said the newly arrived Todd Bertuzzi. "When you have guys like Mats Sundin and Pavel Bure around it makes the game a lot more exciting."

"Coach Neilson has told us from day one that we're going to play defence by pressuring teams back into their own zone. I'm really happy to be here," said Karel Pilar who also arrived after the end of last season."

"We're not going to get to far ahead of ourselves," chimed in coach Neilson. "You use the tools you have. Guys like Ponikarovsky, Ribeiro, Dumont, and Girard have developed a little further and I like the look of our team so far. It's only preseason though. The true test hasn't even started yet."