Prospect Info: 2015 NHL Draft - Pick #41 - Ryan Gropp

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

The more I read about this pick, the more I love it. If he could turn into a James Neal type, thatd be incredible. its just what we need.

 

[TheTakedown]

the more I look at this pick the more I like it

 

[Ghost of jas]

The more I read about this pick, the more I love it. If he could turn into a James Neal type, thatd be incredible. its just what we need.

Yeah, I like the idea of a big finisher down low with good hands and size.

 

[Konamic Ice Hockey]

Living in Seattle and being a T-birds fan, I will enjoy going to go see him(unless he goes NCAA)as a NYR prospect. But he can maybe, maybe be a 3rd liner in the NHL. I thought he pulled Brazal down when they are on a line together. I thought he was very average overall. He needs to use his size better and work on puck skills. When I watch Barzal he looks like he does not belong in the W but when you watch Gropp he does. I think it would be best if he went NCAA and played 3-4 seasons.
When I go see him I'll keep you all up to date on his progress.

 

[TankLarkin]

I had hoped a Talbot package would land us someone who could get us over the playoff hump. Nope.

 

[Pizza]

At this point if the Rangers pick a player north of 6 foot, 190, we can safely assume that the "Size/Toffness" police will pan it.

It's virtually automatic.

 

[Beacon]

Obvious "you can't teach size" pick is obvious. And not in a good way.

Four years ago on this forum I posted stats that showed that the taller the player, the lower the odds he'll make the NHL when adjusted for the position he was drafted at.

This sounds wrong at first since taller players generally have a better shot to make the NHL. However, since height is the easiest thing for scouts to understand, it becomes the most overrated one and tall players always wind up going higher than where they should go. On the other hand, hockey sense is the toughest skill for scouts to identify and as a result, players known for having a good hockey sense tend to drop (e.g., Stepan).

 

[Pizza]

Jesus christ according to this nobody should make judgments on draft picks ever.

When there are way more skilled players that are smallish still there, it looks like a "you can't teach size" pick.

You have an opinion. That is it. At this point, please don't bother trying to convince me it's anything more than that. People may disagree with you.

That's life.

 

[Edge]

Guys, I'm pretty sure height was not the leading factor for this pick.

If anything, you can argue he doesn't always use his size effectively.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that 30 goals and game that has pro elements in it were more crucial factors than him being 6'3.

 

[Pizza]

Four years ago on this forum I posted stats that showed that the taller the player, the lower the odds he'll make the NHL when adjusted for the position he was drafted at.

This sounds wrong at first since taller players generally have a better shot to make the NHL. However, since height is the easiest thing for scouts to understand, it becomes the most overrated one and tall players always wind up going higher than where they should go. On the other hand, hockey sense is the toughest skill for scouts to identify and as a result, players known for having a good hockey sense tend to drop (e.g., Stepan).

That's a point well made.

Still, I have to believe the scouts are evaluating an overall package with the player.

I'm sure that factored into decisions that led to picking Kreider, Hagelin, Miller and Fast.

 

[Beacon]

That's a point well made.

Still, I have to believe the scouts are evaluating an overall package with the player.

I'm sure that factored into decisions that led to picking Kreider, Hagelin, Miller and Fast.

I agree and the Rangers have done twice as well with second round picks as the average team over the last decade, so they obviously know what's up. That said, let's not get excited just because a player is tall. More often than not, it's a sign that he's overrated.

 

[Pizza]

I agree and the Rangers have done twice as well with second round picks as the average team over the last decade, so they obviously know what's up. That said, let's not get excited just because a player is tall. More often than not, it's a sign that he's overrated.

Totally agree.

I've learned not to set any expectations with a player drafted outside of the top 5....so for the Rangers picks, I set zero expectations.

I just acknowledge that outside of the first round the Rangers do a passable job of making a good pick that then develops into a decent NHLer.

