Rangers Draft; Just An Opinion.

Rangers Draft Weekend; Just my Opinion.

First of all I have to say I was off the radar all weekend in Ireland with no net access whatsoever (great timing I know…).So saying that, when I did get online and went straight to the draft results on Friday night (Sat AM for me) I wont lie and admit I was disappointed. I, like many of us, had dreamt of Nino, hoped for Tarasenko and would more than gladly settled for Skinner, Johansen or another player just so long as they added the scoring we craved.

Oh well…. When my initial disappointment (even anger) subsided i then realised it was Gordie Clark’s doing and in Gordie I and we trust.

To break it down as a weekend; The positives: The Rangers addressed organisational needs; they got their nasty defenceman, they got size, they got a center and they added alot of physicality. They drafted to a plan and Thomas and Yogan may be nice additions down the line. The Rangers continued to look to blood lines with Christian Thomas and they, in my opinion, got decent return for Sanguinetti who clearly had no future in the organisation.

After the positives come the question marks; I like Dylan Mcilrath. He’s exactly what we need in one area but his selection means the other area of dire need was left unattended and this is an issue for me. Of the two areas of need (defence and offence) the defence UFA market is much stronger and I feel an elite forward prospect would be more advisable as ‘D’ help was/would be easier to find. On top of that is the fact I think The Rangers ‘reached’ anywhere between 7-15 spots too much for the big Moose Jaw blueliner.

So what now? Mcilrath will now face huge expectancy, some impatience and perhaps even unfavourable career-long comparisons given who went after him in the draft (Fowler etc). This draft could be a foundation solidyfing cross roads or another Jessiman evoking memory. This is where my main issue is…..
Hopefully we get the solid draft we needed but the fact that at 10th overall we got no sure thing and simply more question marks (for the time being) is frustrating.

Note to The Undertaker; New York’s waiting…….

Draft Day Two Coverage (Rangers Trade Bobby Sanguinetti)

Well, yesterday was interesting. The Rangers surprised everyone by picking Dylan McIlrath, but that was a solid pick, and many will realize this soon. As we enter Day Two of the draft, the Rangers hold picks in the 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 7th rounds. The draft will be covered on the NHL network. For you Twitter bugs, @NHL will be tweeting the picks as well. I will be posting any big NHL moves, and all Rangers moves and picks.

Rangers 2nd Round Pick: The Rangers have taken RW Christian Thomas of the Oshawa Generals with the 40th overall selection. Thomas is the son of former NHL player Steve Thomas. Christian put up 41 goals and 25 assists in 64 games in the OHL this year. He seems to have his dads scoring touch.

Update 1:55pm: The Kings used the 70th overall pick, acquired from the Rangers for Brian Boyle, to select Jordan Weal. Good pick for the Kings, bad deal for the Rangers.

Update 2:30pm: As per Larry Brooks, the Rangers have traded Bobby Sanguinetti to the Carolina Hurricanes. Picks are coming back. No word on what picks yet. Update: Rangers get 6th round pick this year and 2nd round pick next year. The 6th round pick this year is #157 overall.

Rangers 4th Round Pick: The Rangers have taken C Andrew Yogan of the Erie Otters of the OHL with their 4th round pick, #100 overall. Yogan put up a line of 25-30-55 with 97 PIMs in 63 GP. Yogan is 6’3, 202 lbs.

Rangers 5th Round Pick: The Rangers have taken Jason Wilson of the Owen Sound Attack of the OHL with their 5th round, #130 overall. Wilson put up a line of 17-18-35 with 101 PIMs in 46 GP. Wilson is 6’2, 205 lbs.

Rangers 6th Round Pick: As mentioned above, the Rangers have acquired a 6th round pick, #157 overall, as part of the deal for Bobby Sanguinetti. The Rangers used this pick to select RW Jesper Fasth of the Swedish Juniors. He put up a line of 23-26-49 in 37 GP. The 6’0 176 lb winger could be a real sleeper.

