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

[17futurecap]

Yeah I can see it now, there will probably be a lot of disappointment with the Pack this year. They have a ton of guys in years 1-3 professionally. Unless they get creative there's not much room for the AAAA-caliber, veteran players, and those are the guys that really help push you from a fringe team to a really good team. I know that's not some ironclad rule, but in general, it's hard to win in the AHL predominantly with youth.

That's part of what I was alluding to when I mentioned the false perception of the AHL as a developmental league previously: it is a league where you send prospects to develop, but it's also a league where many guys make careers, and teams still try to win independently of developing prospects. So, if you want to win down there, you need balance.

IDK if the Rangers are in a position to balance appropriately, unless they get ballsy and send the fringy prospects to Maine like they did with Zborovskiy. I just don't see anyone outside of Leedahl that would deserve that, and even Leedahl was okay for Hartford. We'll see how it goes. I am really excited to see the new blood, but I hope we can keep some legit veterans down there.

It always seems like the AHL vets we sign mail it in by game 15 when they know they aren't getting called up. Hopefully Peter Holland clears waivers at the end of camp, he's a nothing NHL player, but a real good AHL vet that still seemed to care last season, 33 points in 36 AHL games between Laval and Hartford.

Need some vets to help the kids improve, can't just stick all kids out there, or they will just get buried every night.

 

[Ola]

Yeah, the reality is the AHL is not a high-scoring league. I think people assume it is or guys should light it up there because it's a "developmental" league which is really only half true. There were only like 3-4 guys or something who played basically the full year in the league and at a PPG rate. Only 6 guys scored 30 goals (more scored at that pace but didn't play a whole year down there). Anyway the point I'm making is that he doesn't need to score 40 or record 70 points or anything. Like if he could score 25+ goals as you said and have 45-50 points that would be huge for him.

Yeah, and without conducting the most extensive study -- it feels like scoring must have gone down right? Just my feeling that before if you looked at a good AHL team they had a couple of guys scoring lots of points now it more usual that even good teams don't really have any top scorers.

 

[Ola]

This year the Europeans and rookies should provide the skill, I think its a good idea to compliment them with guys who can do the dirty work for them. Matt Belesky should be a good fit if he wants to show up. I wouldn't count on Chytil and Lias. I think that if you give these kids a full summer and they really make the most of it -- which I think that they will -- they will just get over the demotion bar. They will be too good. How does the depth chart look?`

Schneider-Howden-Lettieri
Meskanen-Holland-Lindqvist
Gettinger-Fogarty-Ronning
Gropp-Fontaine-Belesky
Leedahl
Hajek-Bigras (?)
Lindgren-Kampfer (?)
Crawly-Pedrie
Day-Zborovski

Boo Nieves? Tambs?

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

This year the Europeans and rookies should provide the skill, I think its a good idea to compliment them with guys who can do the dirty work for them. Matt Belesky should be a good fit if he wants to show up. I wouldn't count on Chytil and Lias. I think that if you give these kids a full summer and they really make the most of it -- which I think that they will -- they will just get over the demotion bar. They will be too good. How does the depth chart look?`

Schneider-Howden-Lettieri
Meskanen-Holland-Lindqvist
Gettinger-Fogarty-Ronning
Gropp-Fontaine-Belesky
Leedahl
Hajek-Bigras (?)
Lindgren-Kampfer (?)
Crawly-Pedrie
Day-Zborovski

Boo Nieves? Tambs?

Holland? He better be gone.

Belesky and at least one of Lindqvist or Meskanen will be with the Rangers.

Lettieri and Nieves might be with the Rangers.

 

[nyr2k2]

It always seems like the AHL vets we sign mail it in by game 15 when they know they aren't getting called up. Hopefully Peter Holland clears waivers at the end of camp, he's a nothing NHL player, but a real good AHL vet that still seemed to care last season, 33 points in 36 AHL games between Laval and Hartford.

Need some vets to help the kids improve, can't just stick all kids out there, or they will just get buried every night.

Yeah. That was always one of my major issues with Gernander--it didn't seem like he was able to keep the vets motivated at all. I think last year was a bit better, for sure. Cole Schneider gave us pretty much exactly what we expected from him, and Kosmachuk probably exceeded expectations. They picked up Sproul who was great. Whitney was okay, a little disappointing overall and didn't look totally engaged the few times I watched him. DeSalvo wasn't good, Catenacci was never good, Selleck was horrendous. They took a flyer on John Albert who was having a bad year, and he continued to be horrible. So, all in all, a mixed bag.

