Dylan Mcilrath Part III

[Miamipuck]

Girardi simply isn't getting moved. We are going to be dealing with this whale of a contract for years to come.

I am not going to say never, where's Bob Gainey when you need him?

 

[Pizza]

Thank you. The bold is basically what I care about the most. He wasn't drafted to be a puck-mover, he was drafted to bring snarl and bite to a group that hopefully had a few puck-movers.

If Sauer never gets hurt, I believe he's still playing with McDonagh to this day. That pair screamed like out future 1-2 after being developed and brought up together.

It seems evident to me that one of Girardi and Klein have to be moved to bring McIlrath into the fold next season. I think Klein's sub-par playoffs was more due to the injury and probably not having enough time to really properly get back into the groove. Think his contract is also an asset. Seems to me like if Sather HAS to move a guy on the back-end, it should be Girardi mainly due to cap purposes.

I'd really like to see McDonagh with the main squad. Hopefully he gets to the point one day where he's reliable enough to pair with McDonagh. For now, I'd take a Yandle-McIlrath. It seems like Yandle is tailor-made for AV's system and would be solid opposite Dylan. On paper, their games seem to mesh together really well. Yandle can skate, make nice passes and force the other team to defend while McIlrath can be the more reliable stay-at-home player next to him. I believe I've also heard McIlrath has a solid shot, so that could be an asset playing beside a player like Yandle.

While you can never say never, especially when it comes to Glen Sather. It's unlikely Girardi goes anywhere. Everything I see tells me Girardi's +'s out way the -'s. He can flat shut people down in the Org's view. He can play a ton of minutes....but we shall see.

Despite what people say about McIlrath, I will never forget where Mike Sauer was the fall he made camp. Most people thought he was done as a Ranger. Tort's gave voice to how surprised he was that Sauer was able to come in and make the team.

Now, I fully realize the difference in systems from Tort's to AV. That is why I reluctantly agree with those that say he will be moved.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

This is wrong. McIlrath is already likely able to be a 6/7 defenseman. He's highly likely to be at least a 4/5 defenseman and his ceiling is to be a faster, tougher version of Jeff Beukeboom on the first pairing.

I hope it is wrong, but I don't see it working out like that. I guess Sauer was a bad comparison, but I don't think I can't see him being better than him or even Kevin Klein.

People talk all this **** about Dan Girardi on this board and how he's a bottom pair/ECHL'er so shouldn't this dude have surpassed him already? He looked absolutely terrible last year, like a pylon. I heard major progress has been made in Hartfort this year. I don't watch them though. Also, especially for defenseman who will go up against top players, the leap between the AHL and NHL is almost quantum. I guess we will find out what progress has been made next year.

 

[offdacrossbar]

with the top 6 likely returning next year

yandle has been a target for years

boyle is on the last year of a 2 yr deal. no cap relief if moved.

staal won't bring value in a trade. good luck.

girardi will retire a nyr

klein is on a great cap contract.

mcd.

with that top 6 probably returning, where will dylan play and wouldn't hunwick returning make more sense ? is mcilrath better than hunwick on this team and then, is he better than any of the returning top 6 ?

and if not, do they keep mcilrath even though he doesnt really fit as a true 7th.

looks to me like they would need to move klein or boyle to add mcilrath. not sure thats anything more than lateral at the very best and possibly much worse.

interesting situation

 

[Matz03]

with the top 6 likely returning next year

yandle has been a target for years

boyle is on the last year of a 2 yr deal. no cap relief if moved.

staal won't bring value in a trade. good luck.

girardi will retire a nyr

klein is on a great cap contract.

mcd.

with that top 6 probably returning, where will dylan play and wouldn't hunwick returning make more sense ? is mcilrath better than hunwick on this team and then, is he better than any of the returning top 6 ?

and if not, do they keep mcilrath even though he doesnt really fit as a true 7th.

looks to me like they would need to move klein or boyle to add mcilrath. not sure thats anything more than lateral at the very best and possibly much worse.

interesting situation

You're ignoring this thing called the cap, I would say that reason alone means changes to the D. Even if you can't move one of the high priced guys, a guy like Klein on a great contract could still be moved to save around $2m. So then McIlrath does have an ideal #6 spot to come into. You try to keep a guy like Hunwick in case he can't do it, but it's really important the staff lets Dylan play, it's in their best interest he makes it.