Rangers 7th Round Pick: The Rangers have taken RW Randy McNaught of the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL with their 7th round pick, #190 overall. McNaught is huge, at 6’4, 222 lbs, and put up a line of 6-6-12, with 131 PIMs in 59 GP.

That’s it for the Rangers. I will post a draft wrap up of my feelings on the draft later this week, as will the rest of the guys, as we prep for July 1 and free agency.

McIlrath Is A Solid Pick

Well that was a bit of a surprising pick for the Rangers, no? With players like Brandon Gormley, Cam Fowler, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Emerson Etem available, the Rangers shocked their fans, and many at the draft, by selecting tough guy Dylan McIlrath. I was at a wedding yesterday, but I got the news from a few texts (thanks guys), and many were pissed at this move.

I have the luxury of not reacting until this morning, as I could not react last night (it’s impossible to get worked up over a draft at a wedding). The two gaping holes on the Rangers right now is scoring and physical defensemen. With players like Artem Anisimov, Evgeny Grachev, Derek Stepan, Chris Kreider, and Ethan Werek already emerging as the top prospects in the system, the Rangers seem to be covered for the future with scoring.

Then you have to look at the defense. The Rangers have one of the best defenders in the league in Marc Staal. They have an up and coming star as an offensive defenseman in Michael Del Zotto. They have depth at both of those positions in Bobby Sanguinetti and Dan Girardi. What the Rangers truly lacked was a physical, mean, tough defenseman. In the system they have Ryan McDonagh, but that is really putting all your eggs into one basket.

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Draft Day 2010

Well, the day has arrived. The Rangers hold the #10 pick in the first round, and I personally will be happy if the Rangers select any of Brett Connolly, Nino Niederreiter, Ryan Johansen, Derek Forbort, Emerson Etem, Jeff Skinner, Alex Burmistrov, or Vladimir Tarasenko. With a bunch of first round picks available (Islanders – 5th, Panthers – 3rd or 15th, Atlanta – 7th, among others), the Rangers may trade up to get their man, which is believed to be either Niedrreiter or Tarasenko. If both are gone, then expect the Rangers to stand pat and select the best available player. The Rangers also have picks in the 2nd round (40th overall), 4th round (100th overall), 5th round (130th overall), and 7th round (190th overall). The Rangers traded their 3rd round pick (70th overall) to the Los Angeles Kings for Brian Boyle, and their 6th round (160th overall) pick to the Islanders for Jyri Niemi.

Use this as your post to discuss the draft. I have a wedding tonight, and will be unable to update the post. Jurgenno is in Ireland, and I haven’t had the chance to speak to Jeremy yet about updating this post. Hopefully, it will be updated with anything major. If not, then use the comments to post big updates and discuss.

7:51 EST: Jeremy here, holding down the draft fort. 4 picks in. Hall first, Seguin second, Florida takes Gudbrandon, and Columbus takes Johansen. Canucks made the first trade, acquiring D Keith Ballard from the Panthers for Steve Bernier, Michael Grabner, and this year’s 25th overall pick.

7:57 EST: Isles take Nino Neidereitter. Besides having an awesome name, that’s a hell of a pick.

8:15 EST: Tampa takes Connolly, Canes take Skinner. Rangers are two away.

8:20 EST: Atlanta takes Alex Burmistrov

8:25 EST: Minnesota takes Mikael Granlund. The Rangers are on the clock!

8:33 EST: Rangers take defenseman Dylan McIlrath, from Moose Jaw of the WHL. Here’s what TSN had to say about him:

Moose Jaw Warrior defenceman Dylan McIlrath is a big, physical, mean and tough defensive defenceman who is the unanimous choice of scouts surveyed by TSN as the “toughest player” in the entire draft. He had 19 fighting majors this season and didn’t lose too many, by all accounts. Say no more

Surprised they passed on Cam Fowler, but McIlrath is the crease clearing, 6-4 defenseman they don’t have. Not a bad pick.

11:38 EST: Flyers trade rights to Dan Hamhuis to Pittsburgh for a 3rd round pick. The rich get richer.

