Ranger Draft

First off, congrats to Hank for winning the Vezina! It was about time and now the only thing he's missing is his name on the Stanley Cup. Not a bad start to a career.

In the bigger picture, the Rangers go into tomorrow night's draft with 4 picks, picking 28th or around 28th in each of the first four rounds. This is considered a pretty flat draft after the first pool of about 20. So we'd probably call this a red chip draft. The trick to drafts like these comes in the form of "scouting advantage." The Rangers have one, so they should once again be able to reach into the haystack and come right out with a needle -- or something sharper than hay.

Unless a big trade happens, the Rangers still have a formidable pool of prospects they can expect help from in the not too distant future, though maybe not next season. With as well as they just did in the playoffs, they might want more help next season, that's why we can't rule out a trade. Hopefully, if a trade must be made, it will be in line with the hot streak that started with the Gomez deal. We can always tolerate moves like that. But nothing should be done to blow up the farm or the current roster. That has never worked in Ranger history, and trading away blossoming prospects has historically come back to bite them in the hockey pants.

What about a trade up? I find this remotely possible if they have a ringer in the top 25 and he's falling. I don't know what they'd use for trade ammo, though, and I think it is just as likely that the pick becomes part of a trade for someone a little more established if there is a trade at all.

Otherwise, I'd be content to watch them make their 4 picks and see if they trade back in in round 5,6, or 7. Should be interesting.