Prospect Info: Rangers Prospect Rankings: (Fall 2020) - #15

[Harbour Dog]

Ranger's Fall 2020 Prospect Rankings

1. Alexis Lafreniere (F) (2020 Draft - 1st Round) (N/R)
2. Igor Shesterkin (G) (2014 Draft - 4th Round) (E)
3. Nils Lundkvist (RD) (2018 Draft - 1st Round) (+2)
4. Vitali Kravtsov (F) (2018 Draft - 1st Round) (E)
5. K'Andre Miller (LD) (2018 Draft - 1st Round) (+1)
6. Braden Schneider (RD) (2020 Draft - 1st Round) (N/R)
7. Matthew Robertson (LD) (2019 Draft - 2nd Round) (+6)
8. Julien Gauthier (F) (2016 Draft - 1st Round) (N/R)
9. Morgan Barron (F) (2017 - 6th Round) (+2)
10. Zac Jones (LD) (2019 - 3rd Round) (-3)
11. Tarmo Reunanen (LD) (2016 Draft - 4th Round) (+5)
12. Karl Henriksson (F) (2019 Draft - 2nd Round) (+3)
13. Will Cuylle (F) (2020 - 2nd Round) (N/R)
14. Libor Hajek (LD) (2016 - 2nd Round) (-5)​

Oliver Tarnstrom, Patrick Khodorenko, and Justin Richards have been included in the poll

Players available to be added:​

Player	Age	Position
Dylan Garand	18	G
Adam Huska	23	G
Olof Lindbom	20	G
Hugo Ollas	18	G
Leevi Aaltonen	19	F
Eric Ciccolini	19	F
Adam Edstrom	19	F
Jake Elmer	21	F
Gabriel Fontaine	23	F
Tim Gettinger	22	F
Riley Hughes	20	F
Patrick Newell	24	F
Matthew Rempe	18	F
Ty Ronning	22	F
Austin Rueschhoff	23	F
Brandon Crawley	23	LD
Simon Kjellberg	20	LD
Jacob Ragnarsson	21	LD
Yegor Rykov	23	LD
Calle Sjalin	21	LD
Hunter Skinner	19	RD

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Click to read more...

 

[Harbour Dog]

I will NOT be adding a new prospect to the next poll.

 

[Edge]

I went with Wall here.

Goalies are difficult to project, but he's coming out of college strong and into an environment where the Rangers can afford to be fairly patient.

Excellent technique and positioning, not necessarily an elite athlete, but uses his frame well, stays square to the play and eliminates a lot of net to shoot at.

I am curious to see how he adjusts to teams who play east-west style games. That's going to take some adjustments for him.

 

[Raspewtin]

gonna say Wall, again cause of how polished close he seems.

 

[nyr2k2]

After Wall I probably go Berard, Richards, and then either Khodorenko or Pajuniemi.

 

[Mac n Gs]

Vierling here, and I think a lot of people are going to be really excited once they start paying attention to this kid more.

 

[Edge]

After Wall I probably go Berard, Richards, and then either Khodorenko or Pajuniemi.

Boy, you're really not high on Vierling at all are ya?

 

[nyr2k2]

Boy, you're really not high on Vierling at all are ya?

I like him a good deal and covered my thoughts on him previously.

I LOVE Berard. I also really, really like Richards.

After that, I don't know. Maybe I reevaluate and go Vierling. He's right behind the other two I listed. I like Khodorenko's all-around game and I think he's within two years of being able to contribute. I've never been high on Pajuniemi, who I think is a bit of a one-trick pony, but I can't overlook the progress he made last year. If he continues to progress and his game can translate, he's almost certainly better than any of the other guys we're discussing. I don't think there's much of a chance he translates, but I can't write him off just because that.

I would definitely have Vierling ahead of Tarnstrom.

