2017 Draft & UDFA Thread

[Trxjw]

So they told his "family advisor" at the end of last year that they were not interested in signing him at all. Now they've done a 180. Yeah, I'd be weary about signing with them too. Especially with the uncertainty about the direction of that team moving forward.

 

[Raspewtin]

I think that is pretty accurate. ISS had him 26th in their final ranking. He was ranked 12th among defenseman from that service as well. I believe Redline has him about #21 overall in their Final.

ISS Final Rankings D-men 2012 Entry Draft
#3 Ryan Murray
#5 Jacob Trouba
#6 Griffin Reinhart
#7 Morgan Reilly
#8 Matt Dumba
#10 Cody Ceci
#12 Olli Matta
#18 Matt Finn
#19 Hampus Lindholm
#21 Slater Koekkoek
#22 Derick Poiliot
#26 Brady Skjei

Comfortably take Skjei over everyone on this list sans Lindholm and Trouba

what a time

 

[Ola]

Ola: One question about Bereglazov. I thought I read somewhere in this thread that although he is a left handed shot he played right defense. Your write up says he plays on the left side. Do you know if he can play on the right side? If you feel he is ready for the NHL next year, we really need someone to play on the right side and we're gonna have a log jam with left defensemen.
.

I am the wrong guy to ask this because I am sceptical of any LHS being able to play well on the right side without giving up a big handicap (save for Nik Hjalmarsson). Think Holden has done a good job for us, and I would love to be proven wrong by Bereglazov.

In Europe -- due to the bigger ice, slower tempo game, less dump and chase, less forechecking and hitting overall, poorer board players -- I think it's more the norm than an exception that players alternate between the left and right side. It's often really not until players get older that they seem to settle down on one side. So I would believe that Bereglazov has played on both sides.

 

[RangerBoy]

Ian Mitchell. RHD. Spruce Grove,Alberta. University of Denver freshman in the fall. Smallish D but everything else is top notch. Greeley recruited Hickey to BU from the same team. I am sure Greeley is familiar with Mitchell. If the Rangers can acquire a 2nd or 3rd, take Mitchell. Leave him in school for 2-3 years. Craig Button likes him. http://www.sprucegroveexaminer.com/2016/09/09/the-real-deal

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I'm a Mitchell fan also. I know Steve Kournianos is, as well. I'd think he may even be an option in the late 1st. I don't think he's that much worse than Makar. Getting him in the late first will probably be better value than the team that takes Makar in the top 10.

 

[Mac n Gs]

Yeah, Steve likes Mitchell as a late first round option. He was good for Canada at the Hlinka. I think we're currently slotted at 23rd (barring any changes due to the playoffs).

Gonna be some interesting names falling and rising in that area.

 

[Ola]

Yeah, Steve likes Mitchell as a late first round option. He was good for Canada at the Hlinka. I think we're currently slotted at 23rd (barring any changes due to the playoffs).

Gonna be some interesting names falling and rising in that area.

Yeah, Mitchell seem to have a cemented roll on Canadas blueline. Will he play in the U18? Could be a riser. Like the sound of him.

 

[Joey Bones]

Ola and Joey B:

After reviewing the CBA I think Zub cannot be drafted although for a different reason than I originally thought.

You are both correct that a European player can be drafted at age 21 and only becomes a free agent at age 22.

Section 8.4. (v) a Player age 22 or older who has not been selected in a previous Entry Draft and shall be eligible to enter the League as an Unrestricted Free Agent pursuant to Article 10.1(d).

However, section 8.10 defines age of a player:

8.10 Age of Players. As used in this Article, "age 18" means a Player reaching his eighteenth birthday between January 1 next preceding the Entry Draft and September 15 next following the Entry Draft, both dates included; "age 19" means a Player reaching his nineteenth birthday by no later than September 15 in the calendar year of the Entry Draft; "age 20" means a Player reaching his twentieth birthday by no later than December 31 in the calendar year of the Entry Draft; "age 21" means a Player reaching his twenty-first birthday by December 31 in the calendar year of the Entry Draft; and "age 22" means a Player reaching his twenty-second birthday by December 31 in the calendar year of the Entry Draft.

So a player who turns 22 by December 31 in the calendar year of the entry draft would be considered 22 and under section 8.4 is a free agent.

Zub currently is 21 but according to Elite Prospects he turns 22 on October 3. So while I was wrong and he could have been drafted while he was 21 he would not be eligible for the draft this year because he is considered 22 for purposes of the draft and therefore, a free agent.

