Category: 2019 Draft

2019 Draft

The Rangers draft picks on Saturday

Posted on by Adam Rotter

With the 49th pick, the Rangers selected WHL defenseman Matthew Robertson.

He was ranked 19th by Future Considerations, 29th by McKeens 25th by TSN, 27th by ESPN, 35th and 41st by The Athletic.

Future Considerations writes:

  • “Due to his size and skating prowess, Robertson stands out on the ice. He exhibits beautiful crossovers and backwards skating and he shows elite escapability. He’s borderline impossible to strip of the puck once he has possession due to his ability to spin and protect it.”
  • “He shows top tier awareness and is strong at eliminating attack angles with good lane management techniques and his ability to adjust on the fly. A highly-mobile and elite thinker who excels under pressure, he picks his spots well to make an impact with the puck.”
  • “Overall, he is a coach’s dream and a prospect with enormous potential.”

McKeens wrote, “the team that drafts Robertson, whether late in the first or early on day two, will be hoping for a similar impact, on a similar timeframe, as Tampa Erik Cernak, a similar breed of size in a modern-day defender. If anything, Robertson has higher upside.”

He had seven goals and 26 assists in 52 games for Edmonton of the WHL.

From the Rangers release, “The 6-3, 200-pounder has skated in 126 career WHL games over parts of three seasons (2016-17 – 2018-19), all with Edmonton, registering 14 goals and 44 assists for 58 points, along with a plus-two rating and 72 penalty minutes. Internationally, the Edmonton, Alberta native has represented Canada in several tournaments. Robertson helped Canada win a gold medal at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, as he registered four points (two goals, two assists) in five games. He tallied six points (two goals, four assists) in five games with Canada-Black at the 2017 World U17 Hockey Challenge, and he was named to the Tournament All-Star Team, as he led all defensemen in the tournament in points. In addition, Robertson recorded two assists and posted a plus-five rating in five games while representing Canada at the 2018 IIHF U18 World Championship.”

With the 59th pick, the Rangers selected Swedish center Karl Henriksson.

He was ranked 62nd by Future Considerations, 51st by McKeens 25th by TSN, 78th by ESPN, and 83rd by The Athletic.

McKeens writes:

  • Karl Henriksson is a study in how a player can be smashingly successful and productive without having big tools. He is small, not a great skater, lacks a big shot, and is not a gifted puck mover. Yet, if you watched Team Sweden at the WU18 tournament, it was hard to keep your eyes off of the young center.”
  •  “Everything he has plays at a higher level than his pure scouting grades because he is incredibly smart, and he works ridiculously hard. He puts pressure on the opponent in all three zones and he does not let pressure going the other way deter him at all.”

Future Considerations wrote:

  • “a quick and agile skater. He is an excellent playmaker that distributes hard and accurate passes. Despite his small frame, he can make a read and find a good play even when under pressure. He isn’t afraid of taking physical contact and will willingly take a hit to make a play.”
  • “A cerebral player, he often knows what to do with the puck before receiving it, something that he utilizes frequently while on the power play. He has very good vision and can be creative in the ways that he sets up his teammates and the accuracy in his passes are very high and often go tape-to-tape.”

From the Rangers release, “The 5-9, 176-pounder has played in Frolunda’s organization for the last two seasons (2017-18 and 2018-19). Henriksson tallied 50 points (20 goals, 30 assists) and posted a plus-42 rating in 38 games with Frolunda’s U18 team in 2017-18, and helped the team win a bronze medal by notching six points (two goals, four assists) in seven games during the playoffs.”

“Internationally, the Malmo, Sweden native has represented his country in several tournaments. Most recently, Henriksson registered nine points (three goals, six assists) in seven games while helping Sweden win a gold medal at the 2019 IIHF U18 World Championship. He was named one of the Top Three Players on his Team in the tournament, as he led Sweden in assists and points. Henriksson also helped Sweden earn a silver medal at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, as he registered two goals in five games during the tournament.”

With the 68th pick, the Rangers selected defenseman Zachary Jones.

