Rangers Stuff

The NHL Draft starts 3 weeks from tonight. Unless the Rangers do something stupid - which they haven't for some time - the Rangers will either take Kaapo Kakko or Jack Hughes at #2.  What will be interesting to see is what they do after they get that great player.  As of right now, the Rangers have pick 20, and seven others, including 2 seconds.

They should be able to get another very good prospect at 20, but in waiting at 20, they'll miss out on a bunch of really oustanding propects, who should be off the board by pick 20. Indeed, the top of this draft is as intringuing as it's been in years, and not just because both Hughes and Kakko are worthy of the first overall pick - though I do think Hughes, himself, is one of the big reasons the top of the draft is.

For the past few yeasrs, Hughes has been part of the USNTDP, and fully 6 or 7 of his US teammates could see their names called in the first round. This is unusual, and I'm not sure the influence of Jack Hughes didn't elevate guys like Alexander Turcotte, Trevor Zegras, Cole Caufield and Matthew Boldy - as well of the rest of them. I'm not taking anything away from the program - which seems fantastic - or the other kids, but I do believe Hughes and his teammates will have a big impact on the NHL going forward. They didn't win the U17 - Kakko beat them - but they all look like futures winners and their teamwork was impressive.

Now, most of these kids, especially the C's like Turcotte and Zegras will be gone by 20, and that's why the Rangers should trade up from 20 or use roster players or a combination of roster players and picks to trade for a third first rounder between picks 2 and 20.

The US kids aren't the only big upside kids to move up or move in for.  Russian winger Vitali Podkozin has been falling lately, but he might be the 3rd or 4th best player in this draft when all is said and done. If he falls past 5, the Rangers MUST pounce.  Likewise, C Alexander Newhook, might be the Canadian version of Jack Hughes.  If Hughes is the number  1 skater in the draft, Newhook is 1A and has similar skills and vision. No joke. He's underrated because - for reasons that were never explained - he didn't make the Canadian U17 team.  Anyway, he should be another target besides the Americans, and the Russian.

Some of the mocks have us taking German D Moritz Seider, who, like Hughes and Kakko, played for his country in the recent World Championships.  He's 6'4" and 185 and would be another D for our pile o D prospects. He'd be a great value, but the Rangers need to both dump some of the NHL D's and draft some top 6 prospects. So it could create a logjam.  That said, if he's BPA at 20, they have to take him.

On another note, tomorrow is the date on which the Rangers and other teams have to sign kids they've previously drafted, so they can go back in the draft or become free agents.  I think the Rangers have 2 of these guys in their prospect pool and I don't see them signing either, but they could make a little deal or two here.