Prospect Info: 2018-2019 Rangers Prospects Thread (Stats Updated 3.1.19) *Part IV*

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Have you ever been to a SM liigaa game? I love it when they run really loud commercials in the speakers during every longer break...

I've been to homes games of:

TPS
Tappara
Lahti
HIFK (x2)
Jokerit (x4) (Including the Helsinki Ice Challenge in Kaisaniemi park)
Espoo United (formerly Espoo Blues, not Kiekko Espoo)

 

[Ola]

I've been to homes games of:

TPS
Tappara
Lahti
HIFK (x2)
Jokerit (x4) (Including the Helsinki Ice Challenge in Kaisaniemi park)
Espoo United (formerly Espoo Blues, not Kiekko Espoo)

That is great! I’ve only seen Kärpät at home, probably under 10 times. But I like watching hockey in Finland.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

That is great! I’ve only seen Kärpät at home, probably under 10 times. But I like watching hockey in Finland.

Since I moved to Vienna 2 years ago, I've been to home games of:

SHL
Linkoping, Frolunda, Lulea (next week)

Liiga
Tappara, TPS, HIFK, Lahti

Mestis
Espoo Utd

KHL
Jokerit, Dinamo Riga, Slovan Bratislava

Extraliga
Sparta Praha, Kometa Brno

CHL
Bili Tygri Liberec, Zurich Lions, KAC Klagenfurt, Vienna Capitals

And then international games in Hodonin, Pardubice, Copenhagen

 

[Ranger Ric]

Alias AK: Do you think the Rangers sign Virta? They already have signed Keane and expect the three Russians to sign after their season ends.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Alias AK: Do you think the Rangers sign Virta? They already have signed Keane and expect the three Russians to sign after their season ends.

The situation surrounding his exclusive rights is a bit blurry.

Drafted in 2017, at the age of 20, the rights are only 2 years. But then he signed in the KHL at the start of this season which would mean his rights don't expire (no transfer agreement between the NHL and KHL). 2 months later, his contract was terminated due to financial problems with Slovan, and he moved to Örebro (SHL). That could mean his rights carry over another year, or that his rights go back to expiring in June 2019.

I think the Rangers would at least like to give him a shot. They currently have 7 slots open, with O'Gara, Tokarski, Gilmour and Brickley UFA this summer, and Bergman moving to Sweden.

That gives them 10 open slots, since Keane already takes up on. Shestyorkin, Rykov and Kravtsov are another 3, leaving them with 7. Contract slots aren't the issue

 

[Ranger Ric]

I spoke to Cap Friendly about this and Patrick of Cap Friendly thought that Virta's rights probably expired in June because he no longer was under contract with the KHL. He said he would confirm and get back to me but he hasn't yet. I will follow up with him after the season.

The situation surrounding his exclusive rights is a bit blurry.

Drafted in 2017, at the age of 20, the rights are only 2 years. But then he signed in the KHL at the start of this season which would mean his rights don't expire (no transfer agreement between the NHL and KHL). 2 months later, his contract was terminated due to financial problems with Slovan, and he moved to Örebro (SHL). That could mean his rights carry over another year, or that his rights go back to expiring in June 2019.

I think the Rangers would at least like to give him a shot. They currently have 7 slots open, with O'Gara, Tokarski, Gilmour and Brickley UFA this summer, and Bergman moving to Sweden.

That gives them 10 open slots, since Keane already takes up on. Shestyorkin, Rykov and Kravtsov are another 3, leaving them with 7. Contract slots aren't the issue

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I spoke to Cap Friendly about this and Patrick of Cap Friendly thought that Virta's rights probably expired in June because he no longer was under contract with the KHL. He said he would confirm and get back to me but he hasn't yet. I will follow up with him after the season.

It's very blurry.

There are basically 2 scenarios here:

A.) His KHL commitment excludes this season from the 2-year NHL rights, as short as it was, and we own his rights until 2020
B.) His KHL stint was not long enough to be excluded, and his rights expire in 2019

If scenario B applies, I am curious to know what the threshold is. Does a player have to spend the entire season in the KHL? Or 50%? Interesting summer for me keeping an eye on this development

 

[eco's bones]

Not sure the Rangers are ready to give Virta a contract. He's not had a great year though he got better towards the end. I'm not sure how to project him for what he's done this year as a future NHL player. If he came over he'd almost certainly play in Hartford next year. I can't see him making the Rangers.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Rykov assisted on the empty net goal, which got Sochi a win that ties the series 2-2.

Dominik Lakatos did not play for Bili Tygri Liberec. I think we can safely remove him from our prospect list. We lose his rights this summer and I don't think he will ever make it to NA.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Rykov with 23:45 TOI, the next most on the team was 19:25...

 

[Ranger Ric]

The big question is how long the Rangers retain his rights. The Rangers may have to make a decision on him by June 1. So the question is if June 1, 2019 is the deadline do the Rangers offer him a contract or give up his rights?

Not sure the Rangers are ready to give Virta a contract. He's not had a great year though he got better towards the end. I'm not sure how to project him for what he's done this year as a future NHL player. If he came over he'd almost certainly play in Hartford next year. I can't see him making the Rangers.

 

[kovazub94]

Rykov with 23:45 TOI, the next most on the team was 19:25...

Seems Zubov finally made a switch at 1LD from Jokipakka to Rykov.