Yeah, and without conducting the most extensive study -- it feels like scoring must have gone down right? Just my feeling that before if you looked at a good AHL team they had a couple of guys scoring lots of points now it more usual that even good teams don't really have any top scorers.

I would also guess scoring is down somewhat, but I don't have the numbers.

 

[nyr2k2]

Holland? He better be gone.

Belesky and at least one of Lindqvist or Meskanen will be with the Rangers.

Lettieri and Nieves might be with the Rangers.

How can you say one of Meskanen or Lindqvist will be with the Rangers before they ever set foot in camp, on a North American sheet of ice? They're both nice prospects but that seems incredibly optimistic to me to project them in the NHL to start.

As for Beleskey, he's three years removed from being an effective NHL player. Given that he'll be 30 by the start of the season, why would anyone assume he can just turn it around and play an NHL game at this point? I'd say the odds are far greater that he's done than they are that he can still contribute.

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

How can you say one of Meskanen or Lindqvist will be with the Rangers before they ever set foot in camp, on a North American sheet of ice? They're both nice prospects but that seems incredibly optimistic to me to project them in the NHL to start.

As for Beleskey, he's three years removed from being an effective NHL player. Given that he'll be 30 by the start of the season, why would anyone assume he can just turn it around and play an NHL game at this point? I'd say the odds are far greater that he's done than they are that he can still contribute.

Meskanen and Lindqvist are basically top line players in their leagues and at 23/24 by the time season starts I am sure they did not sign here to play in Hartford. If they don't make the Rangers they likely return to Europe.

Belesky is 2 years removed, not 3 2018/19 season did not even start yet. And as you said he is only 30. He can be a useful physical player on 4th or 3rd lines.

 

[Ola]

Holland? He better be gone.

Belesky and at least one of Lindqvist or Meskanen will be with the Rangers.

Lettieri and Nieves might be with the Rangers.

Maybe. Stuff will happen between now and the draft, but as it is I think we are looking at something like the following from a depth-chart perspective:
Kreider-Ziba-Buch
Names-Chytil-Zucc
Lias-Hayes-Spooner
Vesey-X-Fast
Y

To that depth chart there will be both substractions and additions. There will be room for guys like Belesky, Vinny L, Howden and co to make the NHL team. On the other hand, I wouldn’t bet that we will see a massive amount of that crew up in the NHL to start the year.

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

I would like a line of Gettinger-Howden-Ronning, they seem like the most promising forward prospects in our system which is almost devoid of good forward prospects, yet some still want to draft 3 defensemen in the 1st round.

 

[nyr2k2]

Meskanen and Lindqvist are basically top line players in their leagues and at 23/24 by the time season starts I am sure they did not sign here to play in Hartford. If they don't make the Rangers they likely return to Europe.

Belesky is 2 years removed, not 3 2018/19 season did not even start yet. And as you said he is only 30. He can be a useful physical player on 4th or 3rd lines.

We've had plenty of good European players sign here over the years who probably had high hopes and expectations of starting in the NHL. We just went through this with Bereglazov last season. If the guys aren't good enough to crack the roster they're not going to be handed a spot just because they might want to go home. We've also shown if a player isn't happy and wants to go home, we'll let them.

When the season starts, it will be Beleskey's third season since he was last good. That's what I meant. Maybe he can be a physical presence on the fourth line. Boston wanted to dump his contract and we didn't keep him on the roster to finish out the year. Instead he went down to play mediocre hockey in Hartford. I just don't understand why anyone would assume he's any kind of certainty for a roster spot.

This is just the kind of "definitive speculation" that happens every year that never pans out. We'll see.

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

because there is no bad blood between Beleskey and the team, coach or management. He should get a fair chance to succeed so that we can trade him at the deadline. Also because we have very few physical players, so Beleskey would be a very good fit for us.

 

[nyr2k2]

because there is no bad blood between Beleskey and the team, coach or management. He should get a fair chance to succeed so that we can trade him at the deadline. Also because we have very few physical players, so Beleskey would be a very good fit for us.

