What was your opinion on Hugh Jessiman when he was drafted?

[SnowblindNYR]

So I post a few months back a poll about his was the worst pick the Rangers had. I disagreed with most people and said I think it was McIlrath because he never seemed like a good pick. Jessiman at least was a high upside guy. McIlrath no matter what the team or certain posters said was never a top 10 upside pick. Anyway, I think asking what people thought about the McIlrath pick wouldn't be as fun because I can't imagine too many had positive thoughts at the time. I still remember talking to a family friend after the draft having missed it and he was like "you wouldn't believe who they drafted". And it pretty much went as expected. Jessiman on the other hand was an upside pick. So I can see some people liking it at the time. I think Edge has gone on record with his feelings about it. What did you guys think?

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[Edge]

Lol. My thoughts are well know.

Nuff said.

 

[n8]

Gawd awful. I was chomping to get Dustin Brown there but I recall lots of people clamoring for Getzlaf which made more sense organizationally - us needing a center and all. I didn't really see anything about Hugh in scouting reports. Literally anyone would have been better that year. He was big but that's about it. His athleticism seemed really poor at the time. Similar to McIlrath, I was for Fowler while many others were wisely clamoring for Tarasenko. I think we skipped on Fowler because - well no, I'd LIKE to believe we skipped on Fowler because the org still had faith in MDZ developing for us in the role Fowler would have been drafted into and Sather is a bone head obsessed with the toughness. Freaking worried about drafting a Marty McSorley type before we even get a Gretzky for the tough guys to protect. So I'm guessing the Rangers drafted McI because their bone head scouts had him high on their cracked up list. I also wanted Tofolli that year. Instead we got Christian Thomas. yee-haw

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Gawd awful. I was chomping to get Dustin Brown there but I recall lots of people clamoring for Getzlaf which made more sense organizationally - us needing a center and all. I didn't really see anything about Hugh in scouting reports. Literally anyone would have been better that year. He was big but that's about it. His athleticism seemed really poor at the time. Similar to McIlrath, I was for Fowler while many others were wisely clamoring for Tarasenko. I think we skipped on Fowler because - well no, I'd LIKE to believe we skipped on Fowler because the org still had faith in MDZ developing for us in the role Fowler would have been drafted into and Sather is a bone head obsessed with the toughness. Freaking worried about drafting a Marty McSorley type before we even get a Gretzky for the tough guys to protect. So I'm guessing the Rangers drafted McI because their bone head scouts had him high on their cracked up list. I also wanted Tofolli that year. Instead we got Christian Thomas. yee-haw

Really? I was under the impression that he had potential and they were looking at him as a skilled big guy. McIlrath was always a "he's tough AND he's not as bad of a skater as you think". McIlrath never made sense. It was an embarrassing moment for this franchise.

 

[Mikos87]

OMG! WTF! IDK, why??

Actually I've got a very ironic small world story regarding Hugh, bumped into his family in NYC by sheer coincidence at a restaurant. But what I can say is that he's got a real good family... but I left that encounter thinking they really have no idea how much Hugh sucks as a hockey player.

 

[DarthSather99]

So I post a few months back a poll about his was the worst pick the Rangers had. I disagreed with most people and said I think it was McIlrath because he never seemed like a good pick. Jessiman at least was a high upside guy. McIlrath no matter what the team or certain posters said was never a top 10 upside pick. Anyway, I think asking what people thought about the McIlrath pick wouldn't be as fun because I can't imagine too many had positive thoughts at the time. I still remember talking to a family friend after the draft having missed it and he was like "you wouldn't believe who they drafted". And it pretty much went as expected. Jessiman on the other hand was an upside pick. So I can see some people liking it at the time. I think Edge has gone on record with his feelings about it. What did you guys think?

