Prospect Info: Rangers Prospects Thread (Stats in Post #1; Updated 12.14.18) *Part III*

[eco's bones]

There are also a bunch of differences between CHL players from European and College players. NHL teams have to make their minds up a lot faster on CHL players because they're coming out of their leagues by the time they hit 20--so it's sign them and see how they do in the minors or dump them. With European and College players teams can wait longer (sometimes much longer) on their development giving them a chance at a much deeper look at a player. As well--CHL teams tend to practice less and play more. That might seem to be a good thing but IMO it's really not--as younger players get less of the fundamentals and teaching that help develop skills than they would get from practicing more and playing less. Europeans (at least the ones who can move up into leagues like the KHL, SHL, Allsvenskan and Liiga) and College players also play against more physically mature players and the Europeans playing in top leagues play against very skilled mature players.

All that said when I started following hockey in the early 70's the NHL with maybe 4 or 5 exceptions--Juha Widing and a few Americans (Doug Roberts was one) was an entirely Canadian game and about 95% (if not more) of the players came out of the major Canadian junior leagues. Now it's very much a shared experiment between North American and European leagues and now it's very much an international game at least in respect to cold weathered nations. .

 

[nyr2k2]

It is harder to find hidden gems in the CHL. It's why I kind of shudder when we sign guys like Leedahl.

 

[Edge]

It is harder to find hidden gems in the CHL. It's why I kind of shudder when we sign guys like Leedahl.

Eh, I'm not terribly worried about the Leedahl's of the world.

I'm typically okay with taking a chance on the kids who could be late bloomers, and if nothing else become depth players in the AHL.

Frankly, I'm more concerned about this organization getting caught-up in paying premiums for talent based on what they did for another team, or with their best years already behind them.

 

[Barnaby]

Good point... I could certainly see the scouts saturating the CHL. I guess there's no way to know, but I'd love to have an idea what teams allot money wise into European scouting comparatively. I'd suppose that everyone is looking at the major tournaments, but are the smaller market teams really employing quality European scouts year round, or willing to send guys all over Russia? I believe the Rangers do that, but the Yotes, Isles or Oilers of the world?

 

[Edge]

Good point... I could certainly see the scouts saturating the CHL. I guess there's no way to know, but I'd love to have an idea what teams allot money wise into European scouting comparatively. I'd suppose that everyone is looking at the major tournaments, but are the smaller market teams really employing quality European scouts year round, or willing to send guys all over Russia? I believe the Rangers do that, but the Yotes, Isles or Oilers of the world?

Smaller staffs typically.

But not by as wide of margins as you'd probably think.

While smaller market teams would struggle to keep pace with larger market when it comes to the player contracts in an open market, generally speaking areas like scouting aren't a huge expense --- relatively speaking.

In theory, a team could higher a fleet of European scouts for the cost of an NHL player making the league minimum.

 

[Vinny DeAngelo]

Smaller staffs typically.

But not by as wide of margins as you'd probably think.

While smaller market teams would struggle to keep pace with larger market when it comes to the player contracts in an open market, generally speaking areas like scouting aren't a huge expense --- relatively speaking.

In theory, a team could higher a fleet of European scouts for the cost of an NHL player making the league minimum.

I'd move to europe and become a scout for my currently salary(In case any NHL teams are reading this page lol)

 

[Machinehead]

I don’t think our CHL scouting has been very good, and I think the higher ups know it. Off the top of my head, the last time few picks in the 1st or 2nd round were Gropp, Halverson, and McIlrath. The good thing is that before the season they hired a new WHL scout to give them some better intel on a handful of guys that could be going in the top 10 this draft

Well that's good news.

 

[Edge]

I'd move to europe and become a scout for my currently salary(In case any NHL teams are reading this page lol)

A lot of hours and not a lot of financial incentive to being a scout, unless you reach the very top.

Not unlike journalism really.

 

[Vinny DeAngelo]

A lot of hours and not a lot of financial incentive to being a scout, unless you reach the very top.

Not unlike journalism really.

Thats every industry. But I'd take watching hockey over watching spreadsheets and legal contracts..

 

[Edge]

Thats every industry. But I'd take watching hockey over watching spreadsheets and legal contracts..

There was a time I flirted with the idea. Ultimately, I decided that it was better to love something as a hobby or diversion than to have to do it for an income.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Rykov scored a winning goal in 2-1 victory over Lokomotive.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

Rykov scored a winning goal in 2-1 victory over Lokomotive.

Here it is

 

[nyr2k2]

Here it is

Rykov also led all Sochi defensemen by more than 2 minutes with 21:57 TOI.

 

[Vinny DeAngelo]

Rykov also led all Sochi defensemen by more than 2 minutes with 21:57 TOI.

How does he look now that he’s actually playing

 

[nyr2k2]

How does he look now that he’s actually playing

Haven't watched a Sochi game, so unfortunately I can't say. He's pretty consistently top three or tops in terms of TOI among D, so the team must feel his play is strong.

 

[Joey Bones]

Wasn't online this weekend, but let me toss in my two cents....

Firstly, Happy Birthday @Amazing Kreiderman!! Missed the festivities and the daily restraining order talk .

