Rangers coach Alain Vigneault wishes he wouldn't have thrust Derek Stepan immediately into a top-line role in the after the center missed most of the preseason. Stepan held out as a restricted free agent. "If I could have been fairer to Step, (he would have played) him in a lesser [offensive] role," the coach said. "I know Step's intentions were good, but he didn't play in any games, and he's got a guy right in his face, turns it over and the puck goes right into our net. We have to play these guys into shape." Vigneault plans to do exactly that with team captain Ryan Callahan when he returns to the New York lineup Monday.