Give me McIlrath over Ian Cole. He is bigger, meaner, tougher, and can actually get a shot through from the point. If I was a Ranger fan, I would be livid. This team could use a tough SOB who is capable of clearing the crease and moving the puck forward.
I wouldn't. Cole has been very, VERY good for us considering his role. I've been very pleased with the Cole-Schultz paring. With that, I would absolutely 100% claim McIlrath if given the chance. Just to see what you have in him. Big body, physical, can fight. Not sure about his speed but he'd be a solid #7.
Clendening has supposedly been doing good in New York. I myself kind of liked him here.
AV hated McIlrath for some unjustified reason. Just like he used to play Tanner Glass over Oscar Lindberg.
I thought Clendening did a fine job while he was here. I thought it was a freaking outrage that Scuderi was in the lineup over him. Was bummed to lose him but not crushed. I would have taken him as a #7. No better or worse than Warsofsky. Would have preferred to have kept Chorney but oh well.
So here's an unrelated question about the exp draft. Let's say we choose the 7F, 3D route. We have 6 forwards and 4 dmen we want to keep. Could we "convert" Pouliot (for example) to a wing and protect him as a wing as a way to get around having to expose him?
Like serious run a 4th line of Kuhnhackl-Cullen-Pouliot from say Feb onward.