Prospect Info: Rangers Prospect Thread (Player Stats/Info in Post #1; Updated 5.24.21)

[Amazing Kreiderman]

He's had somewhat of a breakthrough this season in terms of playing good minutes on an SHL club, but I don't really see any high-end skills that would help him get to the NHL. If he were offered a contract, he seems more like AHL depth than anything, IMO.

Who are you talking about?

 

[Irishguy42]

Who are you talking about?

Sjalin

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Sjalin

Ah. Yeah, I like him as a depth piece but I'm afraid his injuries just affected his progression for too long. Själin has had 1 good season since we drafted him and that's this season.

His versatility could really be an asset in Hartford but with so many defensemen in the system already, he and Hunter Skinner will have to really hope for the best and earn that ELC.

 

[nyr2k2]

I would think, barring his game falling apart the remainder of this season, that Skinner is close to a lock for an ELC at this point. He has outplayed his draft position to this point. I don't think he's any kind of high-end prospect, but he has solid skill and seems to be trending in the right direction.

 

[eco's bones]

I would think, barring his game falling apart the remainder of this season, that Skinner is close to a lock for an ELC at this point. He has outplayed his draft position to this point. I don't think he's any kind of high-end prospect, but he has solid skill and seems to be trending in the right direction.

I can see him as a bottom pairing--maybe spare defenseman on an NHL team. I don't think he's ever going to be a player that wows but there's still a lot to like.

 

[nyr2k2]

Berard had an assist today. He's up to 3-3-6 in 12.

 

[True Blue]

Berard had an assist today. He's up to 3-3-6 in 12.

Another player whose presence in the organization should make bottom-6 forwards rethink their comfort level.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Another player whose presence in the organization should make bottom-6 forwards rethink their comfort level.

A bit early, but he is off to a good start. His play in the WJC was eye-opening. Let's hope he can build on this

 

[True Blue]

A bit early, but he is off to a good start. His play in the WJC was eye-opening. Let's hope he can build on this

We know that we can simply not hang the hat on what happened in WJC. But it at least appears that he is building off it.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

We know that we can simply not hang the hat on what happened in WJC. But it at least appears that he is building off it.

Yes, and it has been a weird season in college. Games cancelled at the last second, new games being announced a day before the puck drops. But he looks good on an okay Friars team

He makes things happen which is all you can ask for from a freshman. Compared to Riley Hughes for instance, Berard seems lightyears ahead

 

[True Blue]

Yes, and it has been a weird season in college. Games cancelled at the last second, new games being announced a day before the puck drops. But he looks good on an okay Friars team

He makes things happen which is all you can ask for from a freshman. Compared to Riley Hughes for instance, Berard seems lightyears ahead

I would leap for joy if he can become Gallagher lite. Or in a complete dream, 2.0.

In a complete scenario which sends sugar plums dancing, seeing Cuyelle and Berard take regular third line shifts.

 

[GAGLine]

The Rangers are 2nd in Wheeler's rankings:

Wheeler’s 2021 NHL prospect pool rankings: No. 2 New York Rangers

Prospects like Jones are the players you hope to get in the third round of the draft, the ones that distinguish good-drafting teams from the pack. I don’t like throwing around the word special, because special in the NCAA is a long way from special in the NHL, but he’s one of the best young players in college hockey and looks like the real deal. Jones is only 5-foot-10, so he’s on the smaller side for the position even as the game trends away from the hulking types, but he reads and reacts to the play so, so well, which helps him impact play as much defensively (or close, at least) as he does offensively. When the pace ratchets up, his decision-making without the puck does too. Offensively it’s a different story, though, and he plays an incredibly cerebral game. When pressure comes, it’s like he sees right through it. In particular, his ability to walk the line while surveying the landscape and using light footwork to move effortlessly east-to-west is borderline elite.

 

[cwede]

btw Robertson is LHD
Interesting Tarnstrom not there while he gives props to Lindbom and Aaltonen

off list Huska and Ragnarsson and Kjellberg, not surprising to us, but they had gotten some call-outs by others

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

I think it's mostly a pretty good list, honestly. Obviously hurt by the fact that Kakko, Fox, Shesterkin, and Lindgren have all graduated, yet still came in 2nd.

 

[nyr2k2]

I've always argued for Miller over Lundkvist, but I really feel even more strongly about it now. Lundkvist is a great prospect who I have no doubt will become at least a very good NHL player, but Miller is already doing it. Miller is already in the NHL playing at a very high level. Unless you think that Miller has somehow already peaked or that Nils Lundkvist is somehow a lock to become a borderline superstar defenseman, I just don't see how you could put Lundkvist over Miller based on what we've seen from Miller so far. Coming into the year? I wouldn't agree but would understand. Now? No way.

