Last season John Tortorella said that he “loved” Mike Rupp and praised him for being one of the “glue guys” on the team.

Tortorella told Stan Fischler at MSG.com that he thinks Rupp will be an important player for the Rangers this season “Rupp will have a much better year. He needs to be on the ice for nine, ten, eleven minutes a game and I’ve got to find him that playing time.”

 Tortorella talked about trying to find more ice for Rupp last year and praised how he “cultivated” the locker room.

Rupp also helps Tortorella calm down on the bench.

Season    Age  Tm  GP  G  A PTS PIM   S   S%  TOI  ATOI
2002-03    23 NJD  26  5  3   8  21  34 14.7  303 11:39
2003-04    24 TOT  57  6  6  12  47  76  7.9  645 11:18
2003-04    24 NJD  51  6  5  11  41  64  9.4  543 10:38
2003-04    24 PHX   6  0  1   1   6  12  0.0  102 16:59
2005-06    26 TOT  40  4  2   6  58  39 10.3  360  9:00
2005-06    26 PHX   1  0  0   0   0   1  0.0    7  6:30
2005-06    26 CBJ  39  4  2   6  58  38 10.5  354  9:04
2006-07    27 NJD  76  6  3   9  92  60 10.0  490  6:27
2007-08    28 NJD  64  3  6   9  58  69  4.3  516  8:04
2008-09    29 NJD  72  3  6   9 136  76  3.9  628  8:44
2009-10    30 PIT  81 13  6  19 120  87 14.9  732  9:03
2010-11    31 PIT  81  9  8  17 124  81 11.1  814 10:03
2011-12    32 NYR  60  4  1   5  97  31 12.9  399  6:39
Career            557 53 41  94 753 553  9.6 4888  8:47