He was ranked 29th by McKeens 88th by TSN, 69th by ESPN, and 54th by The Athletic.

From McKeens:

  • Small, but fast and skilled, Jones fits the modern mold of the puck moving defenseman to a ‘T’. Coming from the non-traditional hockey market of Virginia, he has among the better sets of puck skills among draft eligible defensemen this year.
  • He is adept at getting past the first layer of defense with a series of drags and dekes, helped along with quick hands, and he has the foresight not to try to force anything on his way in.”

From The Athletic, “He’s not the biggest or fastest defenseman, but he’s great with the puck on his stick. Jones has a high skill level, great offensive instincts, and is not afraid to try and make a play.”

From the Rangers release, “The 5-10, 175-pounder established a single-season Tri-City record for assists by a defenseman in 2018-19, and his 45 assists were the second-most by any Tri-City player in one season in the team’s history (Jaden Schwartz registered 50 assists in 2009-10). Jones also played in the USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game during the 2018-19 season. He skated in six playoff games Tri-City during the past season and recorded five assists.”

“Jones has committed to play collegiate hockey at UMass-Amherst beginning with the 2019-20 season.”

At pick 112, the Rangers selected defenseman Hunter Skinner.

Skinner is listed by McKeens as an Honorable Mention and is 6-2, 176.

He played last season in the USHL and was listed 120 on Central Scouting’s listing of North American skaters. He was ranked 112th in the mid-term rankings.

From the Rangers release, “Skinner, 18, split this past season between the Muskegon Lumberjacks and the Lincoln Stars of the United States Hockey League (USHL). He skated in 52 USHL games during the 2018-19 season, registering five goals and 19 assists for 24 points, along with 81 penalty minutes. Skinner established USHL career-highs in several categories this past season, including games played, goals, assists, and points.”

“The 6-2, 176-pounder has skated in 83 career USHL games over parts of two seasons (2017-18 and 2018-19) with Muskegon and Lincoln, registering five goals and 19 assists for 24 points, along with 85 penalty minutes. Prior to beginning his USHL career, Skinner played with Honeybaked U16 in the High Performance Hockey League (HPHL).”

At 130, the Rangers have selected RW Leevi Aaltonen.

He was ranked 115nd by Future Considerations, 99th by McKeens, 78th and  69th by The Athletic.

McKeens wrote, “big scorer in Finnish junior ranks kept up the pace with the WU18s. Explosive skater with flashy hands is physically immature.

Future Considerations wrote:

  • “A smooth skater, Aaltonen is very active on his feet, has excellent acceleration and can torch opponents with high-end speed. A bit of a burner in that regard. He’s very agile, has a fluid stride and is able to turn on a dime. He also has a lot of pace to his game that makes him extremely effective on the forecheck.”
  • “The flashy Finn is a sneaky playmaker, always looking for open lanes, especially on the power play. He’s able to set up multiple high-danger scoring chances for his teammates while keeping opposing defenders on their toes.”
  • “Defensively, he has great timing with his stick when intercepting passes or creating turnovers.”
  • “His biggest flaw is his lack of size and physical qualities. He can be pushed around quite a bit and his lack of reach can be a problem against taller defenders, but his speed helps compensates for those shortcomings.”

“A Speedster – impressive accelaratoin and strong overall skating ability.” NHL Central Scouting

From the Rangers release, “The 5-9, 177-pounder has played in KalPa’s organization for four seasons (2015-16 – 2018-19). Aaltonen helped KalPa’s U20 team win the Jr. A SM-liiga Championship in 2017-18 and KalPa’s U18 team win the Jr. B SM-sarja Championship in 2016-17. In 2015-16, Aaltonen won the Timo Jutila Award as the Jr. C SM-sarja (Finland’s U16 league) Rookie of the Year, and he led the league in points during the season (70; 26 goals and 44 assists in 27 games).”

