Miamipuck
Al Swearengen
BTW this barely skate thing, isn't correct by all accounts he can skate well. He just can't move the puck like AV would like.
Dylan McIlrath Pt. II
- Thread starter Gardner McKay
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offdacrossbar
misfit fanboy
barring an injury or a trade, i don't see a spot for him. i just don't. nd thats not a knock on his game or where he was drafted or whatever, its reality. where will he play ?
unlike macilrath, hunwick is adaptable, fleet, and a smart decision maker and has shown the ability to play either side. as far as a fill in 6th man, he's been very good and has shown that for this team for the entire season.
he may not be good enough to play full time as a true 6 on a good team- his size and strength issues expose him, but he's more than adequate filling in for av's system. his strengths play well within av's skating puck moving d system. he may well want to resign here knowing his role.
looking at mcilrath, i just dont see him as an ideal 7th man next fall. will there be injuries, you betcha. will the 7th man get some games, yup. do we want mcilrath trying to fill in like hunwick did so admirably ? prob not.
dylans game isn't really flexible and adaptable. he can't play both sides
unlike macilrath, hunwick is adaptable, fleet, and a smart decision maker and has shown the ability to play either side. as far as a fill in 6th man, he's been very good and has shown that for this team for the entire season.
he may not be good enough to play full time as a true 6 on a good team- his size and strength issues expose him, but he's more than adequate filling in for av's system. his strengths play well within av's skating puck moving d system. he may well want to resign here knowing his role.
looking at mcilrath, i just dont see him as an ideal 7th man next fall. will there be injuries, you betcha. will the 7th man get some games, yup. do we want mcilrath trying to fill in like hunwick did so admirably ? prob not.
dylans game isn't really flexible and adaptable. he can't play both sides
I know beating a dead horse brings a lot of entertainment value for some here, but other posters have got it down pat in terms of what happens with McIlrath:
1. He stays on as the 7th D.
2. He gets moved at the draft for a 3rd.
3. They expose him to waivers to send him down next year.
The issues with his game right now are his lateral agility which is still a little deliberate, and his ability to spring a transition attack. Penalties can be an issue, he's gotta stay away from that, and he has since his demotion after that one game showing this year.
Sauer didn't establish himself until six years out of his draft year. Matt Greene, same story, Johnny Boychuck wasn't an NHL player till age 25, similar story with Adam McQuaid.
The Senators have a top 4 guy in Gryba, a 2007 pick who they brough along slowly.
Kevin Klein played AHL games as a 5th year pro.
The core function of a vacuum is to suck... perspectives inside a vacuum are just the same.. they suck.
Question is does McIlrath suck at the NHL level? 3 games isn't enough to tell.. Does he suck at the AHL level? No, definitely not. The Pre-Season games will be a strong telling of how far he's come along.
1. He stays on as the 7th D.
2. He gets moved at the draft for a 3rd.
3. They expose him to waivers to send him down next year.
The issues with his game right now are his lateral agility which is still a little deliberate, and his ability to spring a transition attack. Penalties can be an issue, he's gotta stay away from that, and he has since his demotion after that one game showing this year.
Sauer didn't establish himself until six years out of his draft year. Matt Greene, same story, Johnny Boychuck wasn't an NHL player till age 25, similar story with Adam McQuaid.
The Senators have a top 4 guy in Gryba, a 2007 pick who they brough along slowly.
Kevin Klein played AHL games as a 5th year pro.
The core function of a vacuum is to suck... perspectives inside a vacuum are just the same.. they suck.
Question is does McIlrath suck at the NHL level? 3 games isn't enough to tell.. Does he suck at the AHL level? No, definitely not. The Pre-Season games will be a strong telling of how far he's come along.
HockeyBasedNYC
Feeling it
I feel like if McIlrath was an NHL player and a true top prospect he would be wearing a Rangers sweater right now. I think his window has closed. Just my opinion.
offdacrossbar
misfit fanboy
if so, then what ? has the window also closed on getting some value out of the 10th pick in 2010 ? or have we waited too long. are we forced to keep him. did he have real value anyway outside of this organization.
NickyFotiu
NYR 2024 Cup Champs!
- Sep 29, 2011
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There are guys around the NHL that Dylan may already be better than. We play a system that is big on agility so we can not say for sure he has a place here but he will be picked up by another team if he does not. Larry Brooks said as much last month. When we were playing the Caps I wished we had a tough Dman like Dylan out there. I think his defense and skating speed is under rated on this board in part because some posters are set on him failing. The guy is a tremendous teammate and leader. I'm rooting for him. In fact if he does make it I think he will become a fan favorite.