I personally wanted Dion Phaneuf, he was gone, liked Dustin Brown @ NYR pick in 2003, Lots wanted Zach Parise. I was not disappointed with Jessiman because of his size (when size mattered in the NHL) and speed. They had one highlight of Jessiman where he literally put a player through the glass which I think won over a lot of people as the Rangers were soft back then .. I figured at least a big bodied, camp in front of the net for rebounds type of player, John LeClair at his ceiling..

 

[frisland]

A. its 14 years ago, let it go.

B. I just wanted a Tim Kerr clone to stand in front and pick up garbage goals.

 

[eco's bones]

It was a reach but he had had a big freshman year at Dartmouth---keeping in mind that was the weakest league in Div. 1 college hockey at the time. But your team drafts someone---you might have wanted some others instead but you're hopeful. So anyway Jessiman's sophomore year went down the toilet when he f***ed up his knee in some freaky accident. And then he was injury prone after that and pretty much his game never really advanced at all after his freshman year at college. I remember his playing a couple exhibitions games for us. He was awful. I think he got beat up by a much smaller Rinaldo---his maneuverability in tight spaces--corners, along the boards was really bad. His lack of good balance on his skates worked against all the size and strength he had. You could tell he wasn't going to make it right there. McIlrath who also had some bad injury issues and had balance issues wasn't nearly as bad though McIlrath's balance seems best when he drops the gloves.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

Was very concerned when the first thing they mentioned about him was that he grew up a Ranger fan......

 

[nyrage]

OMG! WTF! IDK, why??

Actually I've got a very ironic small world story regarding Hugh, bumped into his family in NYC by sheer coincidence at a restaurant. But what I can say is that he's got a real good family... but I left that encounter thinking they really have no idea how much Hugh sucks as a hockey player.

Same here. I sat next to his uncle at a Hartford vs Aeros game here in Houston around 2007. Nice guy.

He actually had a decent game that night despite his skating. It was his first season in Hartford. He had 40+ points and about 150 PIMs. There was still some promise that year that he might become a useful player for us.

 

[Shadowtron]

I vaguely remember not liking the Jessimen pick. Not hating it. But I was on the Getzlaf wagon. However, I absolutely despised the McIlrath pick. I remember watching the latter's draft with my friend. I'm almost popping out of my seat thinking the Rangers are grabbing Tarasenko. And then they pick McIlrath lol!! Literally, that was the last draft I watched until this past Saturday. And this past Saturday reminded exactly why I don't watch them any more lol

 

[will1066]

Huge Specimen.

 

[Profet]

That he would have been an awesome draft pick if it was 1970-2000. But the game was already changing, the writing was on the wall. Everyone saw it except the Rangers' scouting department.

 

[Kovalev27]

Getzlaf was the no brainer. Everybody knew it. Brown was maybe the second choice. But then literally on draft day we kept hearing about Hugh Jessiman out of crappy ECAC was shooting up drsft boards. It was a disaster of a pick on the day and always has been. Mcilrath is not much worse considering how easy it was to draft Fowler. I don’t even blame them for not taking tarasenko because there was in fact a Russia factor then. But Fowler was a no brainer.

 

[Edge]

Getzlaf was the no brainer. Everybody knew it. Brown was maybe the second choice. But then literally on draft day we kept hearing about Hugh Jessiman out of crappy ECAC was shooting up drsft boards. It was a disaster of a pick on the day and always has been. Mcilrath is not much worse considering how easy it was to draft Fowler. I don’t even blame them for not taking tarasenko because there was in fact a Russia factor then. But Fowler was a no brainer.

Funny thing is that it was widely reported that Clark loved Fowler.

Apparently he loved McIlrath more.

 

[Sarge13]

Getzlaf was the no brainer. Everybody knew it. Brown was maybe the second choice. But then literally on draft day we kept hearing about Hugh Jessiman out of crappy ECAC was shooting up drsft boards. It was a disaster of a pick on the day and always has been. Mcilrath is not much worse considering how easy it was to draft Fowler. I don’t even blame them for not taking tarasenko because there was in fact a Russia factor then. But Fowler was a no brainer.