We're firmly in the range where I don't think there's much separating a lot of the guys. I may have Vierling at 19 behind the guys I mentioned, but you can of course make a case to have him right behind Wall and ahead of Berard, and I wouldn't be upset by that or think it's crazy. We're in that range where this "tier" of prospects is pretty tightly clustered.

 

[Edge]

I like him a good deal and covered my thoughts on him previously.

I LOVE Berard. I also really, really like Richards.

After that, I don't know. Maybe I reevaluate and go Vierling. He's right behind the other two I listed. I like Khodorenko's all-around game and I think he's within two years of being able to contribute. I've never been high on Pajuniemi, who I think is a bit of a one-trick pony, but I can't overlook the progress he made last year. If he continues to progress and his game can translate, he's almost certainly better than any of the other guys we're discussing. I don't think there's much of a chance he translates, but I can't write him off just because that.

I would definitely have Vierling ahead of Tarnstrom.

We're entering the range where I don't think there's much separating a lot of the guys. I may have Vierling at 19 behind the guys I mentioned, but you can of course make a case to have him right behind Wall and ahead of Berard, and I wouldn't be upset by that or think it's crazy. We're in that range where this "tier" of prospects is pretty tightly clustered.

I mean I get the Berard/Vierling debate. But when we start getting into Richards, and 3 or 4 other forwards ahead of him as well, it's definitely a noteworthy take.

 

[nyr2k2]

I mean I get the Berard/Vierling debate. But when we start getting into Richards, and 3 or 4 other forwards ahead of him as well, it's definitely a noteworthy take.

OK, well, take note, then.

I'll have him 3, 4, or 5 spots out after this round. This is the point in the rankings where my personal opinions will probably deviate from the board's consensus by 3-4 spots on a few occasions. This is where some people are going to start voting purely on upside, some people will vote purely on likelihood of making the NHL at all, etc. It is what it is.

 

[usekakkorightquinn]

Richards is easily the pick here. He can bring two sure things to the NHL. Defense and faceoffs. I like Wall but his bust factor to me is much greater than Richards. I think JD and Gorton are probably laughing their azzzzzes off that Hajek wasn't in the top 10 if they ever read this.

 

[Edge]

Richards is easily the pick here. He can bring two sure things to the NHL. Defense and faceoffs. I like Wall but his bust factor to me is much greater than Richards. I think JD and Gorton are probably laughing their azzzzzes off that Hajek wasn't in the top 10 if they ever read this.

I think JD and Gorton are probably hoping Hajek can raise his stock a bit more as a possible inclusion in a trade.

 

[Edge]

OK, well, take note, then.

I'll have him 3, 4, or 5 spots out after this round. This is the point in the rankings where my personal opinions will probably deviate from the board's consensus by 3-4 spots on a few occasions. This is where some people are going to start voting purely on upside, some people will vote purely on likelihood of making the NHL at all, etc. It is what it is.

I think Richards has a shot. But I also see a lot of similar attributes to NCAA and CHL free agents we've signed over the years.

For some reason, those guys also tend to crest in prospect polls right before they turn pro and then (many times) fall pretty quickly.

 

[nyr2k2]

I think Richards has a shot. But I also see a lot of similar attributes to NCAA and CHL free agents we've signed over the years.

For some reason, those guys also tend to crest in prospect polls right before they turn pro and then (many times) fall pretty quickly.

I mean, I can only vote based on what I know. I've followed Berard for a couple years. Anyone that knows me knows I generally love guys who come through the USNTDP. I was thrilled to get him when we did. Richards and Khodorenko I have seen extensively as I'm a big NCAA hockey fan. Pajuniemi I have watched more than any of those guys. I am very familiar with what they can do, what their limitations are, etc. I feel like I really know those guys. And for Berard and the two NCAA guys, I really like them. Again, I have concerns about holes in Pajuniemi's game and whether he can play at the speed of the NA game, but in two years I watched him go from a passive, pass-first winger who didn't push play at all, to a guy who was a legitimate weapon in Liiga at a young age. So, I have to give credit where credit is due.

