Prospect Info: 2022-2023 Rangers Prospects Thread (Player Stats in Post #1; Updated 06.04.2023)

[nyr2k2]

Also, FWIW, there's this Tweet, which seems to imply at least for now that they're expecting him back with the team (and won't be trading him):



Moose Jaw is 4th in their conference but with a goal differential of just +1, and they could use some help scoring. He's a big addition for them.

 

[pld459666]

It depends on what type of prick he is. If he's the Sean Avery/Tony DeAngelo type, we don't need more of that.

Even those guys.

They have been around since the game was started.

Manage the personalities. It has been and can be done.

 

[RangersFan1994]

Also, FWIW, there's this Tweet, which seems to imply at least for now that they're expecting him back with the team (and won't be trading him):



Moose Jaw is 4th in their conference but with a goal differential of just +1, and they could use some help scoring. He's a big addition for them.

St.Croix 2.0 what are some of the overage players in juniors to have had a good enough pro career in the AHL and has a decent chance to make the NHL?

 

[NYR Viper]

Important to remember that many of these kids lost an entire year of development in a critical juncture. Some of these kids may take a bit longer to develp

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Important to remember that many of these kids lost an entire year of development in a critical juncture. Some of these kids may take a bit longer to develp

Wish people would remember this when labeling Kakko and Lafs busts too…

 

[Barnaby]

I’ve repeatedly said Othmann’s attitude issues are going to be a problem. When he got the short end of the stick at the WJC everyone brushed it off as Canada being Canada. Have a look at the Flint board - there’s some good tidbits there. He’s got a lot of maturing to do (a lot more than most players his age, before the ‘I’m sure you were perfect at 19’ posts role in).

Whoever interviews our prospects to assess their character clearly has the emotional intelligence of a six year old.

To be fair, the team just traded its star forward for below market value. That is sure to irritate some fans. I ventured over to read the comments and some blamed the player while others blamed the organization. Surely, it’s not a good look, but I wouldn’t tar and feather the kid quite yet.

My guess is that it’s a little column A and a little column B. He was given the C at some point, but on the other hand you’d like to see the kid work well with the coaching. He’s also been trying to leave for two years so if it was THAT bad I’m sure they could’ve moved a guy if his caliber earlier.

 

[Barnaby]

Also, FWIW, there's this Tweet, which seems to imply at least for now that they're expecting him back with the team (and won't be trading him):



Moose Jaw is 4th in their conference but with a goal differential of just +1, and they could use some help scoring. He's a big addition for them.

He looks like he could be on one of those old caveman commercials.

 

[Barnaby]

Wish people would remember this when labeling Kakko and Lafs busts too…

There is a bit of a difference between labeling a guy bust vs being underwhelmed. Korczak was also a mid round pick vs guys taken 1OA and 2OA. This board acts as Kakko and Lafreniere apologists. Everything is the coaches fault. Advanced stats. I think my favorite was Kakko having “elite edge work.” At least Kakko seems to be on the right track. Hopefully Lafreniere can follow.

I don’t think it’s unfair to be underwhelmed by their development.

 

[bhamill]

There is a bit of a difference between labeling a guy bust vs being underwhelmed. Korczak was also a mid round pick vs guys taken 1OA and 2OA. This board acts as Kakko and Lafreniere apologists. Everything is the coaches fault. Advanced stats. I think my favorite was Kakko having “elite edge work.” At least Kakko seems to be on the right track. Hopefully Lafreniere can follow.

I don’t think it’s unfair to be underwhelmed by their development.

Right but it’s also not unfair to say their development has been underwhelming in part due to COVID conditions.

 

[rangersfansince08]

Right but it’s also not unfair to say their development has been underwhelming in part due to COVID conditions.

OK but that affected other guys too who have no problem producing. It didn't uniquely affect them.

 

[Barnaby]

Right but it’s also not unfair to say their development has been underwhelming in part due to COVID conditions.

Yea, I mean, one guy is in his 3rd NHL season and the other guy is in his 4th. Other guys the same ages and younger have been productive in the league. To me, it’s just continuing to dig up every excuse under the sun.

 

[nyr2k2]

The guys who lost a whole or most of a season in juniors, in college, or in Europe, I think they obviously have a legitimate claim to "lost development." The guys who were in the NHL the whole time and just played "weird" seasons, I don't really buy it.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

The guys who lost a whole or most of a season in juniors, in college, or in Europe, I think they obviously have a legitimate claim to "lost development." The guys who were in the NHL the whole time and just played "weird" seasons, I don't really buy it.