 

[offdacrossbar]

You're ignoring this thing called the cap, I would say that reason alone means changes to the D. Even if you can't move one of the high priced guys, a guy like Klein on a great contract could still be moved to save around $2m. So then McIlrath does have an ideal #6 spot to come into. You try to keep a guy like Hunwick in case he can't do it, but it's really important the staff lets Dylan play, it's in their best interest he makes it.

great

klein played lights out for us early last season until he was hurt. was maybe our best overall dman.

lets move a solid defender with a cap friendly deal to add un unproven kid to the top 6 and hope our defense is just as good as last years presidents cup winning team.

not sure thats a chance i want to take. this whole rebuilding a top 5 defense thing scares me. dylan mcilrath needs to be alot more ready before i move reliable and affordable kevin klein and hand the job to dylan.

maybe mid season i consider that, but right now i start the season with the same 6 and look to eliminate some money elsewhere.

 

[Beacon]

What possibly makes being a #4/5 likely? That's his ceiling.

Is there any reason he can't be another Beukeboom, who was a first pair defenseman for many years, including on a Cup winner? Mcilrath is bigger, tougher (fights and hits), faster, has a harder shot. Different era? Sure, but that's where his superior speed comes in.

If McIlrath can learn to defend against talented offensive players 1 on 1, he will play on one of the top 2 pairs. His group defense (positioning) is already good, just needs to pick up the 1 on 1 defense. Depending on how much he improves that, Mcilrath will determine if he will be on the first or second pair. If he doesn't improve that very much, he will be on the third pair playing against bottom-6 guys. That's not his ceiling, that's almost his floor. Mcilrath will need to go downright lazy and give up on hockey to not be at least on a third pair in his prime.

 

[Matz03]

great

klein played lights out for us early last season until he was hurt. was maybe our best overall dman.

lets move a solid defender with a cap friendly deal to add un unproven kid to the top 6 and hope our defense is just as good as last years presidents cup winning team.

not sure thats a chance i want to take. this whole rebuilding a top 5 defense thing scares me. dylan mcilrath needs to be alot more ready before i move reliable and affordable kevin klein and hand the job to dylan.

maybe mid season i consider that, but right now i start the season with the same 6 and look to eliminate some money elsewhere.

I agree and really like Klein, I'd try to move Boyle since he'll be gone in a year anyway. But you have to manage the cap and it's both in our interest from a cap end as well as organization need to add someone like Dylan. So why not do it sooner than later? Adding Dylan allows us to replace Glass. Does it really matter if we win another presidents trophy? We have no other RH depth close. The cap savings will go towards resigning our forwarders and making that core better.

 

[Beacon]

He looked absolutely terrible last year, like a pylon. I heard major progress has been made in Hartfort this year. I don't watch them though.

You can't judge a player based on his first few games. Brady SkjeI looked awful his first couple of games in the AHL because he was nervous and played scared. And that's the AHL, not the NHL. Kreider was terrible for months in the AHL. Just absolutely horrible.

Mcilrath got called up and naturally got the jitters. Who cares? I promise you Skjei will get them on his first call up too: if he was scared to debut in Hartford, how scared will he be to debut in the Garden?

 

[Beacon]

I wish McIlrath played 1 on 1 hockey against a speedy player. Maybe Ryan Bourque, who would benefit from playing against a big defenseman. You can make quite a bit of progress in 1 on 1 play over 3 months if you practice on a regular basis.

 

[bubba5]

Why do we continue talking about this guy. He has shown time and time again when he has been called up or in training camp, that he is to slow and not NHL type of material (except maybe toughness). From all reports outside the Rangers organization is that this guy has been average at best in the AHL and if he was not selected as a first rounder, would not even be on anyone's radar. If he is on the Rangers roster next year because we have traded one of our top 4, then this team will be going nowhere.