The season started worrisome for Rykov not getting into SKA lineup and is ending great! @Ola’s concerns will need to be addressed this offseason with both Hajek and Rykov will need to get minutes at LD in 2019-2020.

 

[eco's bones]

The big question is how long the Rangers retain his rights. The Rangers may have to make a decision on him by June 1. So the question is if June 1, 2019 is the deadline do the Rangers offer him a contract or give up his rights?

I'm not against signing him. I'm just wondering how he fits in. The Rangers have numerous young forwards and forward prospects that seem to me to be ahead of him. I don't see him competing for a Rangers job out of camp and my guess he's about two years away.

 

[kovazub94]

I'm not against signing him. I'm just wondering how he fits in. The Rangers have numerous young forwards and forward prospects that seem to me to be ahead of him. I don't see him competing for a Rangers job out of camp and my guess he's about two years away.

I think Virta is at the age where he needs to be tested at the AHL level. For the organization and for Virta himself it should be time to decide if pursuing NHL career is feasible and worth the pursuit. Your point is right - if he comes and falls behind at least where Meskanen was this year, how would he be able to climb the depth chart to make it. Similarly, even if he performs similarly to the Finn, Gropp, Fogs and Getts , Virta might decided for himself that it’s not worth a shot.

 

[ManUtdTobbe]

Virta should get a contract imo

 

[Ranger Ric]

Tobbe: Since you have seen Virta more than most of us why do you think the Rangers should sign him?

Virta should get a contract imo

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Tobbe: Since you have seen Virta more than most of us why do you think the Rangers should sign him?

As someone who has seen Virta in all 3 leagues he's played in, I can say this. He's good enough defensively to earn a shot in the AHL. Offensively he has also taken a step up each season. It's a shame the situation in Bratislava forced him to leave because he was actually doing quite well, playing top 6 minutes in the KHL and contributing.

After a slow start in Sweden, he now has 9 points in his last 13 games, on a team that is struggling to score. They're fighting for a spot in the quarter finals, but were closer to relegation when Virta joined them.

Virta's upside has always been a bottom 6 two-way guy in the NHL. Contributing in 3 different leagues is all you could ask for, from him. Time to take the next step.

 

[ManUtdTobbe]

Tobbe: Since you have seen Virta more than most of us why do you think the Rangers should sign him?

I do, he’s shown enough promise that he should get a contract, his playstyle in theory should thrive in NA aswell.

 

[Ola]

It's very blurry.

There are basically 2 scenarios here:

A.) His KHL commitment excludes this season from the 2-year NHL rights, as short as it was, and we own his rights until 2020
B.) His KHL stint was not long enough to be excluded, and his rights expire in 2019

If scenario B applies, I am curious to know what the threshold is. Does a player have to spend the entire season in the KHL? Or 50%? Interesting summer for me keeping an eye on this development

How late could we have signed him and brought him over?

If there is a gap between the time he was released, Mid-Early November, and the last day we could have signed him, is it December 1, the exception doesn’t count.

The purpose is that a team’s right to prospect shouldn’t be impacted by the transfer agreement between the European nations/IIHF and the NHL. These deals have always varied over time, sometimes Finland had one but not Sweden, and vice versa.

So if you have a kid in the SHL and can sign him 2 offseasons, they have decided to just roll the years forward for KHL prospects. We lost 1 year when Virta signed in the KHL, but then we gained a new opportunity to sign him when he was released. Could they have Dec 1 as a cut off date? I don’t think so, you could lose your right to a draft pick if the kid was released like 11.55 pm Nov 30 if you didn’t sign that kid during 5 minutes. Could they have a reasonably cut off date given team a fair amount of time to sign a kid? I don’t think so, they might not even have thought about it and if they did, why go there? It’s so rare. It’s so much easier to just have a year roll forward if a kid signs a KHL deal.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

How late could we have signed him and brought him over?

If there is a gap between the time he was released, Mid-Early November, and the last day we could have signed him, is it December 1, the exception doesn’t count.

The purpose is that a team’s right to prospect shouldn’t be impacted by the transfer agreement between the European nations/IIHF and the NHL. These deals have always varied over time, sometimes Finland had one but not Sweden, and vice versa.

So if you have a kid in the SHL and can sign him 2 offseasons, they have decided to just roll the years forward for KHL prospects. We lost 1 year when Virta signed in the KHL, but then we gained a new opportunity to sign him when he was released. Could they have Dec 1 as a cut off date? I don’t think so, you could lose your right to a draft pick if the kid was released like 11.55 pm Nov 30 if you didn’t sign that kid during 5 minutes. Could they have a reasonably cut off date given team a fair amount of time to sign a kid? I don’t think so, they might not even have thought about it and if they did, why go there? It’s so rare. It’s so much easier to just have a year roll forward if a kid signs a KHL deal.

Virta signed with Orebro the moment his contract with Slovan was terminated.

 

[Ola]

Virta signed with Orebro the moment his contract with Slovan was terminated.

Yeah, but we could have snatched him from Örebro until the day we couldn’t sign draftpicks anymore.

 

[Ola]

For the record, I think we are going to sign him this spring NMW.

 

[Mac n Gs]

Virta signed with Orebro the moment his contract with Slovan was terminated.

Why was that contract terminated again?

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Why was that contract terminated again?

Slovan had financial problems and did not pay his salary on time, so he opted to terminate his contract and move to Sweden, to sign with Orebro, who actually negotiated with him over the summer, before he committed to the KHL