Drury on the PK = Ouch!. . .

Hello Rangers Fans!

Like many of you, I've been eagerly grabbing up tweets from training camp. Anything written is proof that the season is, thankfully, upon us.

=)

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So today, among the tweets was that the captain, Captain Drury that is, had broken his finger blocking a shot.

Seriously?

No, and I don't mean seriously as in no way!, how? - How In The World Could That Ever Happen!? - because, well, let's face it; I know better.

Chris Drury, the Rangers overpriced captain and penalty-killer extraordinaire, - too much? Well, what am I supposed to put here... - well, he tends to do this often. If it's not breaking something, it's getting hit, falling, wincing in pain, and hobbling/stumbling/crawling to the bench.

And we applaud because, well, he's a good guy, and that's what he gets paid to do.

Not the hurting himself part, but the penalty killing part.

Blair Betts, Lauri Korpikoski, Jed Ortmeyer, Brian Leetch, Jeff Beukaboom and every other Rangers penalty killer from present day back through history - they never seemed to have a problem with this.

And yet, on an almost regular basis, Drury does.

Silly, isn't it?

I'm not stupid enough to wonder why he still penalty kills - okay, seriously, maybe I am. Really now, I know he has to because, well, what else is he going to do.

He's not going to skate fast.
He's not going to be effective on the powerplay.
He's not going to score 70, 60...or if last year is any indication...even 40 points.

He's going to block shots.

And probably with his hand.

Sigh.

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Look, Drury is a good guy, a good team guy, and many would argue a good captain. I'm not his biggest fan. If you've been reading here, that's no secret.

So for one minute when I read he got hurt, I wasn't upset. (Please note, I really don't like players getting hurt, so that's not what I'm getting at here).

But for that one minute I thought, gee, well, someone else will get a chance. Someone that may score goals, may set up teammates, may - gasp - justify his existence on the ice with more than just a once-a-year emotional outburst and a nightly insomnia-worthy in-game interview.

Yeah, and then I woke up and realized no matter who takes his place, no matter how good they may be, no matter how they fit with their linesmates, no matter how many points they score - when Drury's ouchie gets better, he'll be back and they'll get the bench, the press box, or Hartford.

Because you:

a) can't bench your captain.
b) can't bench a guy making the over $7 million a year. (Unless you have a really, REALLY good reason for it).

Which, yes, is part of the game, and part of the business. But it's still kind of a shame though, isn't it?

So with that, Captain Mumbles, get well soon. Because, honestly - it probably doesn't make that much of a difference anyway...