 

[Inferno]

Why do we continue talking about this guy. He has shown time and time again when he has been called up or in training camp, that he is to slow and not NHL type of material (except maybe toughness). From all reports outside the Rangers organization is that this guy has been average at best in the AHL and if he was not selected as a first rounder, would not even be on anyone's radar. If he is on the Rangers roster next year because we have traded one of our top 4, then this team will be going nowhere.

yeah no.

from all reports hes been one of the better AHL defensive defenseman.

We can play Dylan McIlrath as our #6 defenseman and be just fine. Im fine with the kid learning on the job.

 

[haveandare]

Why do we continue talking about this guy. He has shown time and time again when he has been called up or in training camp, that he is to slow and not NHL type of material (except maybe toughness). From all reports outside the Rangers organization is that this guy has been average at best in the AHL and if he was not selected as a first rounder, would not even be on anyone's radar. If he is on the Rangers roster next year because we have traded one of our top 4, then this team will be going nowhere.

Link some of those reports from outside the Rangers organization.

 

[Mac n Gs]

Is there any reason he can't be another Beukeboom, who was a first pair defenseman for many years, including on a Cup winner? Mcilrath is bigger, tougher (fights and hits), faster, has a harder shot. Different era? Sure, but that's where his superior speed comes in.

If McIlrath can learn to defend against talented offensive players 1 on 1, he will play on one of the top 2 pairs. His group defense (positioning) is already good, just needs to pick up the 1 on 1 defense. Depending on how much he improves that, Mcilrath will determine if he will be on the first or second pair. If he doesn't improve that very much, he will be on the third pair playing against bottom-6 guys. That's not his ceiling, that's almost his floor. Mcilrath will need to go downright lazy and give up on hockey to not be at least on a third pair in his prime.

Would you mind answering about McIlrath's positioning through the neutral zone, his ability to stymy oncoming forecheckers, and his first pass out of the zone? I know he has all the physical tools, but do you think he's quick enough with his mental decisions?

 

[offdacrossbar]

Would you mind answering about McIlrath's positioning through the neutral zone, his ability to stymy oncoming forecheckers, and his first pass out of the zone? I know he has all the physical tools, but do you think he's quick enough with his mental decisions?

honest opinion. no bias. don't mean to hijack, but I've seen him enough this last year.

ill tell you, he's such a big dude with those legs and reach and he delivers his mass in a hurry when he lines you up. he can stymy you alright.

i remember here against the crunch, dylan hit someone so hard it was like a yard sale at center ice.

my point is these forwards have their heads up for sure and they are aware of him, especially along the wall. he can hurt you.

from what i saw he looks leaner, bigger- if thats possible and more steady on his edges. hes fluid through the hips for a big man and can actually have bursts. he's not slow.

i still don't like his decision making all the time, gets caught in between alot and thats no mans land with these quick, jittery forwards in the ahl. he can look lumbering at times and his recovery angles aren't always efficient. he chases alot. thats the speed thing again, but he will learn routes better once he gets his angles down.

to me he still looks raw and at times, uncertain when to do what. not intuitive enough.

hell get roasted up here with that indecision. quicker pace and quicker decisions to play nhl minutes.

hes alot better though than he was. and i mean that.

 

[Bluenote13]

ODC, he looks bigger and meaner cause he's filling out that frame. And you can talk to me all day about his 'edge work' and all that, although valid points that he has improved, it's all for not if you don't make the right decisions. His decision making will make or break him with a coach like AV.

 

[chosen]

If he wasn't a fighter, I doubt he would get much attention here.

If he makes it, great, but I remain in the highly doubtful camp.

 

[Beacon]

Would you mind answering about McIlrath's positioning through the neutral zone, his ability to stymy oncoming forecheckers, and his first pass out of the zone? I know he has all the physical tools, but do you think he's quick enough with his mental decisions?

His passes need to be faster. He's holding on to the puck a split second too much, which allows the defense to adjust. I think it's more a matter of confidence with the puck than anything else.

His positioning was terrible at first, but is very good now. He really learned it to the point where it went from being a liability in 2010 or 2011 to being an asset right now.