There was no Russian factor, that all turned out to be bs based on one legit player going back there.

Mcilrath was a disaster of a pick, reactionary based on what happened to Gaborik At least Jessiman gave you some hope, even if that was squashed soon after.

Plenty of fans liked Parise and Seabrook too.

 

[mrhockey193195]

I desperately wanted Parise. Was pretty bummed with Jessiman, but at the same time I cannot pretend that I knew he would bust in one of the greatest drafts ever. Like with every Ranger first rounder, I was excited about him for the first couple years after the draft.

 

[Shadowtron]

Funny thing is that it was widely reported that Clark loved Fowler.

Apparently he loved McIlrath more.

I think McIlrath should have cost Clark his job lol

 

[Edge]

I think Gorton and Clark both have a lot riding on the 2018 draft.

 

[Edge]

I desperately wanted Parise. Was pretty bummed with Jessiman, but at the same time I cannot pretend that I knew he would bust in one of the greatest drafts ever. Like with every Ranger first rounder, I was excited about him for the first couple years after the draft.

I can honestly say I thought he was going to bust.

McIlrath I thought could make it as a player, just not one who would justify being picked ahead of some of the guys still on the board.

Wasn't thrilled with Sanguinetti, but didn't see a clear-cut prospect I absolutely wanted either.

 

[nyr2k2]

I thought he was the wrong pick and worried about his health. But, I didn't assume he was going to be a bust; I still thought he had a realistic chance at becoming a big-bodied, strong, scoring forward who could really make an impact. So I didn't like it, but still thought he could be a guy for us.

McIlrath I hated from day one. I eventually warmed up to the player himself as I watched him progress. With McIlrath I tried to separate the player from the pick. I acknowledged it was a horrible pick but still saw progress from the player that made me hopeful he could become a useful #4 that crushed people and cleared the crease, someone who you could put out late in games.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

I vaguely remember not liking the Jessimen pick. Not hating it. But I was on the Getzlaf wagon. However, I absolutely despised the McIlrath pick. I remember watching the latter's draft with my friend. I'm almost popping out of my seat thinking the Rangers are grabbing Tarasenko. And then they pick McIlrath lol!! Literally, that was the last draft I watched until this past Saturday. And this past Saturday reminded exactly why I don't watch them any more lol

What happened to your old profile, man? Weird to see it as a 2017 account.

 

[JT Kreider]

I was 13 years old and had the same reaction I had at 11:27 on Saturday.

I just didn't know this place existed yet to fight with all of you about it.

I was all aboard the Parise and Getzlaf train and was devastated when ZP was drafted by the Devils.

Kind of the same way I feel about Wahlstrom and the Islanders.

Just gonna chalk it up to "typical Rangers"

 

[Thordic]

Jessiman is a bit baffling. With a draft that good, there must have been a reason they picked him, but for the life of me I don't know what it was. I wasn't enraged about the pick but I remember thinking they must know something.

McIlrath I liked over Fowler, wasn't a huge fan of his at the time due to reports. I actually wanted Gormley, which goes to show why I'm not an NHL scout. But I wasn't upset about the pick at all at the time.

I generally don't get pissed off at the draft though, it is what it is. We can't control it and we have to hope that the scouts did their jobs. Sure sometimes we can guess better than they do but just because you picked Tarasenko in 2010 doesn't mean you wouldn't have blown a ton of other picks. I wanted Carlson in 2008, which in hindsight makes me feel like a genius but I've also made some terrible choices in other drafts.

 

[Lion Hound]

The reality of it is in 03 everyone relied on the beat for the most part and also Blueshirt Bulletin to come up with info on these players. So any opinions at the time, were likely not formulated from actually watching Jessiman play unless they saw him at Dartmouth or maybe in Brunswick prior to.

I remember reading that he was a poor mans Lindros by one of the articles. Poverty must have struck that description awfully hard!