Draft Watch: Mikael Granlund

The Rangers have the tenth overall pick in the draft, and while some writers think the Rangers will draft a goalie (for some unknown reason), the Rangers most pressing need at the NHL level is a scorer. In the tenth installment of this series, we look at winger Mikael Granlund of the HIFK Helsinki of the Finnish Elite League.

The 5’10, 180 lb Finnish center has put together a very strong season in the Finnish Elite League, putting together a line of 13-27-40 in 43 games, with an astounding 2 PIMs, which means he took just one minor penalty all year while playing as a 17-18 year old in a very difficult league. Where Granlund really cemented his spot as a first round draft pick was during this year’s World Championships, where he played for the Finland U-18 Team and the Finland National Team as a 17 year old. For the U-18 Team, Granlund was clearly above and beyond the competition, putting up a line of 4-9-13 in just six games en route to a bronze medal. Playing on the National Team in the World Championships, the one that Derek Stepan captained Team USA to Gold, Granlund had a goal and six assists in six games.

Granlund has exceptional skating and puck handling skills, which make him one of the premier playmakers available in the draft. His vision on the ice is tremendous, and some of the passes he dishes out makes some older, and larger, players wonder how he does it. While not a pure goal scorer, Granlund does possess a good wrist shot, and is fully capable of putting the puck in the back of the net when he needs to. He also possesses some great agility, which helps him deke around opposing defenders. His moves rival that of fellow Finn Teemu Pulkkinen, who ranks higher than Granlund for the time being.

The one knock on Granlund is his size, but don’t tell the small-ish forward that. Despite his small stature, Granlund plays larger than his size. He is fearless when battling for the puck and competes with great intensity every game. Granlund is a long term pick, much like the Chris Kreider pick in 2009, and will not be an impact NHL player for maybe as many as three seasons. Whichever team drafts Granlund is going to get a fantastic player, but they will have to wait for him to come over from Finland. There are few players in the draft that match Granlund’s combination of skill and speed, but his size is what may keep him out of the top-10. Granlund should still be available at #10, but the way the previous nine picks fall is what will determine where Granlund lands.

Draft Watch: Austin Watson

The Rangers have the tenth overall pick in the draft, and while some writers think the Rangers will draft a goalie (for some unknown reason), the Rangers most pressing need at the NHL level is a scorer. In the tenth installment of this series, we look at winger Austin Watson of the Peterborough Petes (creative team name) of the OHL.

Watson is generally overlooked when talking about the prospects coming into this draft, but has been consistently ranked in the top-15 of the ISS Top 30 all year. The 6’3, 185 lb winger has put together a fine sophomore season in the OHL, putting together a line of 20-34-54 with 22 PIMs in 52 games split with Peterborough and the Windsor Spitfires. He also added two goals in four playoff games this year. Watson also played on the US U-18 Team in April, playing the role of grinding third liner en route to a gold medal.

Watson’s biggest strength is his skating ability. He is very quick on his feet, and has the agility to change directions quickly, despite his tall stature. He is very tough to knock off the puck, and he will only get increasingly more difficult to knock off the puck as his body weight catches up to his height. His quickness, stride, and overall speed (quickness and speed are different) will also improve as he ages and develops more lower body strength.

Watson isn’t the flashiest of players, but he uses his size to go to the high traffic areas and bang home dirty goals. This type of player serves several purposes: he wreaks havoc in front of the net, he draws attention to himself, and opens up space for more skilled players to work in the open ice. He won’t wow you with his moves, he won’t amaze you by dangling through two defensemen and then roofing a shot. He will wow you with his blue collar effort and his propensity for getting dirty goals. New Yorkers love blue collar players, and Watson fits that bill to a T. As mentioned before, Watson is often overlooked because he doesn’t have the offensive flair that players of the Ryan Johansen, Jeff Skinner, or Nino Niederreiter ilk have.

