Edge
Kris King's Ghost
I agree and that’s one reason I am always hesitant to put out any form of a list until about December.
When you’re talking about teenage kids, there are so many variables and the light can click on at any moment.
Draft and UDFA Thread 2018-19
- Thread starter Pavel Buchnevich
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I agree and that’s one reason I am always hesitant to put out any form of a list until about December.
When you’re talking about teenage kids, there are so many variables and the light can click on at any moment.
Joey Bones
***** 2k16
I can agree with this, especially if Quinn wants a fast and physical team. When watching him, he does show some flairs of that. Fingers crossed you're right!!
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
2020 draft eligible Lucas Raymond got his SHL debut today for Frolunda. Only six minutes and 1 SOG as the 13th forward, but still impressive that he's making his debut even prior to his draft-eligible season.
Edge
Kris King's Ghost
He's got all the tools, now he just needs to get them in order. Last year, there were times he looked overwhelmed to me. But that's not unheard for a player his age.
In terms of size/skill combination, Dach and Cozens are arguably the most intriguing North American prospects.
Cozens is a little more cerebral, and a little smoother. Dach has a little more of that edge.
Oscar Lindberg
Registered User
New article from Drew over at Blueshirt Break
Very good read for anyone interested in next years draft
Very good read for anyone interested in next years draft
LeetchisGod
This is a bad hockey team.
Edge
Kris King's Ghost
I really like Matthew Boldy's game. Not as a top 10 pick at this point, but definitely as a guy in the 11-20 range who has a chance to become one of those upper tier support guys. His game looks like it has the elements necessary to translate well to the pro game.
But the 2019 draft could be the most important day in Rangers history in a generation.
Let's for argument's sake say the Rangers pick in the top 3. You take that pick, potentially add anywhere from 1-3 additional firsts and you arguably have the crossroads of the entire franchise in the balance.
Take nothing away from the 2017 or 2018 drafts, but if you head into this draft picking 1-3, with potentially multiple picks in the 20s, and you're looking to combine that with what is already in the system, and you have a legit shot to build the type of team that Ranger fans have dreamed about for decades.
But the 2019 draft could be the most important day in Rangers history in a generation.
Let's for argument's sake say the Rangers pick in the top 3. You take that pick, potentially add anywhere from 1-3 additional firsts and you arguably have the crossroads of the entire franchise in the balance.
Take nothing away from the 2017 or 2018 drafts, but if you head into this draft picking 1-3, with potentially multiple picks in the 20s, and you're looking to combine that with what is already in the system, and you have a legit shot to build the type of team that Ranger fans have dreamed about for decades.
LeetchisGod
This is a bad hockey team.
This is going to be the most popular thread in this boards history if things keep going the way they're going.
Fitzy
Very Stable Genius
- Jan 29, 2009
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I guess that would have to be Brian Leetch, unless you count Jagr in his years here.
Oscar Lindberg
Registered User
I've been reading prospect profiles over the weekend and watching video, moving closer towards settling on Kakko as the 2nd best player in this draft.
Things can obviously change, but this draft may resemble 2016's draft quite a bit. The big time US center is the unanimous 1st overall, but a Finnish sniper is close behind him, trying to make the case to be taken 1st.
Things can obviously change, but this draft may resemble 2016's draft quite a bit. The big time US center is the unanimous 1st overall, but a Finnish sniper is close behind him, trying to make the case to be taken 1st.
Edge
Kris King's Ghost
Kakko finished last year and started this season as my number 2. He's a hell of a talent.
To me the gap between Hughes and Kakko is noticeable, but that's more a testament to how favorably I view Hughes' talent and not a knock on Kakko. Not unlike last season, I think Hughes' is in his own tier, Kakko in his own, and then names like Turcotte, Dach, Cozens, etc. are in a third tier.
Kakko's skating at his size is really impressive. I'd love to have him.
Podkolzin may be my favorite of all the guys though. Not in the "hes the best player in the draft" kind of way,but he literally doesn't know how to score in a way that wouldn't belong at the top half of any sports center top 10 plays list.
Seriously, it seems like every goal he scores is just spectacular.
Podkolzin may be my favorite of all the guys though. Not in the "hes the best player in the draft" kind of way,but he literally doesn't know how to score in a way that wouldn't belong at the top half of any sports center top 10 plays list.
Seriously, it seems like every goal he scores is just spectacular.
Edge
Kris King's Ghost
I'd probably argue that Podkolzin is the most electric pick in the draft in terms of out-of-your-seat reactions when he has the puck. If one was to compile videos of all the potential first round picks, his video would likely be the one that would make most people say wow.
