Roger Neilson Is Teaching the Rangers How to Win

Coach Roger Neilson sits in his office, a video machine to the left and chalkboard to the right, both nearly within arm’s reach.

About 30 feet away, in the players’ lounge, eight Rangers on the floor and on sofas study a television spewing out game highlights. It’s also connected to a satellite dish that can pick up games throughout North America -- as is the TV at the team’s Rye, N.Y., training facility.

These Rangers, whose 8-2-3 start (prior to Thursday night’s game against Quebec) is best in the NHL and second best in their 64-year history, are coached by “Captain Video,” who began his film exploits in the mid-1960s when it wasn’t fashionable and got his nickname while coaching in Toronto.

“We don’t sit there for hours and hours,” said Brian Leetch, the defenseman from Cheshire, Conn. “It’s just key things that can help us exploit the other team.”

This is the Roger Neilson who once brought his dog on the ice to help teach forechecking. The dog didn’t chase the puck behind the net, waiting instead for the defenseman to come in front to show Neilson’s emphasis on patience.

It’s the Roger Neilson whose players often wear helmets without numbers and jerseys with wrong numbers to make it tougher for scouts watching pregame skates.

Neilson believes his film work has helped the Rangers’ surge from the gate -- with an eight-game unbeaten streak that ended with a 3-1 loss to Philadelphia Monday -- but he also realizes he needs the talent to make a successful break. The telltale hockey trademarks of success are present: physical presence, timely goaltending, special teams and the emergence of several rookies.

“This is a very bright team, one that seems to pick up things quickly,” said the sometimes self-effacing Neilson, who was hired Aug. 15 for his first NHL head coaching job in six years. “They’re very cooperative, especially on the bench, where I’m a little rusty after being away for so long.

“They’re always seeing potential problems, and that’s helped out a lot. One game, when I told a certain line it was up next, one guy turned around and whispered, ‘But coach, Joe’s in the penalty box.”’

Neil Smith, at 35 the NHL’s youngest general manager, spent most of his first three weeks on the job searching for a coach. He said it was easy to name Neilson, who picks his words carefully. That’s in contrast to emotional Michel Bergeron, who was fired April 1 by then-GM Phil Esposito with two games left in the 1988-89 regular season. Esposito was fired after the Rangers were swept out of the first round of the Patrick Division playoffs by Pittsburgh.

“In looking at the player personnel we had, there’s a young corps on the team, nine players under 23, and Roger is a really good teaching coach,” Smith said. “And I figured if you had an unbelievable talent like Brian Leetch, who has winged it most of his career on his natural ability, you’d need a coach like Roger who could give him real guidance and teaching on how to play the pro game rather than just motivation. Roger’s a good motivator, too, but his asset is in his teaching.”

Leetch, winner of the Calder Trophy last season as the NHL’s top rookie, said, “Roger is the most Xs and Os coach I’ve ever had. We do blackboard and video work and go over our systems more. Roger’s very prepared and feels if you follow what he says you should win the game. Right now, everything’s going right, and that’s why we’re winning the close games.”

Defenseman Ron Greschner, playing for his 15th coach in 16 seasons with the Rangers, learned quickly why Smith chose Neilson.

“Roger is a good teacher who doesn’t expect you to know everything just because you’re a professional,” Greschner said. “Michel knew his stuff, too, but Roger knows the game so well it’s fairly amazing.”

Neilson, 55, previously was head coach in Toronto, Buffalo, Vancouver (remember the white towels he waved in the 1982 playoffs against the Islanders?) and Los Angeles, and a co-coach in Chicago for three seasons.

“I knew there was a good corps of talent here, but I decided not to take any preconceived notions into training camp,” Neilson said. “Everybody showed what they could do, has kind of rallied around each other and taken things upon themselves. There’s not one thing we can say we’ve been disappointed with.”

Former Whalers center Carey Wilson, sidelined nine weeks with sprained ligaments in his left knee, said, “The key has been everyone has contributed, from top management on down. Roger has preached a team concept, because while we may not have the skill level or depth of Calgary, we can win hockey games if everyone works hard together.”

A young team can use such help.

Leetch and right wing Tony Granato, runner-up in the Calder Trophy voting, gave the Rangers an injection of new blood last year. Rejuvenated John Ogrodnick and James Patrick and rookie centers Darren Turcotte, Troy Mallette and Mark Janssens have done so this year.

Turcotte will have added incentive when Bergeron, who is back coaching Quebec, returns here tonight for the first time.

“Things have been so much easier this year for all the younger guys,” said Turcotte, who leads rookie scorers with nine goals and had a seven-game goal-scoring streak stopped Monday night. “Practices are still high-tempo, but they’re much more low-key and the younger guys have a chance to get some confidence.”

A major beneficiary of Neilson’s belief in a strong defense is John Vanbiesbrouck, who has carried most of the load in a three-goalie system that also includes Bob Froese and Mike Richter, a 7-3 winner over the Whalers in his only NHL regular-season start.

“I know it’s early in the season, but being able to hold one-goal leads is how you gain that confidence of being a winning team,” Vanbiesbrouck said. “Every day we’re learning something different, and that keeps you motivated and your mind alert. It’s early, but I’d much rather be where we are than 6-6 and saying we know we can get there.”