O'Gara Excited About Opportunity Following Trade to Rangers

A lot went through defenseman Rob O'Gara's mind when he was told on Tuesday he'd been dealt to the New York Rangers as part of a package for Nick Holden. But there was one emotion that stood out above all else.
"A little bit of shock at first but then a lot of excitement," he said after his first practice with the team. "Talking to family and friends and just getting a ton of texts yesterday. It's very cool. It's a good opportunity and I'm really excited. That's the word. There were 1,000 emotions going through me yesterday, but I'd say excited was the No. 1."
The other thing that came to mind for the 24-year-old was the chance to show the Rangers what he can bring to the lineup. With the Rangers' goal of getting younger heading into Monday's trade deadline, coupled with a string of injuries on the back end, the opportunity is there for O'Gara.

"It's no secret that there is [an opportunity]," he said. "There's time here to prove myself. If I can step in and play my game, get comfortable and play my game I think it'll help me a lot moving forward and hopefully solidify myself with the organization.
"It's a clean slate," O'Gara added. "There's a lot of new guys, but they've seen me play a few times. A clean slate and I've got to put my best foot forward. That's all I can think about and do."

O'Gara, who is from Massapequa on Long Island, said he's a defense-first type of player who has worked to try and add offense to his game. He had two goals and six assists with Providence (AHL) prior to the trade.
Coach Alain Vigneault won't wait long to see what he and the Rangers have in O'Gara, as he'll play tomorrow in Montreal alongside John Gilmour, who shifted to the right at practice on Wednesday.
"He seemed like a real nice kid and seemed real excited to be here," he said. "He'll get an opportunity here to show what he can do and that's going to start tomorrow."
With just one practice under his belt, Vigneault said he just wants to see what O'Gara is made of.
"You just want players to come in and play to their strengths," Vigneault said. "We made this deal, and in my mind gave up a good player in Nick, got a draft pick and a younger player that our pro scouts feel the young man has a chance to play. He's got to play to his strengths. He's obviously going to bring energy to tomorrow's game."
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O'Gara won't be the only player making his Rangers debut, as Vigneault announced rookie Alexandar Georgiev will get the start for his first game in the NHL.
"Everything I hear about this young man is positive," Vigneault said. "The guys like him. I think the team in front of him is going to play real hard."

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Vigneault said Chris Kreider is "good to go" and has been cleared medically return to the Rangers lineup, but that won't happen Thursday night against the Canadiens.
"Not tomorrow, but could be any time between Friday and Sunday," Vigneault said of a return date. "He's been cleared with the docs. He skated with us again today. It's not a lot of full practice time."
Vigneault said Kreider would not travel with the club to Montreal, and instead stay behind and skate with the other injured Rangers, including Ryan McDonagh and Kevin Shattenkirk, as well as goaltender Ondrej Pavelec, though he isn't facing pucks yet.
McDonagh, according to Vigneault, should be back at practice soon in a matter of days.