Wheeler has just never liked Miller. "There could be first-pair upside there." GTFO with that.

 

[nyr2k2]

I also take issue with Cuylle being behind the likes of Henriksson, Skinner, and Vierling. He wasn't drafted because he had fourth line upside because that's not his upside. And Berard goes before Vierling, as I've said since the draft. Also, Richards up five or six slots, and Lindbom and Aaltonen nowhere near the list, even as honorable mentions.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I've always argued for Miller over Lundkvist, but I really feel even more strongly about it now. Lundkvist is a great prospect who I have no doubt will become at least a very good NHL player, but Miller is already doing it. Miller is already in the NHL playing at a very high level. Unless you think that Miller has somehow already peaked or that Nils Lundkvist is somehow a lock to become a borderline superstar defenseman, I just don't see how you could put Lundkvist over Miller based on what we've seen from Miller so far. Coming into the year? I wouldn't agree but would understand. Now? No way.

Wheeler has just never liked Miller. "There could be first-pair upside there." GTFO with that.

Miller's upside has always been higher than Lundkvist and if both hit their absolute ceilings, Miller should be ranked ahead of Lundkvist. I think both are close enough to have a debate about it, and seeing both ahead of Kravtsov just shows how interesting that 2018 first round can shake out for us.

Lundkvist being in the SHL wasn't because he isn't good enough, but because of the pandemic. Also, Miller has started off great, but it has been 11 games. That's a small sample size to adjust rankings so I understand Wheeler sticking to the ranking he had 6 months ago. I'd be fine with either one ranked 2nd at this point so I can't really get too uspet over it. I'm just happy we have 2 defensemen in our system that are this highly regarded by impartial journalists.

My bigger issues with the ranking are Reunanen, Richards and Khodorenko being ranked too low

 

[GAGLine]

I've always argued for Miller over Lundkvist, but I really feel even more strongly about it now. Lundkvist is a great prospect who I have no doubt will become at least a very good NHL player, but Miller is already doing it. Miller is already in the NHL playing at a very high level. Unless you think that Miller has somehow already peaked or that Nils Lundkvist is somehow a lock to become a borderline superstar defenseman, I just don't see how you could put Lundkvist over Miller based on what we've seen from Miller so far. Coming into the year? I wouldn't agree but would understand. Now? No way.

Wheeler has just never liked Miller. "There could be first-pair upside there." GTFO with that.

I also take issue with Cuylle being behind the likes of Henriksson, Skinner, and Vierling. He wasn't drafted because he had fourth line upside because that's not his upside. And Berard goes before Vierling, as I've said since the draft. Also, Richards up five or six slots, and Lindbom and Aaltonen nowhere near the list, even as honorable mentions.

To be fair, Wheeler had Lundkvist at 50 in his draft rankings and has since admitted several times (including in the linked article) that he was wrong on him. In fact, he now says that Lundkvist should have gone earlier than 28, where the Rangers picked him.

He'll likely come around on Miller too, but it will take more than 11 NHL games, I expect.

Regarding Cuylle, Wheeler didn't have him highly rated in the draft and Cuylle has only played 1 AHL game since then. Hopefully he proves Wheeler wrong too.

 

[gravey9]

I cannot wait for Lundkvist to get here. To have a good 3rd pair that doesn't need to be sheltered could be a game changer for the team. It will all come down to how quickly NL can adjust to the speed and size of the game in his own zone. His promise in the near future is stabilizing the 3rd pair in their own zone. After that building block is in place, he'll likely improve gradually over time.

I am also interested to one day see him on PP2 because I've always loved how hard and accurate his point shot is. And how quickly he gets it off. I think he will literally be the best one-timer on the team --- and it's not because it's a slap shot. He has the hardest one-time snapshot I've seen in a long time.

 

[kovazub94]

To be fair, Wheeler had Lundkvist at 50 in his draft rankings and has since admitted several times (including in the linked article) that he was wrong on him. In fact, he now says that Lundkvist should have gone earlier than 28, where the Rangers picked him.

He'll likely come around on Miller too, but it will take more than 11 NHL games, I expect.

Regarding Cuylle, Wheeler didn't have him highly rated in the draft and Cuylle has only played 1 AHL game since then. Hopefully he proves Wheeler wrong too.

By the time Wheeler come around on Miller - the kid will not be considered a prospect anymore.

 

[kovazub94]

I've always argued for Miller over Lundkvist, but I really feel even more strongly about it now. Lundkvist is a great prospect who I have no doubt will become at least a very good NHL player, but Miller is already doing it. Miller is already in the NHL playing at a very high level. Unless you think that Miller has somehow already peaked or that Nils Lundkvist is somehow a lock to become a borderline superstar defenseman, I just don't see how you could put Lundkvist over Miller based on what we've seen from Miller so far. Coming into the year? I wouldn't agree but would understand. Now? No way.