Elite Prospects has him as having signed a contract for 2017-2018. So unless this information is not correct or he has an out clause he would not be eligible to be signed now as a free agent.

If anyone has a different reading of the CBA please let me know.

Thank you for clearing this up!! Much appreciated!!

 

[Joey Bones]

 

[Joey Bones]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/draftprospectbrowse.htm?cat=1&sort=finalRank&year=2017

NHL CSS Final Rankings

 

[glees68]

So is Butcher this year's Vesey? I know nothing about him except he won the Hobey Baker; what side D is he?

 

[Ola]

Saw Bereglazov again. I really like the kid.

Like you never know, can always make a mistake evaluating a player, but I would say that he is on par with guys like Staal, Anisimov, Hayes and co. in terms of quality. Would really love it if we could get the kid, and by the reports as far as I can tell it seems that its a done deal just waiting for the KHL season to end! Like Bereglazov won't come here and be our Ekblad or something like that. But he is like an Anisimov at D if you get what I mean. He is big, I love how he moves on the ice. Very effective stride and foot work. Got a great body in that sense, tremendous reach but still very athletic. Good skill with the puck, capable handling it. Makes good passes.

SKA is really hammering Bereglazov's team Magnitogorsk (the last shot total I saw in 2OT was 56-26 for SKA). Sometimes he is caught on long shifts on the ice. He is their top defensive D and probably top 5 on 5 D (they have two PP specialists), so at times Plotnikov and co targets him with big hits. There is nothing fantastic about his game in these situations. Its not like he is going the Last Samurai on the ice. But he still stands up to it well, get back in there the next shift, makes good out let passes. Picks off passes making sure to get his team up ice after being pushed back for a long time. And the way he just takes away his corner on the ice consistently, level headedly, so focused, is definitely very impressive. Very high quality.

He isn't going to become our Ekblad. He isn't going to become a huge difference maker. But if you get a kid like him with a 10-15 pick, its an OK pick. You don't often find quality players like this outside the 10-20 range. Often you are looking at the 5-15 range. A UFA signing like this would be huge for us. Great coup by Gorton and Co. if they pull this off.

 

[Ola]

Ric- Thanks! Saw Zub again, didn't stand out much this time. Would definitely throw a late pick at him though. The kid plays defense like he has rabies.

 

[Ranger Ric]

Update on Minnesota Duluth Right Handed Defenseman Neal Pink from Elliotte Friedman

28. Also, expect a decision soon from Minnesota-Duluth defender Neal Pionk. An undrafted, right-hand shot, he’s got two more years of eligibility but there now are teams who want to sign him.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/3...od-news-green/

It would be nice for the Rangers to sign a right handed defenseman prospect.

 

[Ranger Ric]

Will Butcher and Harvard forward Alex Kerfoot are the two unsigned draft picks who have generated the most interest.

Butcher is listed at 5'10" and 190 pounds. He has played on numerous USA WJC teams, ages 17, 18 and 20. He is a proficient scorer. He was drafted in the 5th round in 2013 by Colorado who reportedly told him last summer they were not interested. I saw somewhere where Joe Sakic said Colorado would offer him a contract this year and Butcher said he would think about it. So he could decide to wait until August 15 to become a UFA.

Since the Rangers already have signed left handed defenseman Vince Pedri and reportedly are going to sign Alexei Bereglazov and are in the running for Swedish left handed defenseman Andreas Borgmann and the Rangers already have left handed defensemen Ryan Graves and Sean Day in the system I am not sure the Rangers would see Butcher as a priority unless one of the foreign guys doesn't sign.

Kerfoot is a Devils prospect but is from western Canada and their is some feeling he may want to go UFA to return home.

So is Butcher this year's Vesey? I know nothing about him except he won the Hobey Baker; what side D is he?

 

[Lion Hound]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/draftprospectbrowse.htm?cat=1&sort=finalRank&year=2017

NHL CSS Final Rankings

The little engine that could!

Suzuki now in the top 10. I liked it better when I thought the Rangers would have had a shot in the mid to late 20's with him.

 

[Rangers in 7]

Will Butcher and Harvard forward Alex Kerfoot are the two unsigned draft picks who have generated the most interest.

