COLUMBUS, Ohio — This was the softer, gentler, less-stubborn John Tortorella. As in, someone entirely unrecognizable to most Rangers fans.
Now in his third season behind the bench for the Blue Jackets, Tortorella let out an honest-to-goodness smile when asked about playing the Rangers before his new team beat his old one, 3-1, on Friday night at Nationwide Arena.
“You’re with an organization for five years, I live there during the summer in the area, I have some great friends there,” he started, almost shocking in his pregame nonchalance. “The [Rangers’] team is different now, as the league is, and people are coming and going. A lot of different faces. But to me, it’s never been, ‘Ah, it’s the Rangers, let’s kick ’em.’ I just end up seeing a lot of good friends when they come in.”
Tortorella coached the Rangers from the middle of 2008-09 through 2012-13, when his team lost to the Devils in the Eastern Conference final. He created the identity of the Black and Blueshirts, and ushered in one of the most successful runs in franchise history that doesn’t include a Stanley Cup.
The team has changed quite a bit, but that is an era still in progress. And apparently Tortorella still has an affinity for that organization — that is, until the puck drops.
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“I spent a number of years there so that’s a part of me,” he said. “I’m coaching another team, but that’s still part of me, being part of that organization. And I loved coaching there. So that’s all I can think of. It’s not being upset about something. It’s good to see the guys, got a couple texts [Thursday] night. But when you start playing, you’re playing. It’s a division opponent, and once that happens, you’re just playing.”
Jesper Fast is now just trying to find the right date to come back, as the Rangers’ integral winger is “closing in” on his return from offseason hip surgery, according to coach Alain Vigneault. Fast skated with the extras Friday morning, and declared himself “ready to play.”
There is not rush to get him back, with maybe Thursday’s game against the Islanders or next Saturday’s matinee against the Predators, both at the Garden, as possible targets.
Filip Chytil, the Rangers’ 18-year-old first-round pick (No. 21 overall), made his AHL debut for the Hartford Wolf Pack in a 5-2 win over the Toronto Marlies on Friday night. Chytil didn’t have a point, and had four penalty minutes and one shot on goal.
Chytil had made the team out of training camp, but after two games looking relatively overwhelmed, he was sent down on Oct. 10. The Wolf Pack play again Saturday night at Springfield, and then don’t play against until Friday, Oct. 20.
Defenseman Brendan Smith returned to the lineup after two straight games as a scratch, while Steven Kampfer and Tony DeAngelo were out. … Backup goalie Ondrej Pavelec is likely to get his first start of the season (though not his first game action) Saturday night at the Garden against the Devils.