Prospect Info: Rangers Prospect poll: #4

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

In the correct environment, with a partner like Yandle, McIlrath is a borderline first-pairing D. He played to that extent last season with Yandle.

The only reason this guy isn't already an everyday #4, and a lot of fans favorite D-man, is because AV is a tool.

Haven't seen that yet – still have way too many images of him getting burned and falling to the ground in desperation to prevent the winger from blowing by him. Hopefully you're right!

 

[Ghost of jas]

In the correct environment, with a partner like Yandle, McIlrath is a borderline first-pairing D. He played to that extent last season with Yandle.

The only reason this guy isn't already an everyday #4, and a lot of fans favorite D-man, is because AV is a tool.

Exactly...I'm not sure why Skjei gets more love the McIlrath. Skjei is the better skater, but McIlrath is better along the boards, has better shot and makes an excellent first pass. Both would appear to max as 2nd pairing Dmen and McIlrath is closer to being one. For all the talk of Skjei being great in the playoffs, McIlrath's time with Yandle was even more impressive.

 

[Inferno]

how is Dylan McIlrath not in the top 3?

 

[Irishguy42]

how is Dylan McIlrath not in the top 3?

Because people have differing opinions?

 

[Inferno]

Because people have differing opinions?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Huh. Rangers must have some damn good prospects if a kid who is likely already a #4 d-man can barely crack the top-5.

What makes you think he is likely already a #4D when he's never played more than #6D for any extended period of time? And I say that knowing you think he could be a 1D or 2D, but I just don't see it. I think to be a 1D or 2D, you have to have some type of offense. At least like 20-25 points. No less than someone like Hjalmarsson puts up, and you would also have to be one of the best in the game playing without the puck, which I don't believe McIlrath will be. I think he can be above average without the puck, but one of the best in the game? That involves a lot of projection into his game. I just don't think he has enough offense to be more than a 4D, if he's not exceptional defensively, and I don't think he's a 4D yet either, although maybe not too far away, depending on what he shows this season.

I know advanced stats say otherwise, but those are just one measure, and the sample size is certainly limited. Its not like he's some Keith Yandle type with obvious possession capabilities. It could really just be a fluke. Anyone for 20 games with sheltered minutes can put up good possession stats.

 

[silverfish]

What makes you think he is likely already a #4D when he's never played more than #6 for any extended period of time?

The extended period of time where he and Yandle were the Rangers best D-pair.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

The extended period of time where he and Yandle were the Rangers best D-pair.

10-15 games?

I thought McIlrath was really good at parts last season, but then there were parts where he didn't deserve to be in the lineup, and rightfully got his spot overtaken by Skjei in the playoffs.

It's just such a limited sample size, and with McIlrath, you are really projecting elements into his game that people didn't think were previously there off of a SSS of on ice play and advanced stats. Lets wait for him to show it over a full season.

 

[silverfish]

10-15 games?

I thought McIlrath was really good at parts last season, but then there were parts where he didn't deserve to be in the lineup, and rightfully got his spot overtaken by Skjei in the playoffs.

It's just such a limited sample size, and with McIlrath, you are really projecting elements into his game that people didn't think were previously there off of a SSS of on ice play and advanced stats. Lets wait for him to show it over a full season.

Yes. In the only 10-15 game sample size of last season where McIlrath played consistently with a consistent partner, he was half of an extremely effective pair. He was then rewarded by being forced out of the lineup by a 75% healthy (if that) Dan Girardi, who subsequently butchered Yandle while they were paired together.

He can't prove himself if the coach doesn't put him in.

It's like applying to an entry-level job that requires 5 years experience.

 

[Beacon]

So the likely scenario is that Prospects 1-3 will graduate next season and our top prospect is then a goalie (albeit promising) with 2 more years left on a KHL contract. I guess it is then that we will begin to feel the nauseous magnitude of our all-in deadline trading the past years, unless Gorton can pull some more Hayes/Vesey kind of magic...

We signed Vesey, Stromwall and Gilmour this year, and acquired Mika, which nobody expected, so let's see what the Fisherman does in the coming year. Also, Graves could become a very good prospect. He has a ton of tools: as big as McIlrath, good skater even for a small guy and spectacular for a beast, shots the puck at 104 mph, on PK and PP units in Hartford. He's shown a lot of improvement, but needs to become a lot more consistent, release the shot faster and pick his defensive spots a little better. But it was just his rookie AHL season after the Juniors and he did well enough to be an All Star. I have high hopes for him, he could very realistically be a quality top-4 defenseman. There's no guarantee and he could stop developing at the age of 21, but realistically, the most likely scenario is as a good second pair guy with terrific size.

Depending on how Shesterkin plays in the KHL, he could be seen as a top prospect within a year. Who knows, maybe another kid like Nieves, Day, Gropp or Rambo overperform all expectations. It does happen every now and then. I heard there was a goalie prospect we had a dozen years ago in whom the management had so little faith, they spent 2 first round picks drafting goalies (Blackburn and Montoya). Some Swedish guy named Henrik that nobody paid attention to like pimping top prospects like Kloucek and Novak. Whatever happened to him?

 

[E-Train]

Shesty. Add Gropp.

 

[CTRanger]

McIlrath

Add

Nieves

 

[Beacon]

In the correct environment, with a partner like Yandle, McIlrath is a borderline first-pairing D. He played to that extent last season with Yandle.

The only reason this guy isn't already an everyday #4, and a lot of fans favorite D-man, is because AV is a tool.

I've been pimping McIlrath for years, at one point after a review of his Pack game, someone asked if I'm his agent because of the glowing review I gave him. However, he's not a first pair defenseman because of his trouble one-on-one against top forwards. Look at our division: if you want to be a top pair defenseman, you need to be able to defend against Ovechkin, Tavares, Cindy, Malkin. When any of them goes up against McDonagh, I feel confident. When they go up against McIlrath 1-on-1, I feel scared. If he can fix this one problem, he'll be a top shelf blueliner.

 

[FLYLine27*]

I didn't vote for McI yet because I have no faith that the coach will put him in a situation where he can succeed and reach his potential. It's pretty unfortunate, I can see him sitting every other game again this season. He has the potential to be a rock solid, hard hitting, top 4 dman that every single team would love to have on their blue lines.

Add Clen

 

[Beacon]

Next round: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=2132479