Prospect Info: Rangers Prospect Thread (Player Stats/Info in Post #2; Updated 10.7.20)

[Amazing Kreiderman]

He's given no indication that he wants to play for us again.

This is incorrect. He literally said he wants to be a Ranger. Of course there's an argument to be made about how much weight to put into a statement like that considering all that has happened, but to say there has been no indication of him wanting to play for the Rangers, is just not true

 

[usekakkorightquinn]

I'm quietly really excited for Reunanen. He's a guy who can clearly skate and move the puck well. Fits the new age d-man

No. He doesn't. You sound like AV who slowly ruined the entire defenseman core of this team because all he valued was smaller puck movers. It's fine to have 1 or 2 smaller, offensive defenseman. Not more than that. Lundkvist and Fox are long term solutions here. TDA, Jones and Reunanen are not. Size on defense is a huge factor in winning playoff games. Our left side should be 3 of these 4. Lindgren, Miller, Robertson, Hajek.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

No. He doesn't. You sound like AV who slowly ruined the entire defenseman core of this team because all he valued was smaller puck movers. It's fine to have 1 or 2 smaller, offensive defenseman. Not more than that. Lundkvist and Fox are long term solutions here. TDA, Jones and Reunanen are not. Size on defense is a huge factor in winning playoff games. Our left side should be 3 of these 4. Lindgren, Miller, Robertson, Hajek.

You keep bringing up Lindgren in the size-argument against Reunanen. They're the same size

Also, you're disagreeing with NYR Viper saying he moves the puck well and skates well, but then completely ignore that in your reponse. If size was all that mattered, Dylan McIlrath would have been a superstar

 

[UnSandvich]

This is incorrect. He literally said he wants to be a Ranger. Of course there's an argument to be made about how much weight to put into a statement like that considering all that has happened, but to say there has been no indication of him wanting to play for the Rangers, is just not true

When did he say that? I've seen stuff about how he's willing to come back if they call him back, but that's about it

 

[Tawnos]

You keep bringing up Lindgren in the size-argument against Reunanen. They're the same size

Also, you're disagreeing with NYR Viper saying he moves the puck well and skates well, but then completely ignore that in your reponse. If size was all that mattered, Dylan McIlrath would have been a superstar

It also ignores that the 4 defensemen AV relied the most on were McDonagh, Staal, Girardi, and Klein. 3 of them are 6’1” and Staal is 6’4”. And only McDonagh could be considered a puck mover.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

When did he say that? I've seen stuff about how he's willing to come back if they call him back, but that's about it

The interview JD did.

“We had a number of good conversations. He told me he wants to be a New York Ranger. We’ll continue to hold his rights and down the road we’ll have discussions about where it’s best for Lias to play next season.”

Again, we can discuss how serious that statement was and how much weight to put into it, but it's incorrect to say that there has been no indication of him wanting to play for us

https://nypost.com/2020/06/18/lias-andersson-wont-join-rangers-camp-when-nhl-returns/

 

[UnSandvich]

The interview JD did.

“We had a number of good conversations. He told me he wants to be a New York Ranger. We’ll continue to hold his rights and down the road we’ll have discussions about where it’s best for Lias to play next season.”

Well that's good news indeed

 

[Overcast]

The interview JD did.

“We had a number of good conversations. He told me he wants to be a New York Ranger. We’ll continue to hold his rights and down the road we’ll have discussions about where it’s best for Lias to play next season.”

Again, we can discuss how serious that statement was and how much weight to put into it, but it's incorrect to say that there has been no indication of him wanting to play for us

https://nypost.com/2020/06/18/lias-andersson-wont-join-rangers-camp-when-nhl-returns/

I feel like that's when a relationship is in its death throes and both people say "I want to stay with you, I want to make this work!" when everyone else can tell it's dead in the water. But at least it looks like there's some semblance of desire on both sides to work through things. Time will tell.

 

[nyr2k2]

I feel like that's when a relationship is in its death throes and both people say "I want to stay with you, I want to make this work!" when everyone else can tell it's dead in the water. But at least it looks like there's some semblance of desire on both sides to work through things. Time will tell.

Yeah, no one can dispute that it was said, that it exists. I think that given everything else that was done and said, that it's probably not sincere. I mean surely Lias, even with all the stupid things he's said and bad advice he has (maybe) received, understands that he still needs cooperation from the Rangers to even be allowed to play in Sweden. And that until he reaches a point where he has more freedom to play where he wants, he needs to at least take a cursory "let's make nice" approach with the Rangers.

Of course that's just my reading of the situation based on what has happened to this point. I could be totally off-base.

