Prospect Info: Matthew Robertson, LD, 2nd round, 49th overall, 2019

[eco's bones]

Disappointing to see but Robertson obviously has been passed on the depth chart by undrafted collegiate free agent Brandon Scanlin. Probably not long for this organization but we'll see. Decision on his future will come this summer if they decide to qualify him.

Scanlin is up but he will have to play pretty well until one of the injured come back or Robertson probably will get a chance. It's hard for me to say I'd prefer one over the other. If Mackey were healthy it would probably be him. Laviolette liked the game he played earlier this year.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Robertson clearly has not played well enough for a callup. It's been pretty disappointing since he left Juniors on such a high note but some players just can't take that next step. He still has time but he's looking like a career AHLer unless he takes that next step.

 

[ColonialsHockey10]

Robertson always felt like one of those guys this board had blind optimism for. Probably in part because a few posters were really big fans.

Big, defensively sound with untapped offensive potential is everyone’s ideal defenseman projection. Easy to fall in love with that concept. Especially since we lived it with Staal and McDonagh. It seemed like he never really did much after he was drafted though. The offense picked up slightly, but his failure to make the Canada WJC always stood out.

 

[Fitzy]

Disappointing to see but Robertson obviously has been passed on the depth chart by undrafted collegiate free agent Brandon Scanlin. Probably not long for this organization but we'll see. Decision on his future will come this summer if they decide to qualify him.

Yeah, so draft day conventional talking point was that he was a late 1st that dropped well into the 2nd because of lack of offense, a fact that I think a lot of posters took to indicate that he was a 'safe' pick, near certain to eventually just be a bottom pairing defenseman. When I watched the footage he did look startlingly like Marc Staal to me, but without the lower body strength.

But it's very difficult to evaluate a stay at home blueliner that you aren't actively watching play the games. Rob struggled in preseason action, and our few AHL regulars say he never really took a step that made it seem like he was meant for anything more than the AHL. I was hoping the time would come when the seas would just open for him to step up and adjust once he's in the NHL- but we're technically a competitive team now. We don't have time to training wheels a defenseman who is behind his growth chart.

Which isn't to say he couldn't play on a roster like the San Jose Sharks. Just seems like a lower draft day upside didn't translate to likelihood of reaching it in this case. He would have been more at home in a Renney/Tortorella system however.

 

[cwede]

Disappointing to see but Robertson obviously has been passed on the depth chart by undrafted collegiate free agent Brandon Scanlin. Probably not long for this organization

Scanlin is up but he will have to play pretty well until one of the injured come back or Robertson probably will get a chance.

Robertson clearly has not played well enough for a callup... he's looking like a career AHLer unless he takes that next step.

sorry guys i read much of this thread and just see lots of over-reaching for premature conclusions

Robertson had callups before Scanlin,
Scanlin just happened to have his call up now, when the team needs to play him

I do not conceive of any sequence of events where Robertson is not QO'd.

the fast-track, that some players are achieving more commonly these days, has skewed expectations for young players
Robertson just turned 23, which is still young for a promising pro athlete, especially an NHL defenseman

 

[lakeshirts37]

sorry guys i read much of this thread and just see lots of over-reaching for premature conclusions

Robertson had callups before Scanlin,
Scanlin just happened to have his call up now, when the team needs to play him

I do not conceive of any sequence of events where Robertson is not QO'd.

the fast-track, that some players are achieving more commonly these days, has skewed expectations for young players
Robertson just turned 23, which is still young for a promising pro athlete, especially an NHL defenseman

eh idk I think he is what he is. Maybe he’ll get another shot somewhere but id be surprised if hes anything but a career AHLer

 

[Savant]

Robertson seems to be best case scenario on that Ryan Graves trajectory; unfortunately you rarely get success stories from that track

 

[SA16]

sorry guys i read much of this thread and just see lots of over-reaching for premature conclusions

Robertson had callups before Scanlin,
Scanlin just happened to have his call up now, when the team needs to play him

I do not conceive of any sequence of events where Robertson is not QO'd.

the fast-track, that some players are achieving more commonly these days, has skewed expectations for young players
Robertson just turned 23, which is still young for a promising pro athlete, especially an NHL defenseman

He's 23 and was drafted 5 years ago. Having him up by now would not be a fast track. Only four of the 48 players picked ahead of him have also yet to play a game. 23 is not young for a promising athlete. His entire ELC will have expired after this season.

