Larry Brooks: Lindgren considering leaving U. of Minn to come to NYR

[Lion Hound]

Once again Larry Brooks right on the money. This year there is nobody more dialed in on the entire beat as he has been.

 

[RangerBoy]

Once again Larry Brooks right on the money. This year there is nobody more dialed in on the entire beat as he has been.

Mike Russo had it first as a done deal. Larry Brooks was hedging.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Once again Larry Brooks right on the money. This year there is nobody more dialed in on the entire beat as he has been.

Hes been dropping straight fire ever since that article about the team selling at the deadline came out (a week or so before the formal letter from the organization.)

 

[Lion Hound]

Mike Russo had it first as a done deal. Larry Brooks was hedging.

I was referring to his article from a couple days ago. Somebody up front for the Rangers is feeding him info.

Ryan Lindgren, the 20-year-old University of Minnesota sophomore defenseman whose rights the Rangers obtained from Boston as part of the Rick Nash deal, is weighing his options in the wake of the Gophers’ failure to reach the NCAA tournament, The Post has learned

Lindgren, the 49th-overall selection in the 2016 entry draft who is renowned for his leadership skills and all-around game, had been expected to return to school for his junior year. But the 6-foot, 198-pound lefty, a member of the last two Team USA World Junior squads, is believed to be considering turning pro.

 

[RangerBoy]

 

[The Mouth]

Russ Cohen talks on the radio occasionally and has 3700 twitter followers while following 2900, but not even under his own name, rather under the name of "Sportsology" - his website. He hasn't exactly amassed a following or reputation.

This is his current top 11 ranking of the coming draft:

1. Rasmus Dahlin – D – Frolunda – SHL
2. Brady Tkachuk – LW – Boston University – NCAA
3. Andrei Svechnikov – RW – Barrie Colts – OHL
4. Filip Zadina – RW – Halifax Mooseheads – QMJHL
5. Oliver Wahlstrom – RW -U18 – NTDP
6. Noah Dobson – D – Acadie-Bathhurst Titan – QMJHL
7. Quinn Hughes (photo above) – D – Michigan University – NCAA
8. Joel Farabee – LW – U18 – NTDP
9. Evan Bouchard – D – London Knights – OHL
10. Ty Smith – D – Spokane Chiefs – WHL
11. Adam Boqvist – D – Brynas – Super Elit

To put it this way, I disagree with a few of his prospect assessments, just based on that.

Nice to hear he told you nice things about Lindgren, but that seems like a generic train of thought posted rapidly on a blog. Not really a scouting report or anything other than a few buzzwords strung together that you could find on the quick reactions to a million talking heads the day of the Nash trade.

He's amassed enough of a reputation that he appears on sirius xm prospect show with his partner Shane Molloy. He has been to every draft in the past 20 years and has written several books. So don't even question the guys credibility. He may not be right all time ( but who is) but he is more informed and qualified more than most on this subject. That includes myself and especially you.

My other guy told me this on Lindgren

"With Ryan Lindgren, you're getting a competitor first and foremost. This kid loves the game, he loves to be around the rink...he's a real heart and soul player. If Ryan Callahan played defense, his name would be Ryan Lindgren. For the physical traits: I like his skating, I think he's very mobile and his edgework is high-end, especially for a player of his type. He shows glimpses that he's going to have some escapability traits at the next level or maybe even some walk-the-line, angle-change ability at the next level. His point totals with the Gophers don't give some fans a lot of hope, but I think he can be one of the guys that produces better at the pro level where the game becomes more predictable and more of his passes and keeps can be cashed on."

"I don't think the skill set is anything overwhelming. Guys like Hajek are more talented from a puck skills perspective right now. He's going to have to work hard to get to a point where he can be relied upon for 25-30 points in the NHL I think, I think that's a high ask. But he's a worker, he's smart, he plays physical, he's a guy you want on your side. I think a really fair player comparison for him (both upside and style, in this case) is Andrew Ference."

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Unless they agreed to burn to get him to sign and not stay in school. No other reason to burn it

That's what Philly did with Vecchione.

 

[eco's bones]

He's amassed enough of a reputation that he appears on sirius xm prospect show with his partner Shane Molloy. He has been to every draft in the past 20 years and has written several books. So don't even question the guys credibility. He may not be right all time ( but who is) but he is more informed and qualified more than most on this subject. That includes myself and especially you.

My other guy told me this on Lindgren

"With Ryan Lindgren, you're getting a competitor first and foremost. This kid loves the game, he loves to be around the rink...he's a real heart and soul player. If Ryan Callahan played defense, his name would be Ryan Lindgren. For the physical traits: I like his skating, I think he's very mobile and his edgework is high-end, especially for a player of his type. He shows glimpses that he's going to have some escapability traits at the next level or maybe even some walk-the-line, angle-change ability at the next level. His point totals with the Gophers don't give some fans a lot of hope, but I think he can be one of the guys that produces better at the pro level where the game becomes more predictable and more of his passes and keeps can be cashed on."

