Prospect Info: Rangers Prospects Thread (Stats in Post #1; Updated 5.29.18)

[Mac n Gs]

I believe in the possibility of a higher offensive ceiling for him. I love the hockey IQ and think the attributes are underrated.

I feel like he’s on a lot more Rangsrs’ fans radar these days, but still a bit undervalued.

It actually is pretty interesting to see Howden and Point have very similar career arcs throughout their Moose Jaw tenures. Point always had the speed and skill which would translate well into a scoring role on a team. Howden doesn't have that top-notch speed or skill that Point has, but he's just so damn well rounded in all areas of his game. He'll be given the difficult tasks and he'll be an integral part of a team, and I expect it'll be similar to what Hayes gave us this season at his peak. 20-20 guy that gets abused match-up wise, but still finds a way to be successful and drive play for his team.

 

[Edge]

It actually is pretty interesting to see Howden and Point have very similar career arcs throughout their Moose Jaw tenures. Point always had the speed and skill which would translate well into a scoring role on a team. Howden doesn't have that top-notch speed or skill that Point has, but he's just so damn well rounded in all areas of his game. He'll be given the difficult tasks and he'll be an integral part of a team, and I expect it'll be similar to what Hayes gave us this season at his peak. 20-20 guy that gets abused match-up wise, but still finds a way to be successful and drive play for his team.

The funny thing is when I watch him, I see a guy who has a good shot to overachieve and post a little over the 50 range if several things fall into place.

It all depends on if/how he keeps progressing. At barely 20, his awareness and understanding of the game is at least a couple years ahead of where Hayes was.

There's just something about this kid that has been pulling a little extra for him.

 

[cwede]

i haven't seen Howden play, only read reports and comments, here and elsewhere.
maybe some of you can tell me why he should, or shouldn't,
sound so much like another 20 year old center, with no particular exceptional skill, but an all round game, who elevates in big games, who made NYR's NHL roster at 20 - Stepan

not saying Howden will break camp with team, just saying that what i have read brings Step to mind

 

[Miamipuck]

To be clear, from people that have watched both, stylistically the only thing Pointe and Howden have in common is they played in the same Jr. organization? That's a question because I thought Howden isn't quite the skater and has a much different skill set...... Anyway, by all means someone please clarify.

 

[JimmyG89]

i haven't seen Howden play, only read reports and comments, here and elsewhere.
maybe some of you can tell me why he should, or shouldn't,
sound so much like another 20 year old center, with no particular exceptional skill, but an all round game, who elevates in big games, who made NYR's NHL roster at 20 - Stepan

not saying Howden will break camp with team, just saying that what i have read brings Step to mind

Stylistically, he's different. From all accounts, he's more of a big body, uses it to get to the front of the net player.

Stepan didn't have size, but made up for it with smarts. If he can fill the kind of role Stepan did defensively (match up vs top lines, win the possession battle) and allow the likes of Zibanejad, Chytil, and to a lesser extent Andersson (because he fits the same two way mold) to be more offensive, we'll have something.

Nobody wants to throw this kind of comp for someone who appears to have this kind of promise (2nd line upside), but from everything I've read and small amount of video I've watched, I'd compare him more to Brian Boyle than Stepan. Honestly, we could use a player or two like Boyle.

Maybe a Dubinsky type as well. I'm only using Ranger players to give a sense of the kind of role he could likely fill. Middle 6, can play center and wing, PK, could PP if needed. He'd be an important piece on the roster.

 

[Nopuckluck]

Stylistically, he's different. From all accounts, he's more of a big body, uses it to get to the front of the net player.

Stepan didn't have size, but made up for it with smarts. If he can fill the kind of role Stepan did defensively (match up vs top lines, win the possession battle) and allow the likes of Zibanejad, Chytil, and to a lesser extent Andersson (because he fits the same two way mold) to be more offensive, we'll have something.

Nobody wants to throw this kind of comp for someone who appears to have this kind of promise (2nd line upside), but from everything I've read and small amount of video I've watched, I'd compare him more to Brian Boyle than Stepan. Honestly, we could use a player or two like Boyle.

Maybe a Dubinsky type as well. I'm only using Ranger players to give a sense of the kind of role he could likely fill. Middle 6, can play center and wing, PK, could PP if needed. He'd be an important piece on the roster.

Give me a Dubinsky player with 20/50 potential that comes up big and I’ll sign now. That’s a winning player

 

[nyr2k2]

Soo and Gettinger have Game One of their Championship tonight.

 

[nyr2k2]

3-3 late third, Gettinger with an assist.