 

[LeetchisGod]

This is incorrect. He literally said he wants to be a Ranger. Of course there's an argument to be made about how much weight to put into a statement like that considering all that has happened, but to say there has been no indication of him wanting to play for the Rangers, is just not true

I was unaware of that statement but I'll believe it when I see it. Based on everything else that he's done, I question his sincerity.

 

[bobbop]

No. He doesn't. You sound like AV who slowly ruined the entire defenseman core of this team because all he valued was smaller puck movers. It's fine to have 1 or 2 smaller, offensive defenseman. Not more than that. Lundkvist and Fox are long term solutions here. TDA, Jones and Reunanen are not. Size on defense is a huge factor in winning playoff games. Our left side should be 3 of these 4. Lindgren, Miller, Robertson, Hajek.

There's only one place where size is what really matters and it's not left defense.

 

[Fitzy]

There's only one place where size is what really matters and it's not left defense.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

or even before TDL.
There are marginal guys who could be available by trade, like Kulak, who qualify and could be acquired.
Or marginal NHL UFAs who had lots of GP last year and could be signed to 2 year deal
such as Gustafsson whose cap Hit was under $1.5M last year
Erik Gustafsson [ca.2011-2020] Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com

Adding a nonmarginal guy (many folks here keep pushing to improves LHD w respected names), a keeper, would complicate the Exp draft situation if ADA stays

Kulak is not marginal.

He would be our best LD.

 

[Levitate]

Game winner. The wing did most of the work, but watch were Lias starts in the defensive end and where he ends up.

The big problem I see here is the absolutely massive amount of ice he is able to move around in compared to the NHL

It's such a different style and game I'm finding it hard to really evaluate guys well unless they're displaying individual skills that stand out

 

[Leetch3]

Kulak is not marginal.

He would be our best LD.

or is our LD less than marginal? lol

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

The big problem I see here is the absolutely massive amount of ice he is able to move around in compared to the NHL

It's such a different style and game I'm finding it hard to really evaluate guys well unless they're displaying individual skills that stand out

I think that’s the thing with Lias right now, his standout skill is getting lost/open in the slot and I feel like people (Quinn included) expected/wanted him to be the guy digging out pucks in the corner and getting them to the open guy in the slot

 

[cwede]

Kulak is not marginal.
He would be our best LD.

Interesting,
a few Habs fans i've read here consider him disposable,
i guess as there he is behind Mete, Chiarot

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Interesting,
a few Habs fans i've read here consider him disposable,
i guess as there he is behind Mete, Chiarot

They're morons.

He's better than both of those guys.

 

[eco's bones]

Lias Andersson's brother Noah is eligible for the draft this year and actually played a few SHL games last year.

 

[HFsNumber1Heel]

If Andersson eventually makes it here as a 22-year-old and is a solid and dependable bottom 6er what's so bad about that?

Remember development is very different not every guy is going to come in and be the man right away.

I think the Rangers rushing certain prospects such as Del Zotto, Grachev, and Andersson is more PTSD from the pre-2005 lockout when the Rangers wouldn't play any prospects unless half the team went down.

Kravstov really shouldn't even have stepped foot on North America soil as a pro until this season.

And I'm not saying Kovacs would be Brad Marchand 2.0 and he has his own issues, but maybe if he was left overseas another two years he would've matured a little more. The way Levi Aaltonen is being handled is the way Kovacs should have been handled.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

If Andersson eventually makes it here as a 22-year-old and is a solid and dependable bottom 6er what's so bad about that?

Remember development is very different not every guy is going to come in and be the man right away.

I think the Rangers rushing certain prospects such as Del Zotto, Grachev, and Andersson is more PTSD from the pre-2005 lockout when the Rangers wouldn't play any prospects unless half the team went down.

Kravstov really shouldn't even have stepped foot on North America soil as a pro until this season.

And I'm not saying Kovacs would be Brad Marchand 2.0 and he has his own issues, but maybe if he was left overseas another two years he would've matured a little more. The way Levi Aaltonen is being handled is the way Kovacs should have been handled.

Yeah, players coming in at age 19 or 20 and playing in the NHL regularly are the exception, but somehow a lot of fans seem to forget that

 

[Levitate]

I think that’s the thing with Lias right now, his standout skill is getting lost/open in the slot and I feel like people (Quinn included) expected/wanted him to be the guy digging out pucks in the corner and getting them to the open guy in the slot

I think that skill is also massively harder/different in the NHL than it is in other leagues

 

[nyr2k2]

If Andersson eventually makes it here as a 22-year-old and is a solid and dependable bottom 6er what's so bad about that?

Remember development is very different not every guy is going to come in and be the man right away.

I think the Rangers rushing certain prospects such as Del Zotto, Grachev, and Andersson is more PTSD from the pre-2005 lockout when the Rangers wouldn't play any prospects unless half the team went down.