If Torts was coaching last year, he'd have been a full time player by now... I think the system fit isn't a 100% there since the game isn't as simple or as easy to read. I don't think the windows closed, but do question whether he can adapt and play NY Ranger hockey as it stands right now.
I love that this very insightful, on the mark post:
Was followed by this complete opposite.
Too many players have come into the league and become top guys on D at 24 and 25. I don't understand how people could ignore this fact.
Was followed by this complete opposite.
Too many players have come into the league and become top guys on D at 24 and 25. I don't understand how people could ignore this fact.
Miamipuck
Al Swearengen
That's my biggest problem, there are people hoping for him to fail or never watch him and say he's a bust. ugh
I want him to succeed, I don't know if he will, I have not watched him enough to say either way, only a couple of AHL games, I don't have time to watch many. But the vast majority of people saying or wanting him gone haven't watched a single AHL game of his.
silverfish
got perma'd
True. I remember people saying this about Klein a few seasons ago.
FWIW -
Klein:
Draft year: '03
NHL Debut: 05-06 (2 games)
Full NHL Year: 08-09
Total AHL reg season games: 220
McIlrath:
Draft year: '10
NHL Debut: 13-14 (2 games)
Full NHL Year: TBD
Total AHL reg season games: 182
Yes, McIlrath was a top 10 pick. No, Klein was not. Yes, the Rangers should've done better with that pick. No, that does not mean that just because McIlrath isn't in the NHL right now that his window is closed.
The Rangers ****ed up, no argument. They filled a need with a top 10 pick instead of going BPA. That's ridiculously terrible asset management in the NHL draft. Sort of like drafting a goalie 6th overall... oh, wait
But, to say his window is closed is ludicrous. He's going to be in the NHL next year either as a 7th guy here fighting for a top-6 assignment, or a top-6 guy somewhere else. He's logging hard minutes in the AHL on the top-pair of a team in the ECF. His progression this season has been astronomical. Not so shocking that it came in a year where he finally stayed healthy.
Not many teams in the NHL can boast Keith Yandle and Kevin Klein as their third pairing. Our defense is ridiculously talented and will be tough for any prospect to crack, not just McIlrath.
SingnBluesOnBroadway
Retired
I really don't think anyone wants him to fail. Wouldn't that just be cutting off your noise to spite your face? I've been really down on St. Louis. Does that mean I want him to fail? No. I'd rather the Rangers win than be right.
offdacrossbar
misfit fanboy
True. I remember people saying this about Klein a few seasons ago.
FWIW -
Klein:
Draft year: '03
NHL Debut: 05-06 (2 games)
Full NHL Year: 08-09
Total AHL reg season games: 220
McIlrath:
Draft year: '10
NHL Debut: 13-14 (2 games)
Full NHL Year: TBD
Total AHL reg season games: 182
Yes, McIlrath was a top 10 pick. No, Klein was not. Yes, the Rangers should've done better with that pick. No, that does not mean that just because McIlrath isn't in the NHL right now that his window is closed.
The Rangers ****ed up, no argument. They filled a need with a top 10 pick instead of going BPA. That's ridiculously terrible asset management in the NHL draft. Sort of like drafting a goalie 6th overall... oh, wait
But, to say his window is closed is ludicrous. He's going to be in the NHL next year either as a 7th guy here fighting for a top-6 assignment, or a top-6 guy somewhere else. He's logging hard minutes in the AHL on the top-pair of a team in the ECF. His progression this season has been astronomical. Not so shocking that it came in a year where he finally stayed healthy.
Not many teams in the NHL can boast Keith Yandle and Kevin Klein as their third pairing. Our defense is ridiculously talented and will be tough for any prospect to crack, not just McIlrath.
agree with the bolded.
its become more of a "where will he play ? " than " can he play ? " thing at this point.
did we overplay the hand and keep him too long ? we resigned girardi to a big contract. we added kleiner. we have boyle. all righties and all better players right now.
those moves were made partly based upon mcilrath NOT being ready and now that he IS supposedly ready, there isn't a spot. or is there ?
tough conundrum.
Miamipuck
Al Swearengen
I am not point a finger at you, but there are people that appear that way. I have read enough of these threads to see that.
Saying MSL sucks, is not analogous to the hate McI is getting or gets.
