1 (7) C/LW: Lias Andersson (SWE) (5'11"/198lbs., Shot: Left, HV71/SHL) 1 (21) C: Filip Chytil (CZR) (6'1"/192lbs., Shot: Left, Zlin/Czech) 4 (123) D: Brandon Crawley (USA) (6'1"/205lbs., Shot: Left, London/OHL) * Overager x2 * 5 (145) D: Calle Sjalin (SWE) (6'1"/176lbs., Shot: Left, Ostersunds/Division 1) 6 (157) C/LW: Dominik Lakatos (CZR) (5'11"/179lbs., Shot: Liberec/Czech) * Overager x2 * 6 (174) F: Morgan Barron (CAN) (6'2"/201lbs., Shot: Left, St. Andrews College/HS-CA) * Cornell commit 17/18 season * 7 (207) C/RW: Patrik Virta (FIN) (5'10"/181lbs., Shot: Right, TPS/SM-Liiga) * Overager x3 * http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=214318 http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=236806 http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=258636 http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=266116 http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=195562 http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=195024 http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=98096
Concentrating on the first 2 in this draft. Crawley might be interesting. Virta in a top league had some good production. However, I think we are looking at the top 2 picks for sure as the haul here. I like the Andersson pick more and more. I think this first round will be a huge bust draft much like 2004. I think Clark made the smart move. Making the safest picks in the first round early on. I did not like a ton of the players in this first round after reading many scouting reports on them. Watching the highlights of Andersson and reading his scouting report about his relentless motor, I like it.
CHICAGO - The Rangers wrapped up the 2017 NHL Entry Draft Saturday in Chicago with five selections to go along with two first-round selections Friday night. New York flipped the 102nd overall pick to San Jose for picks 123 and 174, and used the first choice on defenseman Brandon Crawley. The 20-year-old blueliner had 27 points in 61 games with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League last season. "He's been a very important player for London on defense playing against the best players," Rangers Director of Player Personnel Gordie Clark told NYRangers.com. "They've gone deep three years in a row. They won the Memorial Cup two years ago and then when deep again this year. This guy is playing against the best players in major, and he clearly deserved to be drafted." The Rangers used their 145th pick to grab Swedish defenseman Calle Sjalin. The 17-year-old had five goals and added 10 helpers last season with Ostersunds IK in Sweden's Division 1, which is the country's third-tier hockey league. He was ranked 44th among European skaters by NHL Central Scouting. Clark said Sajlan missed a significant amount of time with an injury that limited his effectiveness this past season, but that he turned it on as the season progressed. "He's got a beautiful pair of hands and a head with his thinking process," he said. "He needs to get thicker, but he's a real competitor and he has an edge to his game. We think once he catches up - especially with his skating from not playing for a year - it'll be really good to get him at that spot." Sajlan - who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 179 pounds - won't turn 18 until September, making him - as well as first-round pick Filip Chytil - one of the youngest players in the draft. Forward Dominik Lakatos was added to the organization at No. 157. The Czech registered 10 goals and 12 assists in 41 games for Bili Tygri Liberec this past season and added eight goals and 13 points in 16 playoff games. Clark called the 20-year-old a late bloomer and said his work ethic is one of his biggest strengths. That, and Lakatos' tenacity on the ice that separates him from others in Czech's top league. "He's a very different player for that Czech league, which is all skill and speed," Clark stated. "Not a whole lot of hitting. When I first saw him, I said he's like a Tasmanian devil. He was all over the ice just going for the puck, going for the body." Clark said the 6-foot Lakatos will play another season in the Czech Republic. poses for a portrait during the 2017 NHL Draft at United Center on June 24, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. Jeff Vinnick New York used the additional pick provided by San Jose to select their lone Canadian, Morgan Barron, at 174. "I'm a big, two-way centerman," Barron told reporters in a press conference. "I try and play a 200-foot game. I like to chip in defensively and offensively, so I think I just want to be a prototypical NHL centerman who plays both ends of the ice." After spending the last two season at St. Andrew's College in Canada, the Halifax, Nova Scotia-native is committed to Cornell University for next season, a spot Clark said will benefit his all-around game prior to him hopefully becoming a Ranger someday. "We like where he's going to Cornell where he'll grow," Clark said of Barron. "They teach a real good defensive game up there. He's been more offensive in St. Andrew's because he's basically their best player. Now he'll learn the other side of the game of defense and by the time he comes to us, he'll have a good idea of how to play on both sides of the puck." Barron, who stands 6-foot-2 and weights 200 pounds, said he looks to mimic Chris Kreider's playing style. "He's a powerful two-way play who skates really well, which is something I try and do," he said. "So he's definitely I model my game after." poses for a portrait during the 2017 NHL Draft at United Center on June 24, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. Jeff Vinnick The Rangers used their final pick to take forward Finnish forward Patrik Virta 207th overall. While the Rangers went young earlier in the year, Virta is one of the older players in the draft. At 21 years old, he's spent the last few seasons playing in Liiga, most recently posting 14 goals and 12 assists in 49 games with TPS a season ago. Virta described himself as an offensive forward who is good at making plays. He said his experience - both his age and playing pro hockey overseas - makes him more ready for North America than younger Europeans. Clark said Virta reminds him of Jesper Fast when he and his staff were scouting the Swede before the 2010 draft. "Same size, good skater, has an NHL shot," Clark said of Virta. "Jesper was a goal scorer when he was playing in juniors. He's been doing great stuff in the men's league. It's not junior. It's a pretty good level. It just took him a little more time."
I like this kid in the 6th round morgan barron. Good size and showed big offense last 2 years and will mature playing for cornell. 18 yrs old center and already 6'2' and 200lbs.
Let's face it. So far the Day pick is looking like a franchise changing pick. Team that that with the Shesterkin, Graves and Zborovskiy picks and Clark has saved our pick trading moron GM's from ruining this team again like they did in the 90's. Gorton finally got smart and starting accumulating draft picks. He needs to do more of that for next years draft. That means dealing off Nash, Holden and even Kreider if he can't finally get his shit together.
so apparently ESPN thinks that the Rangers were the biggest losers of the draft. http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/19735628/nhl-winners-losers-2017-draft-weekend
Their 4th-7th round picks were a little uninspiring and not much upside though Virta could be somewhat of a find. It's pretty much all about Andersson and Chytil.
Yeah, cause ESPN has hockey writers that actually know something. LOL. Clark is only one of the best in the business. What he is doing is very smart. He takes high risk, high reward players in the third round and later like Day and Saarela. He took close to sure things for good NHL players in this draft. For all the talent Crosby and Malkin have, they couldn't win a damn for 6 years until they were able to add a boat load of cheap, two way forwards who actually contributed. I'll say it again. This draft will be like 2004. You will have at least 15 busts in the first round. Maybe more. Rangers went conservative and it was smart.