"I don't think the skill set is anything overwhelming. Guys like Hajek are more talented from a puck skills perspective right now. He's going to have to work hard to get to a point where he can be relied upon for 25-30 points in the NHL I think, I think that's a high ask. But he's a worker, he's smart, he plays physical, he's a guy you want on your side. I think a really fair player comparison for him (both upside and style, in this case) is Andrew Ference."

A good post.

Not all that hard to figure out who is going to be in the top 10-15 of the draft this year. Everyone on Cohen's list should be picked by the time 15 comes around. It's when you get out towards the late teens and on that it's going to be a lot harder to figure. FWIW if the Rangers can figure out a way by combining draft picks in a trade say to get another pick in the mid-teens IMO it would be a good idea. No way IMO that Boqvist lasts to 11 though. I've got him at 3/4. Tossup between him and Zadina. He's a spectacular talent.

As for Ryan Lindgren--the Rangers IMO have been kind of soft for a while. They need to re-identify as a harder team to play against. One that plays smartly and one that plays physically. Lindgren from what I've seen has those two things going for him. I also think Cohen might be right as far as Lindgren producing more at the NHL level. College and the pros can be a different animal for some players. Ryan McDonagh and Brendan Smith played on the same Wisconsin U. team. Brendan Smith was an elite offensive defenseman at the NCAA level. Ryan McDonagh became the stay at home D whose stat production underwhelmed. That reversed once those players turned pro. McDonagh's offensive game blossomed and Smith's disappeared. Brady Skjei is another example of a stay at home college defenseman with very little point production. It has a lot to do with how their teams used them but.....Lindgren I'd think is very capable of getting into the 20-25 point range and being a responsible and dependable D for us.

 

[kovazub94]

If I had to list NY Rangers that hard to play against I’d include Kreider, Zibanejad, Hayes and Fast at forward and really no one on D right now. Andersson, Howden, Lindgren and Hajek should be this type of player. Need more.

 

[RGY]

If I had to list NY Rangers that hard to play against I’d include Kreider, Zibanejad, Hayes and Fast at forward and really no one on D right now. Andersson, Howden, Lindgren and Hajek should be this type of player. Need more.

This is exactly what we need. We need tough SOBs that will fight and claw to shutdown the opposition and win games. We have added CHARACTER guys especially LEADERS in Andersson, Lindgren, and Howden. This is the foundation you need. If you arent going to have a Crosby or a McDavid to singlehandedly win games then you need to mold your roster to be one that is nasty and relentless to play against.

Also Hartford Wolfpack have Amanda Borges interview up with Ryan Lindgren on Instagram. Its probably on Twitter too

 

[Pizza]

You can't be anything but happy to have a kid like this in our organization. Thrilled actually.

 

[ThirdEye]

I'm really excited about what our D will look like in a a year or two. If we can draft that #1 D everything should hopefully fall into place with Lindgren, Skjei, Hajek, and Pionk rounding out the remaining D corps. I think Hajek and Lindgren are a lock to play in the NHL... it's just a matter of top 4 or not. Pionk has pretty much cemented a top 4 spot for next year imo. We just need to hope Skjei can find his game again

 

[kovazub94]

I'm really excited about what our D will look like in a a year or two. If we can draft that #1 D everything should hopefully fall into place with Lindgren, Skjei, Hajek, and Pionk rounding out the remaining D corps. I think Hajek and Lindgren are a lock to play in the NHL... it's just a matter of top 4 or not. Pionk has pretty much cemented a top 4 spot for next year imo. We just need to hope Skjei can find his game again

Even if you project further development from Pionk simply due to more experience and maturity, IMHO he’s not yet a top 4 for a contender.

 

[Irishguy42]

Do we need this thread since we have the ELC signing one?

 

[ThirdEye]

Even if you project further development from Pionk simply due to more experience and maturity, IMHO he’s not yet a top 4 for a contender.

I think don't we'll be contending for anything in 2 years, but the hope is that our D is a strength again and not a crapstorm like it is now

Pionk easily has top 4 upside though... he's a super well rounded player. Good shot, skating, above-average IQ... just needs some more playing time. I think if he was a first or second round draft pick there would be a lot more noise surrounding him

 

[kovazub94]

I think don't we'll be contending for anything in 2 years, but the hope is that our D is a strength again and not a crapstorm like it is now

Pionk easily has top 4 upside though... he's a super well rounded player. Good shot, skating, above-average IQ... just needs some more playing time. I think if he was a first or second round draft pick there would be a lot more noise surrounding him

Not sure what I wanted say was transparent in my earlier email. I agree that Pionk has top 4 upside based on what we’ve seen so far and given his age and experience. However he needs another significant jump in his progression that there’s no guarantees he reaches. It’s the same regarding Lindgren and Hájek when you stated that they definitely NHLers. They are likely NHLers but there’s still uncertainty about because it hasn’t been proven yet. It’s very possible that one of them stops developing becoming just a 7th D, an injury fill-in. Some expectations based on additional development will not pan out.