Secondly @Machinehead, the Rangers haven't struck gold with their early picks from the CHL since 2008 (ie Werek, Gropp, Halverson, Thomas and most notably McIlrath). NYR also revamped their scouting department since Gorton has taken the majority of NYR's reigns. So it makes sense why they've been picking primarily from Euro and NCAA programs. But like @GeorgeKaplan mentioned earlier, the Rangers hired a very respected and well known name in Steve Konowalchuk (ex-Thunderbirds coach) over the summer to scout out the WHL. This is extremely enticing because most of the top 10 of the 2019 draft class is coming out of the WHL. He could get a decent glance at the BCHL, too, so fingers crossed NYR will be educated on some top talents on the western side of Canada.

 

[bl02]

Here it is

Nice left to right move there at the blueline under some pressure. Thanks for posting. Great to see he is getting serious playing time so we can really find out if he's more or less ready to come over next year.

 

[Machinehead]

Wasn't online this weekend, but let me toss in my two cents....

Firstly, Happy Birthday @Amazing Kreiderman!! Missed the festivities and the daily restraining order talk .

Secondly @Machinehead, the Rangers haven't struck gold with their early picks from the CHL since 2008 (ie Werek, Gropp, Halverson, Thomas and most notably McIlrath). NYR also revamped their scouting department since Gorton has taken the majority of NYR's reigns. So it makes sense why they've been picking primarily from Euro and NCAA programs. But like @GeorgeKaplan mentioned earlier, the Rangers hired a very respected and well known name in Steve Konowalchuk (ex-Thunderbirds coach) over the summer to scout out the WHL. This is extremely enticing because most of the top 10 of the 2019 draft class is coming out of the WHL. He could get a decent glance at the BCHL, too, so fingers crossed NYR will be educated on some top talents on the western side of Canada.

The same Steve Konowalchuk who played for the Capitals in the 90's?

 

[Joey Bones]

The same Steve Konowalchuk who played for the Capitals in the 90's?

Yes, lolol. He was the head coach of the Seattle Thunderbirds from 2011-2017, then left to be Anaheim's assistant coach last season. He got fired, unfortunately, but he was quickly nabbed by the Rangers for the amateur scouting department. He also helped coach-up some really good draft picks over the years, one in particular was Mat Barzal!!

 

[Joey Bones]

New York Rangers Directory

Was just looking on the Rangers site to see if there were any changes and it looks like Steve Eminger got promoted to be a pro scout. IIRC, he was amateur last season.

It also looks like Jeff Malcolm is back with the Ranger organization as a goaltending consultant, whatever that position is/means?

 

[kovazub94]

Haven't watched a Sochi game, so unfortunately I can't say. He's pretty consistently top three or tops in terms of TOI among D, so the team must feel his play is strong.

Last year Rykov was getting an average of 15 shifts per game. This season's average (that includes earlier games when he was on the ice for less minutes while getting acclimated with Sochi) is already up to 25/g and in the last few games he's been getting closer to 30. Very happy with this development. I guess Zubov is not all that bad.

 

[Edge]

Also keep in mind there are a number of guys who are looking at prospects and lower leagues and sending reports into the team.

Some of these individuals do it as a test run, and some would fall under the purview of independent contractors.

So not everyone out there is connected to the organization in an "official capacity."

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

It is harder to find hidden gems in the CHL. It's why I kind of shudder when we sign guys like Leedahl.

Leedahl was a free agent. We didn’t risk anything by signing him. I’d be more worried if this team used 2nd or 3rd round picks on guys like Leedahl, Bajkov, Eansor etc

 

[nyr2k2]

Leedahl was a free agent. We didn’t risk anything by signing him. I’d be more worried if this team used 2nd or 3rd round picks on guys like Leedahl, Bajkov, Eansor etc

My point was in the context of scouting the CHL vs scouting Europe and the amount of "hidden" gems available overseas. The CHL, literally every guy on every team, there's a book on him. That's not the case in Europe, at least as it pertains to NHL teams. So, yes, Leedahl was simply a contract and that itself is no big deal (although as @Sarge13 always would remind us, you still invest player development into those throwaway UDFA signings). But, I would much rather take a risk on Meskanen or Lindqvist, or even Stromwall or Zamorsky or Wiikman or Ambuhl or whoever, than some kid who puts up big numbers as an over-ager in the CHL. It seems to me there's much more undrafted talent to be found in Europe than the CHL. I wasn't commenting on drafting players from the CHL, NCAA, Europe, etc. That's a different story.

Signing an undrafted guy out of Europe, a lot of times you're banking on your scouts having found someone everyone missed. Signing a UDFA from the CHL, you're basically banking on your scouts being better and seeing something other teams haven't.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

My point was in the context of scouting the CHL vs scouting Europe and the amount of "hidden" gems available overseas. The CHL, literally every guy on every team, there's a book on him. That's not the case in Europe, at least as it pertains to NHL teams. So, yes, Leedahl was simply a contract and that itself is no big deal (although as @Sarge13 always would remind us, you still invest player development into those throwaway UDFA signings). But, I would much rather take a risk on Meskanen or Lindqvist, or even Stromwall or Zamorsky or Wiikman or Ambuhl or whoever, than some kid who puts up big numbers as an over-ager in the CHL. It seems to me there's much more undrafted talent to be found in Europe than the CHL. I wasn't commenting on drafting players from the CHL, NCAA, Europe, etc. That's a different story.

Signing an undrafted guy out of Europe, a lot of times you're banking on your scouts having found someone everyone missed. Signing a UDFA from the CHL, you're basically banking on your scouts being better and seeing something other teams haven't.

Well, we agree on that then. I personally think there’s something interesting about European players in that they already play pro hockey so teams can see what those players can do against grown men which in my opinion gives them a clearer picture as to what a player is capable of