Defensive depth highlights New York Rangers minor league prospect contingent

[HF Article]

Photo: Hartford Wolf Pack defenseman and New York Rangers prospect Ryan Graves appeared in 74 games for the Wolf Pack in 2015-16, posting nine goals and 21 points in his AHL rookie season (courtesy of Graig Abel/Getty Images)


</p>The real excitement for the New York Rangers organization in terms of prospects is in Europe and at the junior level, where several goalie and forward prospects are having outstanding seasons.

The AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack fell just short of a playoff spot, finishing sixth in the Atlantic Division. With a few notable exceptions, most of the players fueling the Wolf Pack’s playoff push were AHL veterans who do not appear to have high-end NHL potential.… read more

The post Defensive depth highlights New York Rangers minor league prospect contingent appeared first on Hockey's Future.



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[GAGLine]

A pretty sad collection of talent.

 

[RangerBoy]

A pretty sad collection of talent.

Skjei. Graves and Tambellini. The latter two are no sure things. They have a chance. There is not much coming in the system behind those players. Halverson. Gropp. You hope one of the college kids can make it. Maybe Kovacs. The Russian goalie. That's pretty much it. A lot of hope and maybe. This is what happens when you trade your #1 picks every year. The 2nd's have a 1/3 chance of making it in the NHL. There are people here who have no problem trading the picks and believe the Rangers will be fine with "tinkering".

 

[nyr2k2]

They would be stupid not to bring back both Hrivik and Jensen, though I'm not sure Hrivik would want to come back.

Bodie and McCarthy I'd like to keep in the organization on minor league deals. Hellberg would be nice to hold onto until one of the more-heralded guys are ready. I'm also still tempted by Nejezchleb.

The rest of the guys on expiring contracts can take a hike.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

UFA/RFAs I want to keep:
Megna, Desjardins, Lindblad, Gibbons, Jensen, Hrivik, Bodie, Diaz (But he is off to Switzerland)

UFA/RFAs who I want gone:
Kantor, Adam, Hughes, St Croix, Noreau, McCarthy, Nicholls, Paille (can stay on an AHL deal), Tarnasky, Summers

They will add Stromwall, Gropp, Kovacs, Fogarty, Nieves, Chapie, Joly so far. We need to add some more prospects to actually have a decent team in Hartford because with just these kids and Tambellini & Graves, it is not enough.

I hope Hrivik and Jensen get a chance to show what they can do with the Rangers.

 

[nyr2k2]

UFA/RFAs I want to keep:
Megna, Desjardins, Lindblad, Gibbons, Jensen, Hrivik, Bodie, Diaz (But he is off to Switzerland)

UFA/RFAs who I want gone:
Kantor, Adam, Hughes, St Croix, Noreau, McCarthy, Nicholls, Paille (can stay on an AHL deal), Tarnasky, Summers

They will add Stromwall, Gropp, Kovacs, Fogarty, Nieves, Chapie, Joly so far. We need to add some more prospects to actually have a decent team in Hartford because with just these kids and Tambellini & Graves, it is not enough.

I hope Hrivik and Jensen get a chance to show what they can do with the Rangers.

Agreed except I'd try to keep McCarthy on an AHL deal. He plays consistently hard and is responsible. Seems like a guy who will have a letter at some point. Reminds me of Jordan Owens, a steady and popular player in Hartford some years ago.

 

[pld459666]

A pretty sad collection of talent.

stretching it there no?

 

[True Blue]

A pretty sad collection of talent.

It is. The system is pretty much depleted. Which is why trades like the Staal trade continue to hurt over and over again.

When one things of what was given up in the MSL, Yandle & Staal trades.....well, it is no wonder that the farm system looks like what it looks like.

That said, a player who warrants a look is Graves. I think that in most other organizations, his cup of coffee would have already come. And this feeds right back to what kind of coach AV is. Will he be willing to give Graves a chance? Or as he is not the smooth skater that he likes, will Graves not even sniff the big show for the Rangers?

