silverfish
got perma'd
I'll throw another miss in for Balej. Thought he would an awesome dangler and make the NHL. Looking back, I think I was just memorized by the hair.
I'll throw another miss in for Balej. Thought he would an awesome dangler and make the NHL. Looking back, I think I was just memorized by the hair.
I'll throw another miss in for Balej. Thought he would an awesome dangler and make the NHL. Looking back, I think I was just memorized by the hair.
Did the Rangers have the choice between Balej and Plekanec?
Hits:
While actually watching the draft I said 'yay' Parise fell to us' followed by 'Hugh who?'. Then a few years later while actually watching the draft I said 'yay Fowler fell to us' followed by 'Dylan who?'
I'm on these boards criticizing the Mac draft pick the next day saying I wanted Fowler, Tarasenko or Gormley, so to date im two out of three there!
Hated the Redden signing from day one and argued with those trying to rationalize it - no he did NOT just need a change of scenery.
Hated the Boyle signing.
Critized constantly trading all those draft picks
Said here the Yandle trade would be short term gain long term pain. Not enough gain.
Hated the Staal trade - those of you in the trade thread applauding it have some 'splainin to do!
Misses:
When zucc first came over and went back to Europe without accomplishing much I thought he would never be a factor.
Liked the Gomez signing.
Thought the Nash trade would put us over the top.
Someone mentioned Ric Bennett - I thought for sure he was going to be a star too
Pavel Brendl - I totally bought into it
Wouldn't call that a miss.
He was really good here and then we traded him for McDonagh before he started to suck. It could not have possibly gone better.
Wouldn't call that a miss.
He was really good here and then we traded him for McDonagh before he started to suck. It could not have possibly gone better.
Hit: I liked the Stepan pick a lot after doing some reading on him when we took him. Thought he'd be a top 6 center.
Miss: Had high hopes for Christian Thomas.
Stepan got a lot of crap from people who thought he was going to be Darin Olver, but the two were always very different players. I remember having a few arguments defending Stepan back then.
I'd call the Gomez signing a miss. I think time has been a little kind here. He had a good first year here. But beyond that I don't think he was really good.
That they got Gaborik and McDonagh seems have sugar coated Gomez's Ranger career.
I admit I was upset, but mainly cause I think he could have been grabbed in the 3rd round, and it wasn't Olver I was scared of, it was Billy Ryan, Lee Falardeau, Kenny Roche, Randy Hillier.....
Ryan*
I was actually going to include him... I thought he would at least have a good AHL career. Didn't even come close to that.
Miss
Sean Haggerty - Thought he'd be a similar player to Ryan Smyth.
Eric Fichaud - Thought the Islanders had a heck of a young goalie.
Hit
Tyler Toffoli - Thought the kid was the type of guy winning teams had knew he'd be a real good NHL player. Thought he'd be a first rounder, didn't quite think he'd score 30 in the NHL.
I always though Mike Mottau was going to have a better career. Thought he could be a better defensive version of Marc-Andre Bergeron.
I was sort of wrong/sort of right on Korpikoski. Never saw much upside in him thought he'd have a similar career to Jan Erixon. He has had a nice career but is no defensive wiz.
I really liked Balej and thought he would be a perenial 20-goal scorer. He looked good at the end of 2003-04 and really good for Hartford in 2004-05. Something happened with him during 2005-06. He was very distant and just seemed unhappy being a Ranger during training camp and preseason 2005. I think Leslie said he seemed distant as well. After that he never made the team, got shipped to Vancouver, and had the Kidney injury that forced him to leave NA. I have no factual information but back on the Hockey Rodent and other Stone Age message boards, there were rumors that a young sniper in the Rangers organization was upset with them bringing in Nylander, Straka, Rucinsky, and Ruccin and felt it diminished his chances of making the club. Always thought that was Balej.
I expected more of Cory Hirsch, and I liked Vorobiev, Johnan Whitehall, and Daniel Gonaeu. Vorobiev I never understood why he was sent down (his ppg at the NHL level was pretty good given the small sample size). Whitehall was fine, he was sent down based on reputation only, and Gonaeu was apparently very immature. Sucks he never made it back to the dance.
2002
Rangers-Lee Falardeau. With other more known prospects with higher ceilings on the board we picked a dud.
Hit-Loved Alex Steen. Was a hug fan of his Dad Thomas when he played for the Jets. Jim Slater too.