He's probably 12th on the current depth chart between the regular six, Jones, Ruhwedel, Mackey, Scanlin, Harpur (yes some are injured).

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Robertson clearly has not played well enough for a callup. It's been pretty disappointing since he left Juniors on such a high note but some players just can't take that next step. He still has time but he's looking like a career AHLer unless he takes that next step.

He's been called up 3 times this season. Then when they are down a man late in the season with Lindgren going down, they pick Scanlin over him. At this point, we just have to all accept that he simply isn't meeting the expectations for this coaching staff.

 

[Lindberg Cheese]

He needs vitamin Rempe

 

[eco's bones]

sorry guys i read much of this thread and just see lots of over-reaching for premature conclusions

Robertson had callups before Scanlin,
Scanlin just happened to have his call up now, when the team needs to play him

I do not conceive of any sequence of events where Robertson is not QO'd.

the fast-track, that some players are achieving more commonly these days, has skewed expectations for young players
Robertson just turned 23, which is still young for a promising pro athlete, especially an NHL defenseman

Not sure how you think what I said was overreaching. I was aware of the fact that Robertson had been called up twice this year. We didn't have so many D down as now and he didn't get a chance to play. I kind of see both Robertson and Scanlin as equals in Hartford. Scanlin being up already (and just re-signed to boot) it would be pretty damn awkward at this point to send him down and bring Robertson up. Brandon's already here and has been practicing with the team. My post was pretty much that Scanlin would need to play well to stay in the lineup until one of our injured D returned or there was a possibility that Robertson might replace him. That's all it was. Do I expect the Rangers to qualify Robertson? Pretty much I do.

If Mackey were available though I think he'd be getting the call tonight.

 

[Greg02]

Robertson always felt like one of those guys this board had blind optimism for. Probably in part because a few posters were really big fans.

He just also feels like the type of player that the Rangers routinely convert into NHLers. Early first round forwards bust. Late round defensive defensemen convert. It's just how it (generally) is.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

Too bad.

But D is a tough position. Maybe he needs another year to develop down there, but its getting late.

He'll get the time, but yeah disappointing this is his D+5

I dont think its a surprise if we find out Drury was dangling him at any point and/or this summer

 

[eco's bones]

A lot of defensemen it takes them a while. It's not been an easy road for Nils in Dallas or Zac Jones here. Emberson's been in and out with San Jose but he's also been injured off and on. Libor Hajek kind of has gone missing and Darren Raddysh is doing okay in Tampa but he didn't get a chance until a hole opened up from injury and he's already mid-20's by then. The Rangers have 4 guys that pretty much went to the NHL---Trouba, Fox, Miller and half a season for Schneider---not that long for Lindgren either but it's not really the usual. Also when you have a solid 6 it's hard to break into the lineup.....you have to bide your time or move to another organization that's not as deep.

 

[GAGLine]

Robertson will be waiver eligible to begin next season. I have a hard time envisioning him making the team as one of the top 6. Would Drury keep him as a 7th or 8th rather than risk losing him to waivers? Is there an actual risk that we'd lose him to waivers?

I wouldn't be surprised if Robertson is traded in the offseason.

 

[Ranger Ric]

I've watched Robertson for three seasons in Hartford. He's a relatively high draft choice, he's big and he skates well. So you would think he's got a chance. But he's not good offensively and makes too many poor reads defensively. He's played well at times -- he did better last year when paired with Emberson -- and then he doesn't play well. One of the Athletic writers wrote a few years ago that his hockey sense is below NHL average. I think there's some truth in that analysis. I haven't seen much improvement in three seasons. I'm not hopeful I would think a trade might be in order because he might not clear waivers and it's hard to imagine him making the team next year. Scanlin has been the better player this year and it's not close. I believe the Rangers have come to that conclusion by signing Scanlin for the next two years and bringing him up now.

 

[Kendo]

1. I'd be shocked if he wasn't QO'd, unless traded.
2. I wouldn't be surprised at all if he's traded, but I'd rather keep him around in Jones' role next season while Jones replaces Gus.

 

[Kocur Dill]

Robertson always felt like one of those guys this board had blind optimism for. Probably in part because a few posters were really big fans.