While there are no glaring weaknesses in his game, Watson will be a bit of a project, as he needs to grow more into his body before he can really be an effective two-way player. With the Rangers drafting in the top-ten, Watson will definitely be available, but some may question whether or not Watson is what the Rangers need. He peaks as a 60 point NHL player who could lead the penalty kill, but that is only if he meets his peak. There are several more offensively tilted players that may suit the Rangers needs a little more than Watson, but what Watson does have going for him is that he could potentially be a more offensively gifted version of Ryan Callahan.

Image Credit: Aaron Bell/OHL Images.

Draft Watch: Emerson Etem

The Rangers have the tenth overall pick in the draft, and while some writers think the Rangers will draft a goalie (for some unknown reason), the Rangers most pressing need at the NHL level is a scorer. In the tenth installment of this series, we look at center Emerson Etem of the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL.

The 6’0 190 lb 18 year old center has put together a fine rookie season in the WHL, putting up a line of 37-28-65 with 26 PIMs in 72 regular season game. Etem continued his strong play in the playoffs, netting seven goals (and three assists) in 12 playoff games. This season came one year after Etem had a great year with the U-18 US National Team, with a line of 19-14-33 and 16 PIMs in 40 games. Combined, thats 66 goals in 124 games, which is just over a goal every other game.

As alluded to above, Etem is a natural goal scorer. He possesses an absolutely lethal wrist shot that makes him one of the best goal scorers in the draft. In fact, outside of the top two picks, Etem may be the most gifted goal scorer in this year’s draft.

In addition to his lethal shot, Etem also has superior puck handling abilities, which he learned during his developmental years in Minnesota’s Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Sidney Crosby, Jack Johnson, Zach Parise, Jonathan Toews, Marlon Brando). In a move which really showcases Etem’s determination and dedication to the game, Etem actually moved from Long Beach, CA to Minnesota to play at St. Mary’s.

Where some scouts disagree is with Etem’s skating ability. Some believe it is Etem’s skating ability, mostly his unusual stride, which makes him look smaller than his 6’0 frame, that keeps him out of the top-five or top-ten picks. What isn’t debatable is Emerson’s speed and strength on his skates. His speed, prowess for the net, unreal shot, and strength make him a force to be reckoned with at the offensive level. In regards to his unusual skating style, you can be taught how to skate, you can’t be taught how to find the back of the net as often as Etem.

Draft Watch: Brett Connolly

The Rangers have the tenth overall pick in the draft, and while some writers think the Rangers will draft a goalie (for some unknown reason), the Rangers most pressing need at the NHL level is a scorer. In the sixth installment of this series, we look at center Brett Connolly Of the Prince George Cougars of the WHL.

The 6’2 18- lb center from Prince George has put together two fine seasons in the WHL, netting 30 goals and 30 assists in 65 games in 2008-2009, and 10 goals and 9 assists in 2009-2010. Connolly is a very rare player, as he has fantastic hands to go with his size, which has made him one of the most talented players in the draft. Connolly is a prototypical power forward, but the aforementioned hands make him more than just a Todd Bertuzzi type player. Connolly can truly be a catalyst for other linemates production as well.

Connolly’s hip injury this past season is a major cause for concern though. His hip, which required surgery and caused him to miss the majority of the 2009-2010 season, occurred during the international tournament this past year. At the combine this year, Connolly was said to be 100%, and his injury was a thing of the past.

Unfortunately, there isn’t much on Connolly when it comes to detailed scouting due to his injury. What is known is that he is an elite talent with a legitimate injury concern. Connolly has the potential to be one of the top players in the draft, assuming he can play full seasons. Connolly’s hip may cause his stock to drop rapidly, however it should be expected for him to be selected in the first round. Connolly has top-five talent and potential, that is for certain. If he slips to the Rangers at tenth overall, expect them to jump all over this pick.

Looking Back: Another disastrous draft?

Hockey’s future are currently producing draft reviews for 2005 (‘5 years on’) and The Rangers edition was released on May 29^th. It got me thinking about The Rangers’ much maligned draft history and for some reason I thought to 2007. The Rangers have been credited with much better drafting since the lockout and are considered to have placed more importance on player development since that dark lost season. However (for various reasons) as it stands, 2007 is an unmitigated disaster.