“Internationally, the Mikkeli, Finland native has represented his country in several tournaments. Most recently, Aaltonen registered five points (one goal, four assists) and a plus-four rating in five games while representing Finland at the 2019 IIHF U18 World Championship. He led Finland in assists and tied for the team lead in points in the tournament. Aaltonen recorded two assists in five games at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, and he also registered five points (three goals, two assists) in four games at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. He helped Finland win a gold medal at the 2018 IIHF U18 World Championship, as he tallied two goals and posted a plus-two rating in seven games during the tournament. In addition, Aaltonen was teammates with Kaapo Kakko at the 2018 IIHF U18 World Championship.”

At 161, the Rangers drafted Swedish center Adam Edstrom.

He is 6-6, 207 and was ranked 73rd in the Final Central Scouting rankings for Euro Players. He was ranked 64th in the mid-term rankings.

He had 16 points in 20 Swedish junior league games and 1 assist in 15 SHL games.

From the Rangers release, “Edstrom, 18, split this past season between Mora in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) and Mora’s junior (J20) team in SuperElit. He tallied 16 points (11 goals, five assists) in 20 games in SuperElit with Mora’s junior team during the season, and he also registered four points (two goals, two assists) in two relegation games. In addition, Edstrom recorded one assist in 15 SHL games with Mora in 2018-19. He also notched two goals in two games with Malungs IF in Division 1 (Sweden’s third-highest pro league).”

“The 6-6, 209-pounder played in Mora’s organization for three seasons (2016-17 – 2018-19). Edstrom registered 47 points (27 goals, 20 assists) in 40 games while playing with Mora’s J18 team and 27 points (19 goals, eight assists) in 69 games with Mora’s J20 team in SuperElit. He is expected to play in Rogle’s organization in the 2019-20 season.”

At 205, the Rangers pick RW Eric Ciccolini.

He’s ranked 178 by McKeens and 118 by Future Considerations.

Future Considerations wrote:

  • An all-around offensive threat, Ciccolini pushes
    the pace and anchors his team’s offense every time he steps on the ice. He has lightning-quick feet and silky smooth crossovers, which allow him to turn on the burners and reach his elite top speed.”
  • “He also carries the puck seemingly on a string and the vision to dish it off to teammates when under pressure.”
  • “Overall, his compete and battle levels are extremely high and he has a dangerous offensive skillset in his game that becomes readily apparent in just the first few minutes of watching him play.”

From the Rangers release, “Ciccolini, 18, skated in 48 games with the Toronto Jr. Canadiens of the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) this past season, registering 27 goals and 35 assists for 62 points, along with 58 penalty minutes. Ciccolini won the B.J. Monro Memorial Trophy as the OHA’s Top Prospect. He received the OJHL Top Prospect Award, was named an OJHL First Team All-Prospect, and was named to the OJHL Second All-Star Team. Ciccolini also notched five points (one goal, four assists) in five playoff games.”

“The 5-11, 170-pounder played parts of two seasons in the OJHL (2017-18 and 2018-19). A native of Vaughan, Ontario, Ciccolini played with Canada-East at the 2018 World Junior A Hockey Challenge. Ciccolini is committed to begin his collegiate career at the University of Michigan in 2019-20.”

2019 Draft, Kaapo Kakko

How close it is between Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko

Posted on by Adam Rotter

While Jack Hughes is ranked 1st on TSN‘s draft rankings, Bob McKenzie noted that many of the scouts he spoke with had Hughes and Kaapo Kakko very close together.

One scout told McKenzie that while his team has Hughes ranked 1st, it’s “almost too close to call” and another that said “flip a coin, it’s that close.” (TSN)

McKenzie notes that in TSN’s September, January and April rankings Hughes was the unanimous number one choice (10 votes out of 10) but that in this final ranking Hughes picked up eight first overall votes and Kakko picked up two votes. (TSN)

While asking an additional 11 teams for their perspective, six picked Hughes, two picked Kakko and three said that it was “too close to call.”(TSN)

Hughes earned a score of 64.50, the highest in the 2019 draft class, in McKeen‘s Overall Future Projection.