Big, defensively sound with untapped offensive potential is everyone’s ideal defenseman projection. Easy to fall in love with that concept. Especially since we lived it with Staal and McDonagh. It seemed like he never really did much after he was drafted though. The offense picked up slightly, but his failure to make the Canada WJC always stood out.

His Captaincy the year the Oil Kings won their Championship elevated his expectations. He had a decent uptick in offense and his name was dropped constantly in print that season as a key contributor.

 

[GAGLine]

1. I'd be shocked if he wasn't QO'd, unless traded.
2. I wouldn't be surprised at all if he's traded, but I'd rather keep him around in Jones' role next season while Jones replaces Gus.

I'm not sure the Rangers will be comfortable keeping him as the 7th given that he has yet to play an NHL game. Maybe if we carry 8. Jones has played games over the previous 3 years, so we had a better idea of what he could do at this level.

 

[Kendo]

I'm not sure the Rangers will be comfortable keeping him as the 7th given that he has yet to play an NHL game. Maybe if we carry 8. Jones has played games over the previous 3 years, so we had a better idea of what he could do at this level.

I'm personally comfortable enough with that in my delusional daydream as GM. I'm also not sure the org is, so agree there.

 

[jay from jersey]

I've watched Robertson for three seasons in Hartford. He's a relatively high draft choice, he's big and he skates well. So you would think he's got a chance. But he's not good offensively and makes too many poor reads defensively. He's played well at times -- he did better last year when paired with Emberson -- and then he doesn't play well. One of the Athletic writers wrote a few years ago that his hockey sense is below NHL average. I think there's some truth in that analysis. I haven't seen much improvement in three seasons. I'm not hopeful I would think a trade might be in order because he might not clear waivers and it's hard to imagine him making the team next year. Scanlin has been the better player this year and it's not close. I believe the Rangers have come to that conclusion by signing Scanlin for the next two years and bringing him up now.

This is what I saw as well ric. It’s def likely I haven’t watched as many HFD games as you though.
The problem is getting him to be consistent.
When he has his good games, you come away impressed. He looks like a player.
But it’s getting him to maintain that seems like the issue.
I still stand by the fact that some team should stick him on 3rd pairing and give him a chance to see what he’s got.
Likely won’t be a playoff bound club, but if I’m a Chicago or Anaheim I’d def roll the dice.
Big D take longer for it all to click sometimes. And he may feel like he’s never going to get a shot here which also is a human factor.
He’s not going to put up offensive #s like juniors, but he’s got the size/skating and skill set to be a solid 3rd pair D with a good partner if he keeps his game simple imo

 

[irishlaxburger2]

If he wasn’t a 2nd round pick, his play and lack of development would have everyone forgetting him at this point.

I think we need to forget he was a 2nd round pick. He is what he is and that’s not an NHLer.

 

[Harbour Dog]

Robertson will be waiver eligible to begin next season. I have a hard time envisioning him making the team as one of the top 6. Would Drury keep him as a 7th or 8th rather than risk losing him to waivers? Is there an actual risk that we'd lose him to waivers?

I wouldn't be surprised if Robertson is traded in the offseason.

As of now, I don't think he'd be a likely candidate to get claimed. There's not much indication that he'd be able to play NHL minutes without getting caved in. And if he gets claimed during pre-season, I wouldn't be shocked if we got a chance to re-claim him shortly after.

Maybe if he turns some heads in camp, he'll give us reason to think twice, but I wouldn't prioritize trading him unless he's requesting it, or a trade that's justified in and of itself comes up. He's still a fine AHL defenseman.

 

[Beer League Sniper]

I remember him looking so polished in his first prospect tournament. At least compared to the competition there. It just seems like he hasn't really developed all that much. Sometimes that happens with players. It's disappointing, but it is what it is at this point.

I think he's a player that you keep around if you can, and hope he eventually gets it. All the tools are there. But he's not someone you're going to opine if they move on to a different organization.

If we can continue to bring guys like Scanlin into the organization, I don't think you lose any sleep over this. Even if he does have a late bloom, I don't see Robertson being anything other than a bottom pair guy.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Qualified by the Rangers yet has yet to play an NHL game. With Gustafsson and Ruhwedel moving on is there an opening for him at the Garden? Or are the Rangers likely to look elsewhere to.restock the defensemen group?