I actually think that the Rangers have something in Skej, MclRath & Graves. None are top pairing d-men, but they can certainly do the job of the bottom 3. Much better than bringing in fossils like Boyle or other recycled retreads.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

It is. The system is pretty much depleted. Which is why trades like the Staal trade continue to hurt over and over again.

When one things of what was given up in the MSL, Yandle & Staal trades.....well, it is no wonder that the farm system looks like what it looks like.

If you need to keep making "one player away" trades, you're not one player away. It started with the Nash deal (which I liked and still think it was a good trade) and deteriorated from there.

 

[eco's bones]

UFA/RFAs I want to keep:
Megna, Desjardins, Lindblad, Gibbons, Jensen, Hrivik, Bodie, Diaz (But he is off to Switzerland)

UFA/RFAs who I want gone:
Kantor, Adam, Hughes, St Croix, Noreau, McCarthy, Nicholls, Paille (can stay on an AHL deal), Tarnasky, Summers

They will add Stromwall, Gropp, Kovacs, Fogarty, Nieves, Chapie, Joly so far. We need to add some more prospects to actually have a decent team in Hartford because with just these kids and Tambellini & Graves, it is not enough.

I hope Hrivik and Jensen get a chance to show what they can do with the Rangers.

Desjardins? Seriously--you want to keep Cedrick Desjardins? And Lindblad too? And I might as well say that Gibbons had a **** year. I have him at 16 points at the midway point of the year. He ended the season with 23 in 63 games. He had one goal in the second half of the season. If I'm looking at bringing back veterans he's not one of them.

Hrivik, Jensen, Megna I have no problem with. I might even give Chad Nehring a two way contract if he wanted to come back. After all he did lead the team in scoring. Tambellini IMO is a ways away but he had a fairly decent season. There is Chris Brown who is signed and has a little NHL experience. He's a big body and plays a physical game. McCarthy actually played fairly well for the Wolfpack last year. 22 points in 54 games in a checking role. He'll be 25. I'm kind of iffy bringing him back or not. I'd certainly rate him well over Nicholls, St. Croix and Kantor. I don't think Nejezchleb has it and I'd walk away from him altogether.

Of the new guys Nieves did really well at the end of the year for us. Fogarty should be on the team. Stromwall as well. Chapie--I don't know much about him--it will be AHL or ECHL. Joly look like a good idea. I don't think it's a given that Kovacs is going to come over.

I expect Skjei to push for a spot on the big team. Graves--a really good first year. I'd resign Bodie. I'd resign Diaz but I suspect he's going to sign elsewhere. Calle Andersson was okay. Hughes--maybe, maybe not. Summers--maybe, maybe not.

Hellberg, Skapski, Halverson the goalies. We don't need Desjardins.

 

[GAGLine]

That said, a player who warrants a look is Graves. I think that in most other organizations, his cup of coffee would have already come. And this feeds right back to what kind of coach AV is. Will he be willing to give Graves a chance? Or as he is not the smooth skater that he likes, will Graves not even sniff the big show for the Rangers?

I think this is very disingenuous. First, I seriously doubt that Graves would have been called up by most other organizations. Other organizations have more depth than we do, and McIlrath and Skjei are clearly ahead of Graves on the depth chart. I think Graves is a good prospect and he'll be playing for us sooner rather than later, but keeping him in the AHL the entire year has nothing to do with AV.

And speaking of McIlrath and Skjei, it's equally disingenuous to say that AV isn't willing to give young players a chance. He was hard on Miller and look at Miller now. He gave Skjei plenty of opportunities despite his experience, yet McIlrath he hasn't. Why do you think that is? Maybe because he sees things that we do not. He has access to video and practice and the locker room and all kinds of things we have no clue about. Most of the time, we see what the TV shows us and nothing more.

If there is any criticism of AV to be made, it's that he doesn't treat his vets the same way. Whether or not McIlrath deserved more ice team is moot, because all of Girardi, Staal and Boyle deserved less. I can only assume that AV thought playing the vets represented the lesser of two evils. Regardless, that will have to change if we are to become a cup contender again. We'll need to play younger guys and live with the mistakes.