Much like ‘the Jessiman year’ the 2007 draft year has set the Rangers back. Everyone gives the Rangers a pass for the tragic loss of Alexei Cherepanov who in fact may have become a draft steal at 17^th overall – given his talent, but its beyond that pick that it becomes grim reading. Consider the following picks:

Round 2: Antoine Lafleur

Round 3: no pick – traded away to Pittsburgh

Round 4: no pick

Round 5: Max Campbell

Round 6: Carl Hagelin

Round 7: Danny Hobbs

That list indeed makes sad reading. Lafleur was a ‘reach’ at the time and is no longer with the franchise while Max Campbell and Danny Hobbs are marginal prospects who though currently still in system – barring a shock – wont be for much longer. That leaves Carl Hagelin. Hagelin is the Rangers 2007 draft team’s last shot at redemption. Luckily for them it’s a decent shot. Hagelin has polished his game in the NCAA with Michigan to the point where he projects to be a very nice 2 way prospect that can score, play both ends and has a good hockey brain. He should be in the pro ranks within the next year or so. Where he will start his pro career and what he exactly projects to be in the NHL is up in the air but Hagelin is a solid prospect – for Sather’s sake I hope he makes it.

Just to make this post a little sadder – consider a few of the solid players taken after Lafleur was grabbed in the 2^nd round (again, im giving the Rangers a pass on the 1^st round): Oscar Moller, Jamie Benn, TJ Galiardi and Wayne Simmonds. All 4 appear to have begun their NHL careers well and ironically all would address big needs for the Rangers as of now. With just one of those players the Rangers right now would look a whole lot better especially if they’d had Benn or Simmonds.

I’ll say this for The Rangers; overall it doesn’t appear to have been the strongest of draft years considering first rounder’s taken in 2007 included Jim O’Brien, Dana Tyrell, Nick Ross, Riley Nash, Angelo (‘the bust’) Esposito and Logan McMillan and its true, that it’s perhaps unfair to evaluate just three years on but right now 2007 doesn’t make good reading for Rangers fans.

Draft Watch: Derek Forbort

The Rangers have the tenth overall pick in the draft, and while some writers think the Rangers will draft a goalie (for some unknown reason), the Rangers most pressing need at the NHL level is a scorer. However, with the Rangers sitting at #10, they might have to employ a “best available” tactic at the draft. If that occurs, the Rangers might wind up taking another defenseman in the first round. In the sixth installment of this series, we look at defenseman Derek Forbort of the US-Under 18 National Team, who is committed to North Dakota for next season.

The 6’4 200 lb defenseman has put together a steady season with the US National Team, putting together a line or 4-10-14 with 26 PIMs in 26 games. Forbort is one of the top defenders available in the draft this year. His offensive awareness provides tremendous upside for any team looking for some scoring from the blue line. He may not like to carry the puck that much, but he makes up for it by making one of the top first passes in the draft. His hockey IQ is top notch, which leads to great decision making with the puck and with his passes. His hockey IQ also directly correlates to his anticipation ability with and without the puck.

Forbort uses his big body to his advantage, utilizing his very long reach to take away opponents passing lanes. He also plays a fairly physical style of play, using his size and strength in the corners and to clear the crease. An exceptional skater, Forbort’s stride appears to be effortless as he carries the puck. In addition to speed, Forbort’s balance, strength and agility make him extremely difficult to knock off the puck. This combination of size and skating strength also makes him difficult to beat in battles in front of the net.

The only knock on Forbort is that he is a very raw talent, but his high ceiling should still put him in the top-10 or top-15 in this year’s draft. Although the Rangers need scoring help, if they cannot trade up, they may go with a best available approach to the draft. Forbort offers a rare combination of size, skill, and speed on the blue line that makes him a hot commodity in the new NHL. Defenseman like Forbort fall in the Drew Doughty category, if his potential is fully met. A top-four of Forbort, Marc Staal, Michael Del Zotto, and Dan Girardi would be one of the best in the league, and would make the Rangers a force to be reckoned with on the blue line for years.

Image Credit: Dave Arnold