Kravstov really shouldn't even have stepped foot on North America soil as a pro until this season.

And I'm not saying Kovacs would be Brad Marchand 2.0 and he has his own issues, but maybe if he was left overseas another two years he would've matured a little more. The way Levi Aaltonen is being handled is the way Kovacs should have been handled.

Del Zotto was great as a rookie. He arrived on schedule. He was up and down after that but settled in and is going to have really nice career when all is said and done.

Grachev was a physical beast and used that to dominate other kids. He also rode the coattails of Hodgson and Duchene. We all tried to convince ourselves otherwise but that was the truth. We could have left him in the OHL for another year but he'd just continue beating up on younger, smaller, slower players. Wouldn't consider him rushed at all.

They did jump the gun with Kovacs, but he was and is a head case. He's still having issues back home. I don't think he would have made it either way, but yeah, he was rushed.

Kravtsov wanted to buy himself out of his contract in the KHL after we drafted him. We worked with him to help him come around to staying. He had a good year. He wanted desperately to come over (although evidently not really understanding what that meant) and we evidently thought he was ready to play in North America--which he probably was. The problem was that he wasn't mentally prepared to play in the AHL and not be some hot shot, top-dog on the team. I won't try to argue with people who feel he should have stayed in the KHL another year or two, but I also think he could have developed just as well over here, playing in the AHL and possibly playing in the NHL later in the year, if he himself were committed to it.

 

[HFsNumber1Heel]

Del Zotto was great as a rookie. He arrived on schedule. He was up and down after that but settled in and is going to have really nice career when all is said and done.

Grachev was a physical beast and used that to dominate other kids. He also rode the coattails of Hodgson and Duchene. We all tried to convince ourselves otherwise but that was the truth. We could have left him in the OHL for another year but he'd just continue beating up on younger, smaller, slower players. Wouldn't consider him rushed at all.

They did jump the gun with Kovacs, but he was and is a head case. He's still having issues back home. I don't think he would have made it either way, but yeah, he was rushed.

Kravtsov wanted to buy himself out of his contract in the KHL after we drafted him. We worked with him to help him come around to staying. He had a good year. He wanted desperately to come over (although evidently not really understanding what that meant) and we evidently thought he was ready to play in North America--which he probably was. The problem was that he wasn't mentally prepared to play in the AHL and not be some hot shot, top-dog on the team. I won't try to argue with people who feel he should have stayed in the KHL another year or two, but I also think he could have developed just as well over here, playing in the AHL and possibly playing in the NHL later in the year.

I get Del Z was great as a rookie and in 2011-12 but he was immature. It's well documented. He could have been a 500 point DMan.

Same with Grachev. How to be a pro, how to handle yourself, prep, let the game come to you. Immaturity. When he came over that first camp on 2010-11 he literally could not process the game at the AHL yet alone NHL speed. He should have been sent back. He'd get the puck and start jerking around and fidgeting. He won like two board battles in his call up the following season when the Rangers were so injured due to Torts hockey and they at one point had a bottom six of guys like Chad Kolarik, Cory Locke, Brodie Dupont, Dane Byers, and Grachev.

Kravstov is still a kid. He comes from a wealthy family and he never got kicked in the nuts before. That's pro hockey. Even Crosby for his reputation (although that has died down in recent years) has been punched in the face, kicked in the nuts, etc. He's also a humble guy off the ice.

 

[nyr2k2]

I get Del Z was great as a rookie and in 2011-12 but he was immature. It's well documented. He could have been a 500 point DMan.

Same with Grachev. How to be a pro, how to handle yourself, prep, let the game come to you. Immaturity. When he came over that first camp on 2010-11 he literally could not process the game at the AHL yet alone NHL speed. He should have been sent back. He'd get the puck and start jerking around and fidgeting. He won like two board battles in his call up the following season when the Rangers were so injured due to Torts hockey and they at one point had a bottom six of guys like Chad Kolarik, Cory Locke, Brodie Dupont, Dane Byers, and Grachev.

Kravstov is still a kid. He comes from a wealthy family and he never got kicked in the nuts before. That's pro hockey. Even Crosby for his reputation (although that has died down in recent years) has been punched in the face, kicked in the nuts, etc. He's also a humble guy off the ice.

I understand the maturity aspect of things but your argument seems to assume that Del Zotto playing another year in junior or going to the AHL, Grachev sticking around another year in Brampton, Kravtsov staying home in Russia, would make them more mature. There's no guarantee whatsoever that any of them would have been more prepared for the next step had they gone a different route. I know many people who were not materially different at 24 than they were at 18. We see guys in sports that do "make it" who still do stupid, immature shit well into their careers. Some guys are just like that. It's easy to second guess, but other than with Kovacs I think the right decision was made.