New faces populate New York Rangers 2014 Fall Top 20

[Zil]

Yikes! My first post was only a few lines up from my reply. I bolded the point in my original post that I alluded to in my reply.

Yes, our picks since Kreider have not exactly been tearing up the NHL, and the decent picks we had before that were traded for other teams stars.



Prior to 2009? Yes, we picked much better than in the 90s.

There's no misunderstanding.

Meh, this team's drafting hasn't been nearly as impressive as people want to believe it has been.

We don't draft early enough for can't-miss players, and our first round picks (later rounds too) since Kreider haven't been tearing up the NHL.

You're saying you're unimpressed with our post-Kreider picks. You're complaining about kids who haven't had a chance to establish themselves yet. There's no other way to interpret what you're saying. Tell me who of our picks should've made the team already, but hasn't? Maybe McIlrath, but he's had some extensive injuries. Otherwise, guys are pretty much on schedule.

We still buy our "top line."

Last time I checked, Kreider and Stepan are two thirds of our top line. Our leading scorer last year was an undrafted free agent pickup. The scouting department is doing just fine. JT Miller scored over a point per game in Hartford last year. At the same age, Dubinsky scored 43 points in 71 AHL games.

Yes, it's better that when the Rangers rarely had draft picks in the 90s, but love him or hate him , without King Henrik, this team would not have been anywhere as successful as it has been.

Rangers success = Henrik + Salary Cap

You can't win with just a goalie. Hank's our best player, but that doesn't undermine the talent level of McDonagh, Stepan, Kreider, Zuccarello, Hagelin, etc. This is a very good team. You don't finish as one of the best possession squads in the league if your skaters aren't any good.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

There's no misunderstanding.





You're saying you're unimpressed with our post-Kreider picks. You're complaining about kids who haven't had a chance to establish themselves yet. There's no other way to interpret what you're saying. Tell me who of our picks should've made the team already, but hasn't? Maybe McIlrath, but he's had some extensive injuries. Otherwise, guys are pretty much on schedule.



Last time I checked, Kreider and Stepan are two thirds of our top line. Our leading scorer last year was an undrafted free agent pickup. The scouting department is doing just fine. JT Miller scored over a point per game in Hartford last year. At the same age, Dubinsky scored 43 points in 71 AHL games.



You can't win with just a goalie. Hank's our best player, but that doesn't undermine the talent level of McDonagh, Stepan, Kreider, Zuccarello, Hagelin, etc. This is a very good team. You don't finish as one of the best possession squads in the league if your skaters aren't any good.

I'm saying that our drafting has not been great, and without Lundqvist, this team would be in the **** house. Every other player could be the same. That Swede covers a lot of holes.

 

[Zil]

I'm saying that our drafting has not been great, and without Lundqvist, this team would be in the **** house. Every other player could be the same. That Swede covers a lot of holes.

Lundqvist isn't the whole team. I don't know how many times I can say this. You don't get to the Final in this era with just a hot goalie. This team managed to finish second in the division during what was not one of Hank's better regular season campaigns.

What is your definition of great drafting? Since 2004, we've done very well on the picks that have had enough time to develop. Some of those pieces we've kept and some of those pieces we've dealt, but they've all helped us.

2004: Dubinsky, Callahan, Korpikoski, Montoya
2005: Staal, Sauer, Pyatt
2006: Anisimov
2007*: Hagelin
2008: Stepan, Del Zotto, Weise
2009: Kreider (Werek turned into Lindberg)

* - Cherepanov

That's a first line center (Stepan), a first line winger (Kreider), a first or second pairing defender (Staal), a second line center (Dubinsky), two second or third line wingers (Callahan, Hagelin), a third line center (Anisimov), a third line winger (Korpikoski), a second pairing defender (Sauer), a third pairing defender (Del Zotto), and assorted depth players. And there's a very, very good chance we're talking about three first line players instead of two if not for the tragedy. Look around the league. We're doing better than a lot of teams at churning out talent, especially when compared to other teams without high picks. Our scouting department has also done a great job figuring out trade targets (McDonagh) and plucking undrafted free agents (Zuccarello, Girardi).

I have confidence in the next wave too. Miller looks like a very good shot to be our third line center. Skjei looks like a stud with possible offense. The early results on Duclair and Buchnevich are super encouraging. And there are talented sleepers all over a deep if not top heavy system. Other than the McIlrath pick, which has been discussed over and over, I don't see anything to find fault with.

 

[nyr2k2]

I'm saying that our drafting has not been great, and without Lundqvist, this team would be in the **** house. Every other player could be the same. That Swede covers a lot of holes.

