Leslie Treff at the Hockey's Future does a Rangers draft preview..."The Rangers need to remedy a shortage of scoring forwards. After selecting defensemen in the first round of the 2005, 2006 and 2008 NHL Entry Drafts, as well as adding first rounder Ryan McDonagh through a 2009 trade, it is likely that the Rangers will select a forward in the first round of this year's draft. A specific need exists at center, where the team (and system) are short on first and second line center icemen. Although recent graduate Artem Anisimov will likely eventually fill a second-line role and Derek Stepan is projected to be a first to second line forward, there is no purely first-line center in the system. With Evgeny Grachev already playing wing in the AHL, and expected to continue developing in that position, a playmaking center will be at the top of the Rangers list later this week."
In the Hockey's Future's mock draft they have the Rangers taking Jeff Skinner.
...i'd be shocked if the Rangers go any other direction than forward. I'm still on Nino, but I'm worried he won't be around at #10.
...while Skinner is a pure goal scorer, I'm down on him due to his size. Rangers have way too many small forwards already.
11 comments:
Yea man I am big on Johansen & Skinner, also like some guys who will be later round picks like Quinton Howden from Moose Jaw, Ryan Spooner from Peterbourough, Sam Carrick from Brampton all look like solid nhl prospects. also got Jared Tinordi who I would love for us to draft. Plays just like his dad.
I like Tinordi also if he's still around in the second round I'd love for the Rangers to jump on him.
Not to sure I understand the logic about being too small so someone is down on that player. If the skill set and production is there by all means draft the player. If the current small players are not performing up to par than get rid of those players as well as the larger ones. We had a alot of underperforming players regardless of size. If the skill set and the intangibles are all equal than by all means draft the size but there is always something that sets one player apart from the other.JMO
Rick, it's not so much that I'm down on Skinner as a player, I'm down on the Rangers bringing in another smallish player. I feel the Rangers need a forward with size who can put the puck in the net.
While I will agree with that assessment that we have too many small forwards that play small. That has always ben the case yet if a player has the skill to bury the puck-that should be the overriding factor in any decision making evaluation. To me goal scoring always trumps size. Too many examples of under 6' players that have excelled.
Great points Rick. To add to your argument, Montreal did just fine with smallish players in the playoffs.
I'm just of the school of having a big, hulking forward with great hands clogging up the front of the net and scoring garbage goals. The Rangers don't have that type of player right now.
Nice back and forth. Rick maybe we should save some of it for tonight's late night live chat.
thats cool
someone asked when clark took over the draft. from the hf article it looks like 2007.
again we're way too small overall at forward and on d. and mtl seemed overmatched by a bigger philly team. i really hope we don't draft skinner. even hollweg scored 30 in jrs so beware those stats.
Totally agree that we are small but only because we are perceived to be small by the character on the team. Look at Boyle, look at Malik, look at Jessiman. We had big-we drafted big-we traded for big and yet on this team the bigger they are the harder they fall. Like the saying goes: Its not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog. Our philosophy and evaluating players leaves alot to be desired. I don't mind taking a chance on skill as long as there is some character to go along with it.
rick that would be fine but we draft small guys and sign others as free agents way too often. its not just 1 or 2 guys
Agree, we do draft small both in character and size. I think that is changing by the 1st round pick in Mc.
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