Wheeler has just never liked Miller. "There could be first-pair upside there." GTFO with that.

Who could've guessed that Miller would have such a strong start to his NHL career? Before then, he only played the position for a limited number of years, and while tools were always there, there would've been absolutely no guarantee that he'd have NHL level (top-line) toolbox to go with it.

 

[nyr2k2]

Miller's upside has always been higher than Lundkvist and if both hit their absolute ceilings, Miller should be ranked ahead of Lundkvist. I think both are close enough to have a debate about it, and seeing both ahead of Kravtsov just shows how interesting that 2018 first round can shake out for us.

Lundkvist being in the SHL wasn't because he isn't good enough, but because of the pandemic. Also, Miller has started off great, but it has been 11 games. That's a small sample size to adjust rankings so I understand Wheeler sticking to the ranking he had 6 months ago. I'd be fine with either one ranked 2nd at this point so I can't really get too uspet over it. I'm just happy we have 2 defensemen in our system that are this highly regarded by impartial journalists.

My bigger issues with the ranking are Reunanen, Richards and Khodorenko being ranked too low

(I understand Miller has never been a favorite of Wheeler, so I'm just talking from a standpoint of "all things being equal.")

The point in bold is an assumption. It's an assumption I agree with, but it's an assumption. We don't have a crystal ball to know what would have happened Lundkvist this year had things been normal. Maybe he is in the NHL playing really well, or maybe he's in the AHL honing his craft. Maybe he was loaned back to the SHL. It's all hypothetical.

Miller, on the other hand, is here and is excelling beyond even the most optimistic timelines and projections. It may be unfair to move one guy ahead of the other due to circumstances out of their control, but Miller had the opportunity and has killed it. Nils may have done the same, but we don't know that, and for me that's enough to separate the two at this time.

Honestly I've just been bitter about what I feel is unfair downgrading of Miller for his Sophomore season at Wisconsin where people saw his numbers and the team's overall play and used it as a knock on him. He actually played really well and should not have suffered at all, in terms of his perceived value, which is something I said all year.

I guess I've just been annoyed that people couldn't see what I saw in Miller. I had him #3 in our rankings, ahead of Lundkvist and Kravtsov. He ended up #5, and a smattering had him lower. We didn't actually do his poll so it's unknown how many would have voted for someone else. It bothers me.

 

[nyr2k2]

Who could've guessed that Miller would have such a strong start to his NHL career? Before then, he only played the position for a limited number of years, and while tools were always there, there would've been absolutely no guarantee that he'd have NHL level (top-line) toolbox to go with it.

None of the players are guarantees. Lundkvist, as polished and accomplished as he is, is no guarantee. I understand having doubts about Miller leading into the season, but having watched him--all the little plays, the physically dominant plays, the smarts--I don't know how anyone could have doubts about him now. Or have doubts that the immense upside is increasingly a realistic possibility. Even if it's "just" 11 games.

 

[nyr2k2]

To be fair, Wheeler had Lundkvist at 50 in his draft rankings and has since admitted several times (including in the linked article) that he was wrong on him. In fact, he now says that Lundkvist should have gone earlier than 28, where the Rangers picked him.

He'll likely come around on Miller too, but it will take more than 11 NHL games, I expect.

Regarding Cuylle, Wheeler didn't have him highly rated in the draft and Cuylle has only played 1 AHL game since then. Hopefully he proves Wheeler wrong too.

Yeah, I understand that each guy doing these rankings has guys he likes and doesn't like as much. I know Wheeler has never been a huge fan of Miller. I don't "fault" Wheeler for it. I'm just stating my own preferences for these guys. I've been a major outspoken proponent of Miller for a long time so I'm louder about his ranking than most.

 

[gravey9]

None of the players are guarantees. Lundkvist, as polished and accomplished as he is, is no guarantee. I understand having doubts about Miller leading into the season, but having watched him--all the little plays, the physically dominant plays, the smarts--I don't know how anyone could have doubts about him now. Or have doubts that the immense upside is increasingly a realistic possibility.

Not to take anything away from Miller. He's been a revelation. But I do feel like it's fortunate he's started with Jacques Martin's D zone system. That system seems to have a winger come down very low and it's been a real benefit to the entire D but especially guys like Fox and Miller who are geniuses at sneaky 2-3 ft pass that totally breaks down the opposing forecheck. It feels pretty different than last few seasons when the D and the wings felt like they were on different planets trying to break out.