Prospect Info: Rangers Prospect Thread (Player Stats/Info in Post #1; Updated 1.27.20)

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

I don't think Andersson would be eligible anymore (which is good, because it'll save us from having to read another thread of whining, complaining, and general *****ing)

As for Kravtsov, i don't think he'll move anywhere significant up or down, but Jones will be a BIG riser

Yep. Might see the top 5.

 

[HFsNumber1Heel]

I think Barron is going to be one of those NHl players that is outstanding defensively, fluctuates between 15 to 25 goals, 30 to 45 points a year. Depending on how much PP time h gets and who he plays with by scoring lots of garbage goals around the net. That is something most of our crappy forwards can't do.

For a 6th round pick, that's excellent and sign me up for that.

 

[Algernop Kreider]

I think Barron is going to be one of those NHl players that is outstanding defensively, fluctuates between 15 to 25 goals, 30 to 45 points a year. Depending on how much PP time h gets and who he plays with by scoring lots of garbage goals around the net. That is something most of our crappy forwards can't do. Other than one year. Wall has had a great college career. His numbers this year are absurd. To me, whether they deal Georgiev will depend a lot of what they think of Wall. Huska still has a good upside but to move Georgiev, I would think they would want a guy that can start if Shesterkin missed time.

Still think Buchnevich and somebody like Georgiev or Huska is going to the Oilers. Or maybe a Fast and Buchnevich. Rangers could use some guys like Benson and Yamamoto who are NHL ready to give this crappy forward squad some scoring depth now and for the future. Benson and Yamamoto have much higher ceilings than Fast and Buchnevich. Yet, Edmonton has to be fairly desperate. They simply can't miss the playoffs again. Not with their two stars up front.

It would be pretty remarkable if he scored 25.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Yep. Might see the top 5.

He could.

Shesty
Kravstov
Miller
Lundkvist
Jones.

Barron has a claim to that 5th spot too though.

 

[Luger]

He could.

Shesty
Kravstov
Miller
Lundkvist
Jones.

Barron has a claim to that 5th spot too though.

Why is Lund behind Miller? He did better at the WJC.

 

[Blue Blooded]

Why is Lund behind Miller? He did better at the WJC.

I probably have Nils a little bit ahead at this point, but the WJC isn't nearly the biggest factor in that. It's a short tournament with unfamiliar teammates (though not so much in Nils' case as he's played a lot with Ginning before).

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I probably have Nils a little bit ahead at this point, but the WJC isn't nearly the biggest factor in that. It's a short tournament with unfamiliar teammates (though not so much in Nils' case as he's played a lot with Ginning before).

Miller didn't have a great season early on. That should count more towards Miller potentially dropping in lists than this 2 week tournament.

Lundkvist has done more than people could have asked for. Major leap in his development. Last season they were close but considering the jump this year by Nils, I have a hard time finding a way to put Miller ahead of him on our prospect list.

Zac Jones has probably been the biggest surprise so far this season though.

 

[Anzi]

This season has exposed a lot of Miller's deficiencies. He's a physical specimen but he's still raw. Some of us thought that he might be able to make the team next season but I highly doubt it. Would be good to get him in Hartford next season though.

 

[NYR Viper]

Miller didn't have a great season early on. That should count more towards Miller potentially dropping in lists than this 2 week tournament.

Lundkvist has done more than people could have asked for. Major leap in his development. Last season they were close but considering the jump this year by Nils, I have a hard time finding a way to put Miller ahead of him on our prospect list.

Zac Jones has probably been the biggest surprise so far this season though.

The constant underrating of Kjellberg continues!

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

The constant underrating of Kjellberg continues!

#nepotismorbust

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Why is Lund behind Miller? He did better at the WJC.

Ceiling.

 

[kovazub94]

Don’t give a flying f*** if Miller is a spot ahead of Lundkvist on 55%/45% vote split or vice versa.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

Don’t give a flying **** if Miller is a spot ahead of Lundkvist on 55%/45% vote split or vice versa.

The rankings mean close to nothing for me outside of a fun exercise, but I think everyone will agree that it is really nice to have both of them

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

If people have Lundkvist ahead of Miller I'm fine with that as well. I don't think there is much of a gap between the 2 (Nils has had the better season this year, his development has been a nice surprise) but Miller's ceiling is enormous and that factors in for me.

FWIW, I'd move either in a package for the right "now" player.

 

[eco's bones]

I have Miller and Lundkvist about even. That said Lundkvist is having a better season and against tougher competition. But also having size and physical ability is better than not having them. It's part of what Miller brings and shouldn't be dismissed.

Looking ahead for either of them. On the right side the Rangers have 3 solid guys and one of them not named Trouba is going to have to move to make room for Lundkvist when he's ready--probably DeAngelo. I see Nils either in the SHL or AHL next year and hopefully NHL ready for 21-22. A little more filling out will probably help him a lot. He seems stronger this year.