 

[nyr2k2]

Heading to OT. Gettinger got away with a bad turnover at the end. Saved himself by hooking the shit out of the guy who took the puck. But, you know, playoff officiating and all.

 

[Emptyvoid]

Prime Rangers Dubinsky would be sex, I'd take that any day.

 

[nyr2k2]

Hamilton wins in OT. Dude took a slapper from the left circle and it trickled through the five-hole of Soo's keeper. So, Hamilton goes up 1-0.

 

[Ola]

i haven't seen Howden play, only read reports and comments, here and elsewhere.
maybe some of you can tell me why he should, or shouldn't,
sound so much like another 20 year old center, with no particular exceptional skill, but an all round game, who elevates in big games, who made NYR's NHL roster at 20 - Stepan

not saying Howden will break camp with team, just saying that what i have read brings Step to mind

I've not followed him very closely when I've seen him play, since we didn't own his rights at the time, and lately I've mostly watched highlights etc.

But I am definitely not very high on him in terms of any kind of top end potential.

Looking around the league, to an almost extreme extent the players living up to their potential or exceeding it are -- often smaller players -- who are very comfortable skating and making moves with the puck.

Some examples, all happens to be 6'0 or smaller:
Guentzel
Pasternak
Trochek
Point
Marner
Perron
Aho
Dadonov
Keller
Zucker
Gourde
Teravainen
Arvidsson
Reilly Smith
Schwartz
Gallagher
DeBrincat
Schmaltz
Fiala
Toffoli
Atkinson
Drouin
Kerfoot
Bratt

And these kids are doing GREAT. They are ranked in order of scoring. Reilly Smith had 60 pts. DeBrincat 52 pts. If you like look at the top 100 in scoring, like a third of it consists of younger players like this who fairly recently have entered the league and almost always having exceeded their potential.

If you look at guys that are built like and skates like Howden, how many younger guys can you find that have reached or exceeded potential the last years? Anyone? Anyone that have scored 40 pts? Its easy to go to NHL.com and sort forwards and search for players 6'2 or bigger. From top to bottom there are like 40 guys having scored more than 40 pts. Most are top 5 picks, almost all are top 15 picks. And there are -- literary -- less than a handful guys there really having exceeded their potential. Anders Lee with 40 goals. Wayne Simmonds. Michael Ferland. Does Hayes count?

I wrote this post before and everyone responded 'Ola you can't ONLY look at size, size doesn't matter'. People are comparing Howden to Braydon Point. Point is 5'11 and a tremendous skater. If a 6'3 good skating forward could do just as well as Point -- why aren't there even one single example of it in the NHL? When I look up great bigger players who skate like Howden to see how they have done, a Joel Eriksson-Ek has 10-15 pts. Tuch have 37 pts and he is looking pretty darn skilled out there.

To be honest, the position I could see him score up towards 40 pts in is if he plays with top guys connecting really well, either on the wing or in a smaller center role. I would be very very very surprised if he even remotely could get close to being able to lead a top 2 line. That happening is the complete opposite of everything I've seen in this league the last years.

And the above difference between the absolute top skaters and puckhandlers and the more straight forward guys is if anything MAGNIFIED in the POs.

And nobody would like being proven wrong on this more than me.

 

[kovazub94]

@Ola I follow your analysis and I think there is a sweet spot where players are in 5’11-6’1 range become good skilled NHLers. Any smaller and their small size is likely to become a disadvantage - not being able to handle what still is a very physically demanding game. Players on a bigger side of the spectrum can handle the physical aspect, likely to have a bigger shot and ability to fight for dirty goals from in front of the net. Those who can’t because they don’t process game quick enough can still find roles on the bottom lines. The gems are big guys with skill set of small and that’s why size still matters in hockey.

 

[Joey Bones]

 

[GAGLine]

We're here [in Russia] with [Rangers Director of Player Personnel Gordie Clark] and we're watching games on TV

They travel halfway around the world to watch the game on TV?

 

[Ola]

They travel halfway around the world to watch the game on TV?

Hehe, I recon they were at the U18 half way to Siberia when Rykov played in St Petersburgh...

I like Rykov, good player, a lot of talent. But he has the most hunched over style I’ve ever seen. He must have an extremely strong back. But it can’t be optimal from an movement POV. Should get a longer stick or something.