Well, if we're without Lundqvist, then we're able to draft those elite players that we can't get at our normal draft position, right? And then maybe the past decade looks completely different. Every other player WOULDN'T be the same, because according to you we'd be terrible and getting those great, high picks.

Again, since Kreider, we've had three top picks, two are coming along just fine and really just the one is worth worrying about. McIlrath could certainly prove to be a bust, but the drafting in general has proven to be pretty good.

 

[Inferno]

Well, if we're without Lundqvist, then we're able to draft those elite players that we can't get at our normal draft position, right? And then maybe the past decade looks completely different. Every other player WOULDN'T be the same, because according to you we'd be terrible and getting those great, high picks.

Again, since Kreider, we've had three top picks, two are coming along just fine and really just the one is worth worrying about. McIlrath could certainly prove to be a bust, but the drafting in general has proven to be pretty good.

btw, that was a really good movie...at least IMHO...

 

[Pizza]

Some thoughts on your comments.

First on Kristo. I wrote the last top 20 before he played his last game, but, even if I had not, I have more info since the time I last listed the prospects. There is no question that he has incredible talent (one of, if not, the best in the system)--the problem is in his head (as well as how the organization deals with him--it is not a good fit). So he dropped.

Now on Skjei and his shot (which is questioned in another thread). It consistently has the best velocity in the organization. He does not have the quickest release, but this is from the point, not a wrist shot.

I did not "kill Miller". Miller is an excellent prospect, who looks to be a second line player. He is solid, won't be flashy, but does not look to me to have first line potential. The guys that I listed in front of him may have either first line or first pairing potential. That is why they are ahead of Miller.

I believe that most of you have not seen Halverson in action--the guy looks to be the real deal and, after Benoit Allaire made some adjustments to his game early in Development Camp, he looked scary good. Don't judge him until you see him play--don't rely on where he was taken in the draft--players are taken by teams when the team is worried someone else would grab the guy.

McIlrath may very well be below Kristo on the depth chart. McIlrath has a third pairing upside (and is iffy at that), while Kristo may have a first line upside (not any more of a sure thing, maybe less, but much higher upside).

Where do you think Graves should be? The Rangers have great depth in their system--once you get past about number ten, there is a large number of good players in the organization that are very close.

Which brings me to why Mantha and Iverson are not on the Top 20, and Zamorsky too for that matter. Each has issues that lower their status, but they are very close to the other players listed toward the bottom. Plus, what I saw in development camp counted too. It is unfortunate that these lists are made in August, rather than September, because I would have liked to have had Traverse City to watch the guys more, but I do the best with what I have seen and what the Rangers tell me in ranking the players.

Enjoy Labor Day, Folks.

Nice job Leslie. Interesting takes. I appreciate your perspective and passion for the topic. I can't say I agree with all of what you say.....but what the hell do I know.

Bottom line that goes for just about everyone here.

 

[Machinehead]

I think our drafting has been good for what has been available. The only recent pick I really never liked and still don't for what was available, and the spot it was taken in, is McIlrath.

If there's any problem with our drafting, it's that we continue to trade 1st rounders.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

I think our drafting has been good for what has been available. The only recent pick I really never liked and still don't for what was available, and the spot it was taken in, is McIlrath.

If there's any problem with our drafting, it's that we continue to trade 1st rounders.

Yup. This.

 

[TheRightWay]

I'm saying that our drafting has not been great, and without Lundqvist, this team would be in the **** house. Every other player could be the same. That Swede covers a lot of holes.

Please explain, then, how the Rangers are 34-21-3 since the 2010-2011 season in games with the backup goaltender in net. That's a pace of 100.4 points over a full season. Obviously Lundqvist is the most important player on the team by a wide margin, but if the team would be "in the **** house" without him then surely that record wouldn't be what it is.

Please indicate which teams have met your quota for "good drafting" in the 1st round since 2009 without a pick above 10th overall.

 

[Beacon]

The Rangers felt that they had to draft relatively safe because they needed to restock what was an empty system ten years ago.

A couple of years ago they thought they got good quantity, so they tried a few home run picks like Fast, Thomas, St. Croix, Butcher and Duke.

This year they went safe again because they have no first round picks for 3 years in a row.

The drafting has been very good considering what they tried to accomplish. They only a few times went for offensively gifted prospects who could've become stars. Usually it's just safe two way players with a limited upside.

 

[Raspewtin]

If there's any problem with our drafting, it's that we continue to trade 1st rounders.

Sums it up perfectly

 

[Zil]

It would've been nice if they could've gotten St. Louis without giving up both firsts, but the the Clowe deal is what really bothers me. They basically gave up two seconds (third rounder was #61) and a fifth for nothing. It should be pointed out that we got Buchnevich with the third rounder from the Nash deal. That could wind up being huge.