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 completeHisly 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).