Vierling I have seen a bit of, as I still try to watch as much CHL hockey as I can, but the reality is we haven't had guys in the OHL since Keane and Gross, and I don't really remember much about Vierling. I don't know him like the other guys. Maybe he does "belong" ahead of one or more of them, but again, the difference in 3 spots at the 15-20 range isn't the difference in 3 spots at the 2-5 range, you know? We're talking about guys now who I cannot say with confidence will have NHL careers. Even Berard who I love.

We have some people here, on HFNYR and also who have left HFNYR (LOL), who apparently are adults working full-time jobs not in hockey, with families and other interests, who also amazingly have a detailed knowledge of every f***ing prospect that has been drafted and will be drafted. I do not possess that uncanny ability to knows the ins and outs of every sixth-round pick and every guy playing J20 or MHL hockey. I vote based off of what I do know, combined with what I read from people I trust, and go from there. That's the best I can do, and I won't pretend to have insight or be the authority on a player when I don't know much about him (Tarnstrom, in this case, is a good example).

 

[Edge]

I mean, I can only vote based on what I know. I've followed Berard for a couple years. Anyone that knows me knows I generally love guys who come through the USNTDP. I was thrilled to get him when we did. Richards and Khodorenko I have seen extensively as I'm a big NCAA hockey fan. Pajuniemi I have watched more than any of those guys. I am very familiar with what they can do, what their limitations are, etc. I feel like I really know those guys. And for Berard and the two NCAA guys, I really like them. Again, I have concerns about holes in Pajuniemi's game and whether he can play at the speed of the NA game, but in two years I watched him go from a passive, pass-first winger who didn't push play at all, to a guy who was a legitimate weapon in Liiga at a young age. So, I have to give credit where credit is due.

Vierling I have seen a bit of, as I still try to watch as much CHL hockey as I can, but the reality is we haven't had guys in the OHL since Keane and Gross, and I don't really remember much about Vierling. I don't know him like the other guys. Maybe he does "belong" ahead of one or more of them, but again, the difference in 3 spots at the 15-20 range isn't the difference in 3 spots at the 2-5 range, you know? We're talking about guys now who I cannot say with confidence will have NHL careers. Even Berard who I love.

We have some people here, on HFNYR and also who have left HFNYR laugh, who apparently are adults working full-time jobs not in hockey, with families and other interests, who also amazingly have a detailed knowledge of every f***ing prospect that has been drafted and will be drafted. I do not possess that uncanny ability to knows the ins and outs of every sixth-round pick and every guy playing J20 or MHL hockey. I vote based off of what I do know, combined with what I read from people I trust, and go from there. That's the best I can do, and I won't pretend to have insight or be the authority on a player when I don't know much about him (Tarnstrom, in this case, is a good example).

I will say that from my own personal bias, I tend to view many college free agents as the types who make solid pros, take on nice roles in the AHL, but ultimately aren't quite NHL-level players beyond plug-ins and an emergency calls up. So that definitely has at least some influence on my views --- good and bad.

 

[Savant]

Wall is a good choice here, but I am curious to see where Garand, or even Lindbom land at this stage. Goalies are tough to evaluate obviously so no problem going with a theoretically more polished guy here.

After Wall I think I am at the stage where the next group are going to be at least three of the players we drafted this year. Not sure on the order yet though, but don’t think it will be in the order that he Rangers picked them.

 

[nyr2k2]

I will say that from my own personal bias, I tend to view many college free agents as the types who make solid pros, take on nice roles in the AHL, but ultimately aren't quite NHL-level players beyond plug-ins and an emergency calls up. So that definitely has at least some influence on my views --- good and bad.

That's totally fair. I like Richards over Khodorenko because while I think Khodorenko has more pure upside, with a better overall skill set, Richards is a very good skater who is a dynamo on the PK, strong on the boards, tremendous at the FO circle, and showed excellent progress offensively--showing nice hands and good vision. I think the skills that he excels at will enable him to slide into the lineup in the very near future.