Making the playoffs next year shouldn't be a priority. Winning the cup 3 or 4 years from now should be.

 

[RangerBoy]

Skjei is a top 4 D.

 

[cwede]

UFA/RFAs I want to keep:
Megna, Desjardins, Lindblad, Gibbons, Jensen, Hrivik, Bodie, Diaz (But he is off to Switzerland)
UFA/RFAs who I want gone:
Kantor, Adam, Hughes, St Croix, Noreau, McCarthy, Nicholls, Paille (can stay on an AHL deal), Tarnasky, Summers
They will add Stromwall, Gropp, Kovacs, Fogarty, Nieves, Chapie, Joly so far. We need to add some more prospects to actually have a decent team in Hartford because with just these kids and Tambellini & Graves, it is not enough.
I hope Hrivik and Jensen get a chance to show what they can do with the Rangers.

I prefer Hughes and Adam over Lindblad, Megna, Desjardins, Gibbons, Diaz

both are RFA's
Adam is bigger younger than Megna, Gibbons, Lindblad, worked his way back from an injured 1st-half, has had some NHL time and is at career crossroads

Hughes is steady and righty, merits a 2d contract in my mind, a good complement on right side to Mantha, Andersson, and IMHO more likely to progress than Donnay

Desjardins is superfluous with Hellberg (signed for '17), Skapski, Halverson and the inevitable AHL signee Goalie

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

Skjei. Graves and Tambellini. The latter two are no sure things. They have a chance. There is not much coming in the system behind those players. Halverson. Gropp. You hope one of the college kids can make it. Maybe Kovacs. The Russian goalie. That's pretty much it. A lot of hope and maybe. This is what happens when you trade your #1 picks every year. The 2nd's have a 1/3 chance of making it in the NHL. There are people here who have no problem trading the picks and believe the Rangers will be fine with "tinkering".

Don't forget Buch! Though you're right.

This prospect pool has very poor depth, and not much high-end talent along with that.

Losing Saarela hurt our prospect pool more than some realize.

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

It is. The system is pretty much depleted. Which is why trades like the Staal trade continue to hurt over and over again.

When one things of what was given up in the MSL, Yandle & Staal trades.....well, it is no wonder that the farm system looks like what it looks like.

That said, a player who warrants a look is Graves. I think that in most other organizations, his cup of coffee would have already come. And this feeds right back to what kind of coach AV is. Will he be willing to give Graves a chance? Or as he is not the smooth skater that he likes, will Graves not even sniff the big show for the Rangers?

I actually think that the Rangers have something in Skej, MclRath & Graves. None are top pairing d-men, but they can certainly do the job of the bottom 3. Much better than bringing in fossils like Boyle or other recycled retreads.

Yeah because he absolutely loves playing smooth skaters Dan Girardi and Marc Staal.

 

[RangerBoy]

Don't forget Buch! Though you're right.

This prospect pool has very poor depth, and not much high-end talent along with that.

Losing Saarela hurt our prospect pool more than some realize.

I don't think the Rangers loved Saarela. Elliotte Friedman spoke to the Canes top scout who said they picked Saarela because he was one of the players made available by the Rangers. He was not one of the assets off limits to Carolina. The Rangers said we are not giving you these assets but you can pick from this group.

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

I don't think the Rangers loved Saarela. Elliotte Friedman spoke to the Canes top scout who said they picked Saarela because he was one of the players made available by the Rangers. He was not one of the assets off limits to Carolina. The Rangers said we are not giving you these assets but you can pick from this group.

I don't know why. If they didn't like or love him then I have no idea why they'd pick him in the first place.

Despite how much the Rangers liked or disliked him, it was still a really dumb trade.