 

[bigdog16]

I didnt want Bracco or Sprong, if you wanted either of them you were clearly just looking at the stat sheets. Bracco is a completely perimeter player who is never first on the puck, Sprong is reportedly extremely selfish, just dont want that kind of vibe in our organization. Like this pick

 

[Pizza]

I didnt want Bracco or Sprong, if you wanted either of them you were clearly just looking at the stat sheets. Bracco is a completely perimeter player who is never first on the puck, Sprong is reportedly extremely selfish, just dont want that kind of vibe in our organization. Like this pick

.....oh you went there...

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

Guys, I'm pretty sure height was not the leading factor for this pick.

If anything, you can argue he doesn't always use his size effectively.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that 30 goals and game that has pro elements in it were more crucial factors than him being 6'3.

Interesting that you say that, Edge - looking at the highlights of his goals, nearly all of them come from the "dirty areas".

So, maybe not a banger, but definitely appears to have no problem carving out space in front of the net.

 

[Edge]

Bracco and Sprong are more naturally gifted - they've got a lot of offensive skills to work with.

I'd argue that if they're not scoring at the higher level, their odds of sticking in the NHL or being effective decreases significantly. That's just the nature of what they bring to the table, and what they don't bring to the table.

With that said, I think Gropp has some elements in his game that could potentially work in the NHL even if he isn't a top 6 scorer.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Bracco and Sprong are more naturally gifted - they've got a lot of offensive skills to work with.

I'd argue that if they're not scoring at the higher level, their odds of sticking in the NHL or being effective decreases significantly. That's just the nature of what they bring to the table, and what they don't bring to the table.

With that said, I think Gropp has some elements in his game that could potentially work in the NHL even if he isn't a top 6 scorer.

Famous last words. I hear this all the time, and this just sets up a team for a mediocre roster.

 

[bl02]

.....oh you went there...

lol prepare to get rekt

 

[Edge]

Interesting that you say that, Edge - looking at the highlights of his goals, nearly all of them come from the "dirty areas".

So, maybe not a banger, but definitely appears to have no problem carving out space in front of the net.

He tends to score from in close, that's what could help at the pro level.

He's definitely not a banger, but he is willing to go into traffic areas and pay the price.

The key is doing all of those things with greater frequency and drive.

 

[Kanneda]

I would have taken Chlapik with this pick, but I'm glad with Gropp, I'm reading great things about him. Especially this:

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

The more I read about this pick, the more I love it. If he could turn into a James Neal type, thatd be incredible. its just what we need.

I agree. I can see why it was intriguing and it's hard to fault them for swinging for it

 

[Edge]

Famous last words. I hear this all the time, and this just sets up a team for a mediocre roster.

He's a second round pick, clearly he's not going to be coming off a year in which he blew past all of his competition.

The offensive upside is there, but he's not likely going to be an elite scorer.

As for hearing it all the time - I think there's a balance.

I think Buch is a guy who you can say is really targeted as a top 6 scoring prospect. No one really talks about him making the NHL in a different capacity.

The Rangers could've gone for guys in that mold, but if there objective is to restock, this probably wasn't the best time to do that.

 

[coolbean04]

I would have taken Chlapik with this pick, but I'm glad with Gropp, I'm reading great things about him. Especially this:

Makes sense why the Rangers were so aggressive to trade up to get him. They must be really high on him to rank him 6th best forward. So if the Rangers had a first round pick, they probably would have selected him in the late first round.

 

[Pizza]

Famous last words. I hear this all the time, and this just sets up a team for a mediocre roster.

....as in two trips to the conference finals and one to the SCF in the last four years...that kind of mediocre?

 

[The Undertaker]

Thank God we didn't have a first round pick if he was their 6th highest rated forward lol. Makes me feel better we trade them all away.

Rangers board:
1. Crouse
2. McDavid
3. Eichel
4. Strome
5. The guy Bruins took
6. Gropp
7. Marner
8. Zacha