I obviously have a soft spot for college players. I was a big advocate for both Nieves and Fogarty, who never really amounted to much. That said, the guys we're voting on now, a vast majority will not even be as successful in the AHL as Fogarty, so maybe that's not a bad thing.

 

[Edge]

Wall is a good choice here, but I am curious to see where Garand, or even Lindbom land at this stage. Goalies are tough to evaluate obviously so no problem going with a theoretically more polished guy here.

After Wall I think I am at the stage where the next group are going to be at least three of the players we drafted this year. Not sure on the order yet though, but don’t think it will be in the order that he Rangers picked them.

Both Lindbom and Garand are solid goalie prospects.

The latter has problems staying healthy, which hurts his development, and he has a mark against him because he was taken higher than most preferred. But he can't really control either of those aspects. If he can stay on the ice, the upside there is very high.

Garand is very similar to Wall, albeit in a smaller frame. Stylistically there's a lot of similarity with their technique, approach, strengths, and areas that they'll need to concentrate on. I don't know if either makes the top 20 at this point, but that's also a factor in just how insane this prospect pool is.

 

[Savant]

Both Lindbom and Garand are solid goalie prospects.

The latter has problems staying healthy, which hurts his development, and he has a mark against him because he was taken higher than most preferred. But he can't really control either of those aspects. If he can stay on the ice, the upside there is very high.

Garand is very similar to Wall, albeit in a smaller frame. Stylistically there's a lot of similarity with their technique, approach, strengths, and areas that they'll need to concentrate on. I don't know if either makes the top 20 at this point, but that's also a factor in just how insane this prospect pool is.

I probably have Garand exactly at 20, but wouldn’t have a problem with him a bit earlier. I don’t think being that “low” is an indictment on him either. As you said; Rangers are very deep. Lindbom....I still struggle with that one. That might turn out to be the worst pick of the Gorton era, but again if Garand came in 19 and Lindbom came in 20, I wouldn’t have a have problem with that either. Rangers can probably go to about 25 and be respectable. Which is great. I think Skinner probably deserves to be added soon too. Being called up, that definitely merits consideration. Not sure he makes it, but his stock is up.

 

[RGY]

Add Gettinger

 

[Ratelleitlikeitis]

I went with Wall here.

Goalies are difficult to project, but he's coming out of college strong and into an environment where the Rangers can afford to be fairly patient.

Excellent technique and positioning, not necessarily an elite athlete, but uses his frame well, stays square to the play and eliminates a lot of net to shoot at.

I am curious to see how he adjusts to teams who play east-west style games. That's going to take some adjustments for him.

Just curious,,why Wall and not Huska...aside from the fact he is not on the list!

 

[Edge]

Just curious,,why Wall and not Huska...aside from the fact he is not on the list!

Huska really fell off last season once Shesterkin came up.

The first 1/3 to 1/2 the season, I was seeing some good stuff, but then I feel like his flaws really started to get exposed big time --- his positioning, his movement, control of rebounds, puck control in general, etc.

He can certainly right the ship, but it is part of a larger trend of consistency I'm seeing emerge with Huska. The closest thing I can compare it to is a pitcher who struggles to find the strike zone. When he's on, the results are solid if not impressive. When he's off, it can look really shaky out there.

He's another kid who is going to be in an interesting spot if someone like Wall comes in and starts playing really good. Because if someone emerges at the AHL level, that player has a decent chance to get called up if/when the Rangers move Georgiev --- even if that's a year or two from now.

 

[Kendo]

Wall. Add Gettinger.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

Wall.

Add Skinner, @Harbour Dog, you coward.

 

[Harbour Dog]

Wall.

Add Skinner, @Harbour Dog, you coward.

What I neglected to mention is that any votes for adding players in this poll will be treated as negative votes in the next!