At the Rangers fan forum last Monday, Gorton said the Rangers are building their team with centers, defensemen and goaltending.
Gorton has traded for Zibanejad and Howden. He used two first round picks on Andersson and Chytil. The Rangers could be in position to take another center with their pick in June. BPA. Zibanejad is expendable. I like him but don’t trust him. The Rangers would still have quality players at that position. His NMC kicks in next July. If they select another quality center, they move a center to the wing. Andersson? They would have Andersson, Buchnevich and Kravstov on the wing. They don’t need to spend crazy money on a free agent winger who does not fit the age group of the core. The Rangers could find their winger in the draft and leave a center at center. They don’t need Panarin.
They have Shestyorkin in net coming in near future. They are not finding a better goaltender at that age.
Defense is another story. Gorton used two first round picks Miller and Lundkvist. They need that #1 D and you can find those outside of the top ten on the draft. Gorton did say the Rangers are looking for more younger assets. Draft picks. Prospects.
Gorton has traded for Zibanejad and Howden. He used two first round picks on Andersson and Chytil. The Rangers could be in position to take another center with their pick in June. BPA. Zibanejad is expendable. I like him but don’t trust him. The Rangers would still have quality players at that position. His NMC kicks in next July. If they select another quality center, they move a center to the wing. Andersson? They would have Andersson, Buchnevich and Kravstov on the wing. They don’t need to spend crazy money on a free agent winger who does not fit the age group of the core. The Rangers could find their winger in the draft and leave a center at center. They don’t need Panarin.
They have Shestyorkin in net coming in near future. They are not finding a better goaltender at that age.
Defense is another story. Gorton used two first round picks Miller and Lundkvist. They need that #1 D and you can find those outside of the top ten on the draft. Gorton did say the Rangers are looking for more younger assets. Draft picks. Prospects.
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
The problem with Boldy is that I could see him moving up. He's going to put up big point totals this year, like Caufield. I like both of those players, not for a team that needs to draft star players. Outside of the big two on that team, Zegras is the forward on that team who I believe has star potential. I think he'll end up going top 10, but if we get an 11-20 pick, the NTDP forward I'm taking is Zegras.
I'm also not sure that we can build the team completely with this draft. Lets say we get a top 3 pick as you say, and add a player that ends up being a 1C. Thats great, and maybe we add Panarin in the offseason. That has the makings of a forward group that has the ability to contend for a Cup.
We still wouldn't have the defensive pieces needed. I don't think most fans realize how bad of a shape our NHL defense and organizational defensive talent is in. There is no McAvoy or Sergachyov or Heiskanen thats going to step in within the next season or two. That player doesn't exist in our organization. Even if things go well with our defensive prospects, what's the upside? We get 3-4 middle pairing D? Which of them have legitimate 1D upside? Which of them even have legitimate 2D upside? Take a look at prospect lists. No one lists Hajek, Rykov, Miller, Lundkvist, Lindgren any higher than maybe the last spot or two on one of these lists or as an honorable mention. These players aren't occupying the top 10-20 spots around the league.
This team still needs another two top pairing defensemen. Is it possible we could get one from the next draft? It is, but its also a very weak defenseman draft, so that doesn't help. Are we going to sign that player in free agency? I'm afraid we completely botched the draft from a defensive standpoint. Dobson, Smith, Wilde, Samuelsson, Bouchard were on the board. We took Kravtsov. Kravtsov is a good prospect, but do we really need another winger prospect? We're not even sure that Chytil and Andersson are NHL centers.
With the two later firsts, I'm not sure where the upside is. Does anyone watch Lundkvist and actually believe he has top pairing upside? I think he's a very generic prospect. He'll play in the league, but not at a high level. The "upside" pick was a guy that doesn't have any quantifiable hockey skills, but the platitudes can be used, so thats how some are justifying it for now. Those types of picks usually turn out horribly.