 

[Mikos87]

During Brayden Point's massive game tonight Pierre mentioned he was a winner in Moose Jaw. Realized we recently acquired another Moose Jaw prospect in Brett Howden. His career has had a similar trajectory as Point's in the WHL, looking like they both started learning defense in 2014 after Tim Hunter was named coach. Howden has a really impressive playoffs this year with 15 points in 14 games. Whats the chances he makes the jump next year and whats the likelihood he could develop into someone like Point?

Hes no Point. I knew Point was going to be good since 2012. Rangers gaffed big time on him.

Bowden is a 15-20 checking line center. Think Lars Eller with a more North-South game.

 

[Ola]

@Ola I follow your analysis and I think there is a sweet spot where players are in 5’11-6’1 range become good skilled NHLers. Any smaller and their small size is likely to become a disadvantage - not being able to handle what still is a very physically demanding game. Players on a bigger side of the spectrum can handle the physical aspect, likely to have a bigger shot and ability to fight for dirty goals from in front of the net. Those who can’t because they don’t process game quick enough can still find roles on the bottom lines. The gems are big guys with skill set of small and that’s why size still matters in hockey.

I hope I am wrong and I could need some calibrating on guys like Howden. Right now I believe the best shot to get top 6 value from him is to sit down and show him video of Anders Lee and ask him to play like that.

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

This article on Andersson puts some perspective on how much hockey he’s played



I’m somewhat worried that he is running himself down but hopefully he rests this summer

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

This article on Andersson puts some perspective on how much hockey he’s played



I’m somewhat worried that he is running himself down but hopefully he rests this summer

And they don't even take into account the traveling he has done for the CHL games.

Klagenfurt (AUT)
Zurich (SUI)
Gap (FRA)
Liberec (CZE)

For the U20 national team he traveled to:
Lahti (FIN)
Balashikha (RUS)
Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara (USA)
Hamilton and London, ON (CAN)

And the games for team Sweden where he traveled again:
Yaroslavl (RUS)
Pardubice (CZE)
Stockholm and Södertälje (SWE)
And now Copenhagen (DEN)

A lot of these are the games that show up as Sweden U20 (All) and Sweden (All) on the EP page but trust me, I tracked all these games and locations. That's a lot of hours in the air, across timezones, crossing oceans, language barriers etc. At the age of 18/19

 

[kovazub94]

This article on Andersson puts some perspective on how much hockey he’s played



I’m somewhat worried that he is running himself down but hopefully he rests this summer

Very humbly, I’d like to note that we discussed Lias’ workload and an impact it probably had on his performance since last summer.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Very humbly, I’d like to note that we discussed Lias’ workload and an impact it probably had on his performance since last summer.

Yes. At length. It takes a lot out of you. I fly regularly for work, and even the short flights (3 hours to Dublin, Helsinki or Stockholm) take a lot out of me. I can't imagine what it would be like to then go for practice, a hockey game and flying back again 2 days later.

 

[nyr2k2]

Gettinger had an assist and Soo won, tying the finals 1-1.

 

[Lays]

I hope I am wrong and I could need some calibrating on guys like Howden. Right now I believe the best shot to get top 6 value from him is to sit down and show him video of Anders Lee and ask him to play like that.

That’s like trying to make a fish climb a tree, they play legit nothing alike and it makes no sense to mold Howden into that. If you want a player like Lee you draft a player with his playstyle. Howden has spent 20 years molding himself into the player he is now

 

[Ola]

That’s like trying to make a fish climb a tree, they play legit nothing alike and it makes no sense to mold Howden into that. If you want a player like Lee you draft a player with his playstyle. Howden has spent 20 years molding himself into the player he is now

One of the big reasons for why Kevin Hayes refused to sign with Chicago was that they wanted to play him in a Bickel type of LW role. They pushed him hard to play more aggressive and go to the net more.

At least before he had his big breakout in College they didn’t think he had the mobility to ever become a good center in the NHL or more of a goto offensive player. They clashed over it. Hayes had very strong support, I bet those guys told him ‘listen you are tremendously skilled with the puck and your vision is something else [it is] — if Chicago only sees you as a Power Forward LW you don’t have to sign with them’.

Players are asked to assume different roles and play a certain way all the time in the NHL. Sometimes it’s smart sometimes it’s not. It’s far from always good for the career of the player in question.

Howden can for GOOD and bad never become Anders Lee. Much better skater and less physical prescense.

Offensively Howden reminds me a lot of Brandon Sutter. In the way the league looks right now, I think you are hampered by that type of player at center. Not that Sutter is an awful player, but it hurts you a lot if your center face someone that skates and moves the puck better than you and on the good teams the centers just skates and moves the puck really really well.

Just saying, I think Howden has more potential for us as a LW.