Butcher is listed at 5'10" and 190 pounds. He has played on numerous USA WJC teams, ages 17, 18 and 20. He is a proficient scorer. He was drafted in the 5th round in 2013 by Colorado who reportedly told him last summer they were not interested. I saw somewhere where Joe Sakic said Colorado would offer him a contract this year and Butcher said he would think about it. So he could decide to wait until August 15 to become a UFA.

Since the Rangers already have signed left handed defenseman Vince Pedri and reportedly are going to sign Alexei Bereglazov and are in the running for Swedish left handed defenseman Andreas Borgmann and the Rangers already have left handed defensemen Ryan Graves and Sean Day in the system I am not sure the Rangers would see Butcher as a priority unless one of the foreign guys doesn't sign.

Kerfoot is a Devils prospect but is from western Canada and their is some feeling he may want to go UFA to return home.

Im sure we will at least kick the tires on butcher. We have to imo

 

[NYR Viper]

Saw Bereglazov again. I really like the kid.

Like you never know, can always make a mistake evaluating a player, but I would say that he is on par with guys like Staal, Anisimov, Hayes and co. in terms of quality. Would really love it if we could get the kid, and by the reports as far as I can tell it seems that its a done deal just waiting for the KHL season to end! Like Bereglazov won't come here and be our Ekblad or something like that. But he is like an Anisimov at D if you get what I mean. He is big, I love how he moves on the ice. Very effective stride and foot work. Got a great body in that sense, tremendous reach but still very athletic. Good skill with the puck, capable handling it. Makes good passes.

SKA is really hammering Bereglazov's team Magnitogorsk (the last shot total I saw in 2OT was 56-26 for SKA). Sometimes he is caught on long shifts on the ice. He is their top defensive D and probably top 5 on 5 D (they have two PP specialists), so at times Plotnikov and co targets him with big hits. There is nothing fantastic about his game in these situations. Its not like he is going the Last Samurai on the ice. But he still stands up to it well, get back in there the next shift, makes good out let passes. Picks off passes making sure to get his team up ice after being pushed back for a long time. And the way he just takes away his corner on the ice consistently, level headedly, so focused, is definitely very impressive. Very high quality.

He isn't going to become our Ekblad. He isn't going to become a huge difference maker. But if you get a kid like him with a 10-15 pick, its an OK pick. You don't often find quality players like this outside the 10-20 range. Often you are looking at the 5-15 range. A UFA signing like this would be huge for us. Great coup by Gorton and Co. if they pull this off.

Thanks for this Ola! Hope the Rangers find a way to make this happen

This kid deserves a NHL contract. That simple.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Thanks for this Ola! Hope the Rangers find a way to make this happen



This kid deserves a NHL contract. That simple.

He is a Joly good fellow

 

[Ola]

We are going hard for these LDs, apparantly we missed out on Calle Rosen who Pittsburgh snatched in front of us.

http://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/hockey/a/Mywvm/vaxjo-trion-pa-vag-till-nhl-satsar-pa-det

 

[Mac n Gs]

I'm still annoyed they beat us to Lukas Bengstton

 

[ManUtdTobbe]

I'm a broken record at this point but please, PLEASE, get me Erik Brännström.

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

I'm still annoyed they beat us to Lukas Bengstton

As am I. Bengstton could turn into a solid NHL'er I think.

He had health issues this year, but if he is healthy next, I fully expect him to be with the Pens at some point

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I'm a broken record at this point but please, PLEASE, get me Erik Brännström.

Yeah, he had a really nice match. I also liked how Liljegren played. He had one shift where he skated around everyone like two or three times, failed to keep the puck in the zone, regrouped and then skated around everyone again.

I didn't get to watch the whole match, so I just focused on certain players. I was disappointed Adam Boqvist didn't play a single shift when I watched.

On Russia, I thought Zhukov was excellent. Stole the game for Russia. Galenyuk and Svechnikov both 2018 draft eligibles were very good, and I thought Maximov, Samorukov and Lipanov 2017 draft eligibles were also good.

 

[TheTakedown]

So many guys in the UFA field that the Rangers could snatch up this offseason.

Bereglazov
Borgman
Butcher
Zub
Joly (getting an ELC instead of an AHL Contract)

Not to mention the LHD Pipeline that we already have looks good:

Day
Graves
Gilmour

And then there is ZBrovskie and Paliotta. I would like to see Clendening retained for the RHD position as well.

Slowly but surely we are rebuilding that D pipeline.

Need to really hit a home run with our 1st rounder this year. We need a 2nd rounder to be acquired by way of trading any of Staal, Klein, Nash, or Girardi.