I think this team's downfall with the rebuild will be the defense. I applaud what they've done bringing in guys like Pionk, Hajek, Rykov, Lindgren, but those guys or the two late firsts cannot be what you are going to say is the core of your defense. If it is, its not going to be a good defense.
offdacrossbar
misfit fanboy
agreed on podkolzin. hes a monster and will be a gem. oozes talent.
the other kid i love is arthur kaliyev. he has that shot you cannot ignore and the kind of shot that makes him a real difference maker. laser fast and so much power.
he is a pure sniper and has the ability to pick corners and raise the puck top shelf. this kid is a shooter pure and simple. a finisher. watch his goals. watch the release, the accuracy and the ability to pick it. the goalies dont have a chance but to shrug a shoulder or react after the puck is already in and out.
i continue to watch this kid light it up.
the other kid i love is arthur kaliyev. he has that shot you cannot ignore and the kind of shot that makes him a real difference maker. laser fast and so much power.
he is a pure sniper and has the ability to pick corners and raise the puck top shelf. this kid is a shooter pure and simple. a finisher. watch his goals. watch the release, the accuracy and the ability to pick it. the goalies dont have a chance but to shrug a shoulder or react after the puck is already in and out.
i continue to watch this kid light it up.
Well, Skjei is looking like a low end 1st pair D this year, so that is encouraging. D prospects take longer to develop, so maybe we have one in Miller, Hajek, Rykov or Lundkvist.
Anyway, if we get Panarin and draft a 1C star next draft we could become a contender a la the Capitals and the Penguins. Amazing forwards, bellow average defense.
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
Those teams have generational players. Pittsburgh has two of them. I'm also not sure that we even have a defenseman currently on the team or in the system with the upside of Letang or Carlson. Those guys aren't great, but Letang has pretty solidly been a first pair D during those Pittsburgh Cup runs, and Carlson played out of his mind last season.
Edge
Kris King's Ghost
Boldy could certainly move up, though the top 10 guys are going to be harder to budge. If he moves them, it will be from one hell of an effort --- which wouldn't be the worst thing in the world for him or the team that drafts him.
As for building through the draft, I agree. I don't think the Rangers can build completely through the draft, nor do I think they would want to for that matter. Frankly, the ability to supplement talent is potentially one of the team's strengths and one of the reasons I've never thought of us in the same mold as Colorado or Edmonton. If the Rangers can build a core group of young players, and find a way to determine the keepers and figure out who gets moved, and can then move said pieces to fill holes or sign guys to round out a roster, that's a pretty intriguing possibility.
I don't think an amazing 2019 draft finishes the job --- as you said, we still need multiples pieces. But it definitely puts in a position to really build and move forward.
I think it's way too premature to talk about downfalls or what this team doesn't have yet. If someone got pregnant at the TDL, they'd still be debating names at this point. We can't expect the Rangers to have every position's future in good shape.
Part of the challenge is there's the underlying mindset that all of our cornerstones were going to be in place coming out of the 2018 draft. Anyone with that expectation was going to be disappointed no matter what --- even if we took one of Bouchard, Dobson, or the other names you mentioned.
The truth is that 2019 TDL and draft isn't going to plug every hole either. It's still going to take time and development. And there's a very real possibility that if the Rangers take a center in this draft, that some of what they have is either moving to the wing and/or more likely to be part of a deal for a defenseman moving forward.
I think there's a tendency to think 3 years down the line about positions, when we're barely at 3 months worth of games for the team since the TDL.
Well, I'm hoping Hughes, Kakko or whoever we draft next could be those type of players, at least for a couple of years. And Pittsburgh was without Letang in one of their titles, it's difficult to win withou a true number one D but it's not impossible.
Mac n Gs
Drury plz
- Jan 17, 2014
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Called it before the year that Kaliyev was way too low on lists and would push his way into the top-10 argument. He's on fire to start the year for Hamilton.
Joey Bones
***** 2k16
Well inside the top 15-20. After that, it looks kinda sub-par....
Edge
Kris King's Ghost
One of the keys is that if the Rangers get to a point where they have more players than positions, they can start adjusting. Whether that's moving centers to the wing, or trading them for defensive help, it wouldn't be a bad spot to be in.
A bad spot to be in would be none of those guys panning out, and still having holes on defense. That's a far bigger concern than having to move someone to the win, which is why I've never been particularly down on the idea of moving Chytil or Andersson to the wing if we should ever reach that crossroad.
I think Zibanejad is a far greater candidate to be moved than this board acknowledges or wants to acknowledge, though it very much depends on what he shows this season. If the Rangers remain unsure, he very well could be moved in advance of his movement clause. I've believed that since last season.
I also wouldn't be shocked if it's Zibanejad that gets moved, and Hayes who ends up being locked up long-term. Not saying that it's going to happen, but it really wouldn't surprise me in the least.
I think there's still a potential need for Panarin, at the very least for the next few years --- even if we arrived at a point where Andersson was on the wings. But it all depends on how different players develop or respond over the next few months. Kreider could very well be another player who is moved.
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