On the left side there may be more competition in numbers for Miller but it's not as tough as far as overall quality as it is on the right side. He'll be in College or the AHL next year. I don't see him right now making the Rangers as a rookie pro--maybe get some games in his first year. I think he's pretty much going to need a year in the AHL before he's ready. He has more things to work on than Nils. So I would put him as NHL ready in 21-22 or 22-23. Staal will be out of the way by then. Skjei may or may not be around. That leaves at least Lindgren, Rykov and Hajek with Reunanen, Robertson and maybe Jones in the mix.

 

[kovazub94]

I have Miller and Lundkvist about even. That said Lundkvist is having a better season and against tougher competition. But also having size and physical ability is better than not having them. It's part of what Miller brings and shouldn't be dismissed.

Looking ahead for either of them. On the right side the Rangers have 3 solid guys and one of them not named Trouba is going to have to move to make room for Lundkvist when he's ready--probably DeAngelo. I see Nils either in the SHL or AHL next year and hopefully NHL ready for 21-22. A little more filling out will probably help him a lot. He seems stronger this year.

On the left side there may be more competition in numbers for Miller but it's not as tough as far as overall quality as it is on the right side. He'll be in College or the AHL next year. I don't see him right now making the Rangers as a rookie pro--maybe get some games in his first year. I think he's pretty much going to need a year in the AHL before he's ready. He has more things to work on than Nils. So I would put him as NHL ready in 21-22 or 22-23. Staal will be out of the way by then. Skjei may or may not be around. That leaves at least Lindgren, Rykov and Hajek with Reunanen, Robertson and maybe Jones in the mix.

From the organizational perspective Miller fulfilling his potential is much more important, though I’m sure that could change with separate events (trades).

 

[usekakkorightquinn]

I think Miller might need almost two years in the AHL which is fine. He will still be 22.

 

[eco's bones]

From the organizational perspective Miller fulfilling his potential is much more important, though I’m sure that could change with separate events (trades).

I agree--the left side perspective is somewhat weaker than the right side IMO. There are more numbers on the left though. I haven't been super impressed with Hajek this year. He is still very young though. Lindgren's been fine. He's more of a stay at home guy who really does focus on defending. That said he moves the puck well and he plays with edge. Rykov since coming back from injury seems to be doing very well in Hartford. I see him possibly with NHL games before the year is our and pushing for a job next year. Reunanen's floundered a bit in Finland this year--something's going on and apparently his coach isn't pleased with him. I think next year he'll be in the AHL. Robertson's season hasn't been great either though he seems to be doing better now. The player who has really emerged though is Jones. Miller probably has the most upside of all these guys but they are all formidable challenges.

.....and then there is Skjei who even though he has issues with consistency is a pretty good player and still fairly young.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I think Miller might need almost two years in the AHL which is fine. He will still be 22.

Depends on when he goes pro. I think Miller and Jones benefit from 3 full years in college. But after that, they shouldn't need 2 full seasons in the AHL before making the team.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Miller needs reps, he will get more in the AHL than in the NCAA. He should go pro after this year, our staff down there is excellent.

with Jones, it’s a matter of his body catching up with the rest of his game. Could be in a year, could be in 3.

 

[NYR Viper]

I waffle between the NCAA or AHL for Miller next year. I thought Lindgren came out too early but his full year in the AHL last year was a major reason why he was NHL ready as soon as he was.

 

[Edge]

Before the holidays, the thought internally was to leave Miller in college for another year --- which I tended to agree with.

But I'm sure there will be more discussion about it in the next 6-8 weeks.

 

[effen]

I'd let Miller keep growing into his body for another year before sending him to the bus-ride meat grinder 3 games in 3 nights of the AHL. He'll not be able to keep on weight or will via fast food.

 

[cwede]

I waffle between the NCAA or AHL for Miller next year. I thought Lindgren came out too early but his full year in the AHL last year was a major reason why he was NHL ready as soon as he was.

I had forgotten Lindgren turned pro after soph year.
Still think no downside to KAndre playing Jr season w Wisco. McD & Skjei stayed for 3 ...

 

[gravey9]

I agree--the left side perspective is somewhat weaker than the right side IMO. There are more numbers on the left though. I haven't been super impressed with Hajek this year. He is still very young though. Lindgren's been fine. He's more of a stay at home guy who really does focus on defending. That said he moves the puck well and he plays with edge. Rykov since coming back from injury seems to be doing very well in Hartford. I see him possibly with NHL games before the year is our and pushing for a job next year. Reunanen's floundered a bit in Finland this year--something's going on and apparently his coach isn't pleased with him. I think next year he'll be in the AHL. Robertson's season hasn't been great either though he seems to be doing better now. The player who has really emerged though is Jones. Miller probably has the most upside of all these guys but they are all formidable challenges.

.....and then there is Skjei who even though he has issues with consistency is a pretty good player and still fairly young.

Agreed, mostly. I do want to add that it's very hard to judge a defenseman's development if we're not seeing him play regularly. (and even then, we're not great!). Available stats alone are often misleading when it comes to D. There are so many outside factors that go into the perception of a defenseman's development: team's defensive structure, offensive responsibilities, coaching staff, goaltending, what the Rangers may have asked the prospect to focus on, etc. Just in the past year so many of us have done 180s when it comes to Lindgren and Hajek (and back again). Add to that, the 180 Pionk did going to Winnipeg. And most of that was because we weren't weighting the systems/environments they were playing in appropriately.