Like you said, they didn’t play a normal season. Training was off and not like a normal season and they were stuck playing the same few teams in empty buildings. Whole thing was a mess. Sucks it happened to 2 of our kids who were playing their first and second NHL seasons.

Laf is on his 3rd season despite playing less than 2 full seasons worth of games, Kakko is on his 4th playing less than 3 seasons worth of games.

This is why i’m not ready to jump down their throats for underperforming. Kakko has taken 4 steps forward this year and I expect Laf in the next year as well.

 

[eco's bones]

Korczak was a 3rd round pick from a mediocre draft. I think some are expecting too much too soon and 17 games played in 20-21 didn't help. Hartford is also swamped with forwards. The five or so games he got there might be helpful for him next year. At least he has an idea now of what the AHL is about. I also think he needs to put on a few pounds---getting up to 185 would be helpful for him.

 

[gravey9]

Korczak was a 3rd round pick from a mediocre draft. I think some are expecting too much too soon and 17 games played in 20-21 didn't help. Hartford is also swamped with forwards. The five or so games he got there might be helpful for him next year. At least he has an idea now of what the AHL is about. I also think he needs to put on a few pounds---getting up to 185 would be helpful for him.

Agreed. The amount of scratches Hartford makes every game seems untenable. All these kids need playing time. It's one thing to sit an AHL vet whose window to make the NHL might be over. It's another to scratch kids who need to develop. Going back isn't bad for Ryder. He still needs to build up his body some to withstand the pro game. He'll go back. Get stronger and with an understanding of what it takes to be a pro. He's a long shot still. But no need to rush the kid. Give him all the runway he needs.

 

[Ola]

Hugo Ollas stopped 33 shots including 17 in the 3rd period for his first shutout of the season.

Who has more potential, Ollas or Lafreniere?

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

The guys who lost a whole or most of a season in juniors, in college, or in Europe, I think they obviously have a legitimate claim to "lost development." The guys who were in the NHL the whole time and just played "weird" seasons, I don't really buy it.

This is a valid point. It really depends on where they played.

OHL: Cancelled altogether
QMJHL: Full season with massive restrictions
WHL: Handful of games only
NCAA: Depends on the school. Some schools didn't play at all (like Kjellberg's RPI)
SuperElit/SM-Sarja: All games cancelled after Dec 2020

But in the NHL they played 56 games in 2020-21 and only lost 10-11 the previous season.

 

[Barnaby]

Like you said, they didn’t play a normal season. Training was off and not like a normal season and they were stuck playing the same few teams in empty buildings. Whole thing was a mess. Sucks it happened to 2 of our kids who were playing their first and second NHL seasons.

Laf is on his 3rd season despite playing less than 2 full seasons worth of games, Kakko is on his 4th playing less than 3 seasons worth of games.

This is why i’m not ready to jump down their throats for underperforming. Kakko has taken 4 steps forward this year and I expect Laf in the next year as well.

What does “training was off” mean? Did they have to get tested before going to the gym or use every other treadmill?

It’s off because they didn’t play western conference games and played more metro games? That sounds like reaching.

I do buy this argument for the kids who missed an entire junior year. Kids drafted in middle rounds and playing in college, junior, and the NCAA. Those are valuable games and they wouldn’t have access to gym facilities like the pros.

They aren’t kids anymore like you say. At some point they are expected to be top 6 forwards at the least given their draft pedigree. It seems like Kakko is turning the corner. Hopefully Lafreniere starts to turn it around as well. When you draft guys 1OA and 2OA you are hoping to get good hockey from them on their ELC’s. We always talk about the importance of guys on ELC’s in a salary cap world. Kakko is already on a bridge and Laf will be there soon. I like both of them but both have been underwhelming.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

What does “training was off” mean? Did they have to get tested before going to the gym or use every other treadmill?

It’s off because they didn’t play western conference games and played more metro games? That sounds like reaching.

I do buy this argument for the kids who missed an entire junior year. Kids drafted in middle rounds and playing in college, junior, and the NCAA. Those are valuable games and they wouldn’t have access to gym facilities like the pros.

They aren’t kids anymore like you say. At some point they are expected to be top 6 forwards at the least given their draft pedigree. It seems like Kakko is turning the corner. Hopefully Lafreniere starts to turn it around as well. When you draft guys 1OA and 2OA you are hoping to get good hockey from them on their ELC’s. We always talk about the importance of guys on ELC’s in a salary cap world. Kakko is already on a bridge and Laf will be there soon. I like both of them but both have been underwhelming.