SingnBluesOnBroadway
Retired
I didn't think you were pointing a finger at me. Just using myself as one of the more cynical posters here.
I didn't love the pick. I am concerned that his development is taking a while. But I would love for him to flourish here.
Bluenote13
Believe In Henke
I don't think it makes sense to hate him, I hate the selection not the player, there's a difference. Some people can't separate the two.
NickyFotiu
NYR 2024 Cup Champs!
- Sep 29, 2011
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It is human nature that people like to be right. How far that goes depends on the person. In the 80's and early 90's we had a player I thought was soft and way over rated. I did not want him to succeed. He went on to play around another 10 years after we traded him. I still did not want him to succeed during those years. It was only later I realized how dumb that was. He was not a bad guy so why did I root against him for so long? It was nothing he did. It was my ridiculous need to be right.
Miamipuck
Al Swearengen
I would be more concerned if when they made the pick they were touting him as a 2-3 year plug and play guy, they didn't. I think anyone that objectively looked at that pick realized this was a 5 year plan player.
I didn't think the pick very wise at all, not in that spot. They made it though, so going with the original time frame I had in my head, he is still with in that.
Next year is the big year to me. If he can make the NHL and be serviceable, great. One thing is for sure he is going to have his growing pains. If he can't stick his future is elsewhere.
Miamipuck
Al Swearengen
Bluenote13
Believe In Henke
I've been on here a long time, I usually can read someones agenda right away, I never let them get to me though. I say my business and move on, too many jerky sports fans when it comes to hockey, the least understood sport out there.
And yes SBOB, I would love for him to flourish here. It would mean a cheap option on the blueline, and could make room for a trade that could benefit the forward ranks.
eco's bones
Registered User
Either the Rangers find a spot for him in the regular right side rotation or they should move him.
To me you'd have to figure that there'll be something of a learning curve for him breaking into the NHL next year and he'll be a player that can only succeed off the bat by keeping things simple--not a player you'll want to be experimenting with throwing him into situations he's never been in and is not ready for-so he's not an ideal player that can do the 7th defense job for you. The 7th d-man needs to be able to cover both sides of the ice and ideally be able to move the puck well at the NHL level. McIlrath has no left side experience and he won't be coverage for McDonagh, Staal and Yandle if they have to miss games. Expecting that he'll be able to replace any of those guys playing on an unfamiliar side of the ice is expecting too much.
Personally I think he's ready for the NHL and his contract would be very very cap friendly for us but we have to put him in situations that create success--not just throw him in anywhere.
To me you'd have to figure that there'll be something of a learning curve for him breaking into the NHL next year and he'll be a player that can only succeed off the bat by keeping things simple--not a player you'll want to be experimenting with throwing him into situations he's never been in and is not ready for-so he's not an ideal player that can do the 7th defense job for you. The 7th d-man needs to be able to cover both sides of the ice and ideally be able to move the puck well at the NHL level. McIlrath has no left side experience and he won't be coverage for McDonagh, Staal and Yandle if they have to miss games. Expecting that he'll be able to replace any of those guys playing on an unfamiliar side of the ice is expecting too much.
Personally I think he's ready for the NHL and his contract would be very very cap friendly for us but we have to put him in situations that create success--not just throw him in anywhere.
Riche16
McCready guitar god
Great post and exactly why he will be moved at the draft, maybe packaged with Talbot (fingers crossed) who is also most certainly going to be moved.
Oddly they are similar in the fact that they are most likely ready for regular jobs in the NHL but have no place on this roster because of who they would have to displace.
I would as well. But one also needs to factor in that he does not seem the type of defenseman that AV has patrolling his blue lines. Don't get me wrong, I think that he needs to be given a chance, but will AV even contemplate him winning a spot over a Boyle next year?
Bluenote13
Believe In Henke
Yeah he's definitely not an AV guy. And with the win now mentality, no one gets a free ride.
Those minutes McIlrath played up here
He constantly went after the player, and couldn't care less about the puck. AV was pulling the few straws of hair he has left.
But he'll get another chance if he's still here for camp and pre-season.
I think that, often people that didn't like the McIlrath selection and wanted someone else, who really had like seen Fowler or Tarasenko? Or McIlrath for that matter? Some had, but 100s, many 100s, of posters over the year come across as criticizing the pick with indignation since even they themselves "knew" it was a bad pick. Something I guess a huge majority of them had no way of knowing since they hadn't seen these kids play.
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