I'm sure he will get a fair chance. I never said he wouldn't. I just don't know why there'd be any expectation that he'll seize his chance. I mean he has to do more than play physical to make the team--he has to be able to play hockey as well. If he looks slow and lacking in skill then the team can probably find some other guy who plays physically and isn't terrible for near the minimum. I'm just saying, Beleskey is a reclamation project, so it shouldn't be assumed he's going to make the team just because he theoretically fills an area of need. It's possible the past two seasons are what he is now.

Everyone will get a chance. The two European signings will as well. Even they, however, still have to actually earn a spot. Neither guy is a prospect of such high caliber that losing them back to their home country is a major blow to our system. If they come and they don't look like they're ready, they'll go to Hartford. And if they don't like it down they're they'll ask to leave, and we'll let them like we always do.

I'm just saying, don't put the cart before the horse with the guys that haven't played in North America or guys that are fighting just to keep their NHL careers alive. It would be great if they all work out, but it's unlikely, IMO.

 

[ManUtdTobbe]

I don't want a Gettinger-Howden-Ronning line…
I'm big on mixing in veterans and kids, hope we keep Schneider, he was great with Chytil… Go Schneider-Howden-X then Gettinger-Veteran C-Ronning sounds pretty good.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

One of the nice things about getting a coach from the college ranks is he is much less likely to be concerned about “traditional” NHL roles or have favorite vets he’ll defer to (or advocate signing). I suppose we might have to worry a bit about anyone he coached or recruited in college, but unless I’m mistaken, we don’t have any of his current or former players. We should see a roster that’s pretty merit based.

 

[Matz03]

I don't want a Gettinger-Howden-Ronning line…
I'm big on mixing in veterans and kids, hope we keep Schneider, he was great with Chytil… Go Schneider-Howden-X then Gettinger-Veteran C-Ronning sounds pretty good.

Schneider is signed for next year, so he'll be around again on the top lines again.

 

[eco's bones]

Meskanen and Lindqvist are basically top line players in their leagues and at 23/24 by the time season starts I am sure they did not sign here to play in Hartford. If they don't make the Rangers they likely return to Europe.

Belesky is 2 years removed, not 3 2018/19 season did not even start yet. And as you said he is only 30. He can be a useful physical player on 4th or 3rd lines.

Two years is a long time for someone approaching 30. I liked what he did in the last game of the year but he had a horrific season even in the AHL. We will see but I'm not counting on Beleskey making the team nor am I counting on Brendan Smith making the team. The reason they both ended up in the AHL was because they earned it.

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

Two years is a long time for someone approaching 30. I liked what he did in the last game of the year but he had a horrific season even in the AHL. We will see but I'm not counting on Beleskey making the team nor am I counting on Brendan Smith making the team. The reason they both ended up in the AHL was because they earned it.

I am pretty sure they both make the team. I also liked Beleskey's final game as for the rest of his play from last season I have no idea what lines he played on, what his role was or how well he played beyond the points he produced. I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

2018 Report Card: Vinni Lettieri and Boo Nieves

I think Boo is definitely a good fit with new coach/system, but the shoot first Lettieri not so much.

 

[eco's bones]

I am pretty sure they both make the team. I also liked Beleskey's final game as for the rest of his play from last season I have no idea what lines he played on, what his role was or how well he played beyond the points he produced. I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

I liked his game apart from the fact that he was struggling to keep pace. He was aggressive and was looking for trouble but if he can't keep up he's not going to make it. That's a sad f***ing fact these days and when a player is having that issue and he's getting older he's got a big problem.

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

I think we could use this guy:

 

[bobbop]

This will be a very young a Hartford team.

 

[GAGLine]

I think we could use this guy:

The guy we got probably isn't that guy.

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

The guy we got probably isn't that guy.

sure, but I am hoping last season was a good wake up call for Beleskey and Smith and they come out on fire.

 

[Alluckks]

One of the nice things about getting a coach from the college ranks is he is much less likely to be concerned about “traditional” NHL roles or have favorite vets he’ll defer to (or advocate signing). I suppose we might have to worry a bit about anyone he coached or recruited in college, but unless I’m mistaken, we don’t have any of his current or former players. We should see a roster that’s pretty merit based.

Quinn would regularly play the freshman/sophmore having a good game over the junior/senior that has veteran team status.

 

[ManUtdTobbe]

Schneider is signed for next year, so he'll be around again on the top lines again.

Good, put our top prospect (that's in Hartford) on a line with him just like we did with Chytil last year, glue them together… Guessing that will be Howden… Schneider-Howden-Lettieri works if Lettieri doesn't make the team.