Just a reminder of the overall picture for our D prospects:

Miller -- last year, he freelanced a lot more. Had a bigger role offensively. This year, with the addition of Turcotte and Caufield and it being such a young squad, Miller's had a less active role offensively. And all the D have had to shoulder a bigger burden in general due to a younger forward group. In addition, I think the Rangers and possibly Badger's coaching staff has asked Miller to focus on his D. Playing more of a shutdown role. As a result, his numbers are down. In addition, when a prospect focuses on the parts of his game that need to improve it often reveals his weaknesses and impacts his stats. But ultimately it's a very important step that can't be skipped. Especially with a kid like Miller who is very much still learning the position.

Ultimately, I think Miller is very much the same kid he was last year. When he chooses to join the offense, he flashes the same speed and skill. But he's doing it less. Instead, he's trying harder to stay in the right defensive position. And now he's learning what to do once he's actually in the right spot. As opposed to relying on his athleticism. I thought he looked quite good at the WJC. I think he's progressing just fine. I think another year in college and another year in the A is likely best for him.

Lundkvist -- I don't know much about Lulea. So, I'm at a big disadvantage to understand the surrounding factors here. I'll just say, based on his highlights that it doesn't appear he's being asked to shoulder too much on his team. Even on the clips where he's getting points, the highlights are not of the wow variety. They are the simple, smart play. His game is all about staying in control and being steady. And using his talent to make the subtle smart play. Same thing at the WJCs. As a result, he's playing simple solid game. Staying within himself. And he's been developing on a really nice path as a result. I think we should think long and hard before bringing him over next year. Because there's no rush. We have 3 good RDs on the big club. And Keane in HFD. Leaving Lundkvist in Sweden one more year could allow him to develop a bit more flash/confidence in his offense. But if he did come over, I wouldn't be worried about him flailing. I just think he might have another offensive gear to explore and wonder if Lulea is the best place for that. Again, no idea what Lulea is going through as a team, etc.

Robertson -- has anyone seen him play this year? I feel like the Rangers have asked him to focus on his defensive positioning. He's a big kid who can skate, but he's gotta buckle down in the D zone to get to the NHL. Grow into his body and learn to use it effectively in the D zone. I might be wrong here, this is a bit of an educated guess. But I'm not worried at all about his offensive numbers because we already have Zac Jones, Fox, D'Angelo and Trouba etc. We need kids who can make a great first pass and shut teams down.

Jones -- he oozes offense. His numbers look great, even gaudy. His skating and stick and HockeyIQ are very solid. So, of course, he suddenly looks like one of the best D prospects in the system. His transition to the pro game is likely going to have more bumps on the road than his transition to college due to the size and speed of the game going up exponentially. He does read the game very well though. And for someone who plays an offensive game he's rarely caught out of position. He needs to continue to grow and get stronger and get more exposure to playing against older, faster, elite offensive players.

Rykov and Keane -- both look solid in HFD in part because HFD has a very good team structure this year. Due to that team structure they're able to contribute offensively as well and aren't playing fearful. If they're promoted, they're likely to be exposed more often due to the loose structure with the big club.

Hajek -- should go down once he's healthy. I think some time in a more structured environment would be good for the kid.

Reunanen -- really had a great offensive season last year which put him back on the map. He is one of those cases where big offensive numbers mattered in keeping him in the conversation. In camp this year he looked pretty smooth, was pretty solid with his outlet passing but most likely needs more time to develop his overall game. I think the Rangers likely asked him to focus on his defense. His coach is not happy with him though. It's hard to say what's going on beyond that.

Given what's gone on with Reunanen, Kravtsov and Lias this year -- it's quite revealing to see just how many coaches/teams have a role in developing a kid. So many adults/coaches giving input to a kid in a short period of time. Look at Kravtsov -- he likely dealt with FOUR coaching staffs in 3 months. NYR, HFD, Traktor and his VHL team. That's a LOT of people who aren't really going to be around the kid for very long, giving a lot of input. That's a bit of an extreme case, but it's gotta make a teenager's head spin. It's a real test, especially if you're being told different things by different coaches/teams. And when a kid doesn't jive with a coaching staff, it can completely derail everything. That's why, when kids are in a great situation like Lundkvist in Lulea or Keane in HFD -- it's often best to let them flourish there. That stability seems to be really important. Which brings me to...

Hunter Skinner - along with Keane and Rykov, is perhaps in the best team situation possible for a young defender. He's playing for Dale Hunter and the London Knights who have a great rep for developing D. Paging Noah Dobson. Plus, Skinner gets to fly under the radar due to his draft position and the sheer amount of D prospects. If I were an NHL amateur scout I would push to draft London Knights D in the late rounds of drafts. We should let Hunter stay there for as long as possible (as long as Hunter stays there).