Everything was "off" that year. We all lived through it, and so did they, at a time where they were trying to learn and become professional athletes in the NHL...as if that isn't hard enough.

To say they got a fair shake at a normal year(s) to come into the the NHL and adjust like everyone else did before..and after them, is not fair. So yes, I absolutely give them, and that entire draft class from those 2 years more leeway for now. Kakko seems to have turned the corner, and I would expect Laf to do the same in the next year.

 

[bhamill]

OK but that affected other guys too who have no problem producing. It didn't uniquely affect them.

Yea, I mean, one guy is in his 3rd NHL season and the other guy is in his 4th. Other guys the same ages and younger have been productive in the league. To me, it’s just continuing to dig up every excuse under the sun.

The list of guys who have smoothly come out like a bat out of hell is tiny. Mostly they've been smallish skill guys who develop differently. And most of them are on teams where they were thrust into PP time and top line roles. And who is to say that they wouldn't have been even BETTER under "normal" circumstances. Kakko is coming around, Chytil is coming around, Laf is coming around. Overall it's plain that about four classes of drafts have been affected significantly in their development because of COVID. Sure there are exceptions, but circumstances vary.
The point is it's fair to give these guys a little extra time. There were folks on here last year saying Laf's ceiling is a 3rd liner. Hahaha. While playing his second season in the f***ing NHL at 19-20. It's absurdist.

Like you said, they didn’t play a normal season. Training was off and not like a normal season and they were stuck playing the same few teams in empty buildings. Whole thing was a mess. Sucks it happened to 2 of our kids who were playing their first and second NHL seasons.

Laf is on his 3rd season despite playing less than 2 full seasons worth of games, Kakko is on his 4th playing less than 3 seasons worth of games.

This is why i’m not ready to jump down their throats for underperforming. Kakko has taken 4 steps forward this year and I expect Laf in the next year as well.

Yup. Exactly.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Yea, I mean, one guy is in his 3rd NHL season and the other guy is in his 4th. Other guys the same ages and younger have been productive in the league. To me, it’s just continuing to dig up every excuse under the sun.

It's incredibly frustrating to see ***BACK-TO-BACK CONSENSUS TOP-2 PICKS*** not live up to expectation. Hard to blame Gordie Clark for these ones. Maybe, just maybe, it wasn't Gordie Clark that was the problem

 

[bhamill]

It's incredibly frustrating to see ***BACK-TO-BACK CONSENSUS TOP-2 PICKS*** not live up to expectation. Hard to blame Gordie Clark for these ones. Maybe, just maybe, it wasn't Gordie Clark that was the problem


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Maybe there isn't even a problem. Both Kakko and Laf are right in the mix there and are both still developing, neither has really clicked yet. Sure we want to see more from them, but this is a small sample size, let's see where everyone is at 30-40 games... They are chugging right along, and IMO it's just a matter of time till they outstrip most of the pack. Laf had 19 EV goals last year. Did anyone from his draft class come close to that? Serious question, I really don't know. But I DO know that 19 even strength goals is pretty damn good for a 20 year old... under any circumstances.

 

[UnSandvich]

Maybe there isn't even a problem. Both Kakko and Laf are right in the mix there and are both still developing, neither has really clicked yet. Sure we want to see more from them, but this is a small sample size, let's see where everyone is at 30-40 games... They are chugging right along, and IMO it's just a matter of time till they outstrip most of the pack. Laf had 19 EV goals last year. Did anyone from his draft class come close to that? Serious question, I really don't know. But I DO know that 19 even strength goals is pretty damn good for a 20 year old... under any circumstances.

Raymond was the closest with 16

 

[pblawr]

Maybe there isn't even a problem. Both Kakko and Laf are right in the mix there and are both still developing, neither has really clicked yet. Sure we want to see more from them, but this is a small sample size, let's see where everyone is at 30-40 games... They are chugging right along, and IMO it's just a matter of time till they outstrip most of the pack. Laf had 19 EV goals last year. Did anyone from his draft class come close to that? Serious question, I really don't know. But I DO know that 19 even strength goals is pretty damn good for a 20 year old... under any circumstances.

The shooting percentages and on-ice shooting percentages are notable too. If you think those are going to even out over time, Kakko and Laf will move up those lists.

 

[nyr2k2]

TOI is interesting to look at, there. Lafreniere with more TOI than all but one other forward (Stutzle) and Kakko more than all but Zegras and Jack Hughes. I think the lack of PP TOI (which to me is largely understandable) is one of the biggest contributing factors to their "disappointing" production.