 

[Mikos87]

I prefer Hughes and Adam over Lindblad, Megna, Desjardins, Gibbons, Diaz

both are RFA's
Adam is bigger younger than Megna, Gibbons, Lindblad, worked his way back from an injured 1st-half, has had some NHL time and is at career crossroads

Hughes is steady and righty, merits a 2d contract in my mind, a good complement on right side to Mantha, Andersson, and IMHO more likely to progress than Donnay

Desjardins is superfluous with Hellberg (signed for '17), Skapski, Halverson and the inevitable AHL signee Goalie

Adam did nothing to show a look at the NHL level. At least Megna can fill in for a few games if needed.

IMO the biggest fault that Megna has is that he can't fill out a fourth line role.

But he could seek opportunities elsewhere. I think the Rangers like Megna a lot. Gibbons was a no show and a bad penalty machine. Shame he was supposed to be a high motor high character guy based on his rep.

 

[Mac n Gs]

I wonder if Calle Andersson can take the steps to improve next season. He should have the opportunity to gain more playing time

 

[cd211]

Prospect depth is terrible yes, but what these so called experts fail to even look at or even consider is looking at our guys currently on our team...

Stepan -26
Brass- 28
Mza-28
Kreider- 25
Miller- 23
Hayes - 24
Fast - 24
Lindberg - 24

Mcd - 26
McI - 24

Prospects
Buch - 20
Skjei - 22

Look at our current roster, we gave up picks and prospects which hurt and moving forward we got to recoup but we have a young roster still.. Prime or entering prime, mix of depth and top 6 forwards.. Yes dman depth is hurting but we can recoup

 

[The Gloaming]

Prospect depth is terrible yes, but what these so called experts fail to even look at or even consider is looking at our guys currently on our team...

Stepan -26
Brass- 28
Mza-28
Kreider- 25
Miller- 23
Hayes - 24
Fast - 24
Lindberg - 24

Mcd - 26
McI - 24

Prospects
Buch - 20
Skjei - 22

Look at our current roster, we gave up picks and prospects which hurt and moving forward we got to recoup but we have a young roster still.. Prime or entering prime, mix of depth and top 6 forwards.. Yes dman depth is hurting but we can recoup

None of these players are building blocks of an elite team except maybe McDonagh if this were 2014.

This core has been getting older every year, and the only thing they get better at is failing to win the Stanley Cup.

 

[True Blue]

If you need to keep making "one player away" trades, you're not one player away. It started with the Nash deal (which I liked and still think it was a good trade) and deteriorated from there.

It did start there. I did not name it, but was not fond of that one either. That was when the plundering of the farm began. The funny thing is that trade was made when the Rangers futility at scoring in the playoffs was shown. And of course, we know how much Nash has helped in that dept.

 

[True Blue]

Making the playoffs next year shouldn't be a priority. Winning the cup 3 or 4 years from now should be.

I do not disagree. One of the many reasons why I was so against the E. Staal trade.

However, I do not think it disingenuous to suggest that Graves should have been given a cup of coffee this past year. As we watched Boyle run on his empty tank and Girardi be driven into the ground yet again, not making a choice was a choice that AV made. He chose not to play MclRath or call Graves up. That is not disengenous. That was a conscious decision.

Which is why I question if he is the coach that will be willing to see what these younger players have. Especially if they do not fit into the smooth skating view of his. Which neither Graves nor MclRath do.

 

[True Blue]

Yeah because he absolutely loves playing smooth skaters Dan Girardi and Marc Staal.

No, that was because he had no trust for anyone that was not a veteran. And Diaz was hurt.

I do not think it a stretch to state that he prefers skate and skill to anything else.

 

[cd211]

None of these players are building blocks of an elite team except maybe McDonagh if this were 2014.

This core has been getting older every year, and the only thing they get better at is failing to win the Stanley Cup.

Well unfortunately every team that has won the past number of years tanked and received multiple top 3 overall picks. This shouldn't diminish our team or their previous years of success..

I'm proud of the Rangers and their previous year accomplishments.. We lost but at least we had the balls to goo for it.. Most teams who hord their prospects and picks really have nothing to show for it. We're still young and I'm confident we'll retool this thing, recoup picks and or prospects and be right back in the mix.