Leadership and professionalism are two key ingredients to any successful venture. For the Rangers, an addition should add both in spades.
An aspect of coaching in the National Hockey League that is often overlooked is the importance of having a cohesive team that respects each other and moves as a unit on and off the ice.
When it gets down to a gritty match where elimination is on the line, then team morale will play an important part in ensuring your players can grind their way back to winning the game. Teamwork and communication are key to any victory in Hockey.
If your team is unable to communicate, you will find them not applying what you have implemented in your training sessions correctly and as effectively.
A problem teams may face, especially for a new team, is a lack of attempt from some players to build rapport with each other. Players that have not built a rapport outside of Hockey and only know each other at the rink, will fail to develop that special team bond that creates such amazing teamplay.
When watching professional Hockey, you can often see the easy flow of communication between players. This is due to good rapport and knowing each other so well that you know where to be and what to expect from each other at all times.
According to Rangers General Manager Michael Stafford, earlier in the season, the team had trouble working together as one unit on the ice.
Something had to be done. And that something was to bring back to New York a former player in J.T. Miller.
“Miller is a fabulous player on the ice,” reported GM Stafford. “But his worth is off the ice.
"(Miller) organizes team events and get togethers such as attending NBA games of the hometown Knicks. The fans give the Rangers a standing ovation when they walk to their courtside seats in unison.”
Unison is they key word.
The Rangers seem to get it.