 

[JC704]

Bigger D take longer to develop. It's just the way of the world. If the organization gives up on him, it will be a big mistake. Then he will go on to have success elsewhere and this entire board will be filled with "We should have gave Dylan a fair shot in the NHL" etc.

Many here wanted to trade J.T. Miller too. The Rangers have developed most of their entire roster core through the farm (Callahan, Dubinsky, Anisimov, Sauer) -- Kreider, Stepan, Fast, Hagelin, Miller, Staal, Girardi, McDonagh. Soon will be McIlrath, Skjei and Lindberg. It's that same developmental track that has turned Talbot from a borderline AHL starter into a viable NHL asset who will most likely look to fight for a starting job elsewhere in the next year or two. I trust that the plan all along for McIlrath was for him to stay in Hartford until he developed into a great D down there, which has finally happened. That article and other first-hand accounts have given every indication McIlrath finally blossomed and is ready for the show.

AV will probably hate playing him at first, but I'm sure if given proper ice time and put into the right situations, he becomes a MAJOR asset for us sooner than later.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Is there any reason he can't be another Beukeboom, who was a first pair defenseman for many years, including on a Cup winner? Mcilrath is bigger, tougher (fights and hits), faster, has a harder shot. Different era? Sure, but that's where his superior speed comes in.

If McIlrath can learn to defend against talented offensive players 1 on 1, he will play on one of the top 2 pairs. His group defense (positioning) is already good, just needs to pick up the 1 on 1 defense. Depending on how much he improves that, Mcilrath will determine if he will be on the first or second pair. If he doesn't improve that very much, he will be on the third pair playing against bottom-6 guys. That's not his ceiling, that's almost his floor. Mcilrath will need to go downright lazy and give up on hockey to not be at least on a third pair in his prime.

Probably has something to do with how much the game has changed and, as a result, not being 100% sure a prime Beukeboom would even make the NHL today. Its a speed league, not a rock'em sock'em league anymore. And spare me with how Beuk was a "1st pair defenseman for many years" - take a look at his partner.

 

[Wolfy*]

AV doesn't like goons. I don't see a future for McIlrath here.

 

[Konamic Ice Hockey]

Probably has something to do with how much the game has changed and, as a result, not being 100% sure a prime Beukeboom would even make the NHL today. Its a speed league, not a rock'em sock'em league anymore. And spare me with how Beuk was a "1st pair defenseman for many years" - take a look at his partner.

#23 was elite at breaking up 2 on 1s, know why? He got a lot of practice. I love #2 but his best years are when he was paired with #23. You need that balance with d pairs. #23 would be a pro today, he would have got the training that players today get(much better skating and puck skill training then back in the day). He would be a different player but he still would have made it.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

AV doesn't like goons. I don't see a future for McIlrath here.

I think McIlrath can probably be more than a goon. If he can't, he'll never make the NHL, period.

That said, I don't think he'll ever be agile enough and/or a puck mover that AV would ever trust in his system. I'd bank on a trade.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

#23 was elite at breaking up 2 on 1s, know why? He got a lot of practice. I love #2 but his best years are when he was paired with #23. You need that balance with d pairs. #23 would be a pro today, he would have got the training that players today get(much better skating and puck skill training then back in the day). He would be a different player but he still would have made it.

I must have missed the years where Beukeboom thrived without Leetch.

 

[Matz03]

Probably has something to do with how much the game has changed and, as a result, not being 100% sure a prime Beukeboom would even make the NHL today. Its a speed league, not a rock'em sock'em league anymore. And spare me with how Beuk was a "1st pair defenseman for many years" - take a look at his partner.

it's not all speed, look at the Caps and the Ducks. Huge teams that try to wear you down. McIlrath would help tremendously with those bigger teams that like to run around and just knock people out of games. It would also help against the speedy teams like Tampa that have these quick small forwards making moves towards the center ice, with Mcilrath coming across to take their ****ing head off they second guess that option. Even small teams like Tampa aren't afraid of crashing the ranger net, there is no one on our D that will consistently look to clear the crease. You have to pair Dylan with a great skate and puck mover and pairing like this has been missing far too long.