Kakko earned the next highest score with 64.00. (McKeens)

Devils Director of Amateur Scouting Paul Castron said that while Hughes may be more “dynamic,” Kakko is “stronger at this stage in development.” (NHL.com)

He said that Kakko has “man-strength” and that NHL defensemen struggled to “contain” him at the World Championships. (NHL.com)

A scout told The Athletic’s Sunaya Sapurji that the two players are “closer than most people think” and another noted that while Kakko is NHL ready they think Hughes might be a “slightly better player” when they are both 25.

During the TSN Final Draft Rankings show, McKenzie said “Kakko is a physically mature winger who can play a little center if he needs to but he is primarily projected as a winger. All he has done is score goals and dominate hockey against men. He is a handful, especially from the hash marks down low, below the goal line. A tremendous player off the cycle and he can make plays score goals and is ready to make an immediate impact in the NHL and that is why a number of teams are intrigued by him and believe he is as good or better than Jack Hughes.” (TSN)

Adam Rotter: The Devils won the lottery and the chance to pick first overall but the Rangers were the team that really won by moving up to number two. It’s a two player draft at the top and the Rangers don’t have to make the tough choice at number one. Some think that Kakko would be the Rangers choice if they had number one but Jeff Gorton, John Davidson and Gordie Clark don’t have to make that decision.

2019 Draft, Jeff Gorton, Rangers

What Rangers GM Jeff Gorton said about the draft and prospects

Posted on by Adam Rotter

Jeff Gorton spoke with Bill Pidto on MSG last night and said the following:

  • On being at the draft lottery, “when they are turning over the cards and you know when your card is coming and it’s not there, I had my phone on vibrate in my back pocket and all the sudden (shaking movements) I had about 200s of texts of people excited about what happened. It was great and then you know you are going to three and you want to get as high as you can and you hope for the best and standing with the straightest face and they flip over three and we were going two, I didn’t want to jump up and down but I felt like it. When they flipped over Chicago and we knew we were in the top two, my phone was going (shaking moves) it’s a great night for the Rangers and it’s been a great experience to go over to these tournaments to watch these players and know where we are picking. To know we are picking two and watch players, it’s a different kind of feeling.”
  • On it being a two-player draft, “I’m glad to be in the top-two, whether we are one or two there is an opportunity to get a special player, we will leave it at that. There is still work to do, some tournaments to play and it will all play itself out but we are certainly happy to have it come up our way for a change.”
  • Can you say Kaapo Kakko, “I can say Kaapo Kakko, I can say anything if I write it down on a piece of paper. Kaapo Kakko, Jack Hughes, I can see them.”
  • On Hughes and Kakko, “their ability to make players better, when you step on the ice everyone is gunning for you and trying to stop you and they can’t, they both have that ability. They are different players but special in their own way. It’s great for the Rangers and the future is bright.”
  • On how things are going during the President search, “for me it’s been no different, a lot of decisions are made every day and that is the job. We are making deals, trying to trade people and doing what we can do. We made a deal the other day, nothing really changes or stops for the Rangers. We are just worried about tomorrow and what we are going to do.”
  • On Adam Fox, “he is a terrific talent and a player we have had our eyes on for a long time. When he was drafted he slipped in the draft a little and the game changes every day and moves in the direction of a player like this. His puck poise, his ability to make players better, he has all of that and it should be exciting to see where he fits in.”
  • On Kravtsov, “really talented player that can score goals and make plays, he can do it in traffic, really good on the PP, has a lot of talent and will fit in. Where we find that spot we will see but looking forward to him coming over and it will work itself out.”
  • On Shesterkin, “his track record is a little longer, he chose to stay a little longer like Henrik did before he came over. He’s had a lot of success, been in the Olympics, World Championships and his numbers speak for themselves. We are excited to get them both over and a lot of times they have to acclimate to the situation and playing a different game and we will afford them that but the future is bright for both of them pretty soon.”
2019 Draft, Kaapo Kakko

Kaapo Kakko is pretty much the consensus for the Rangers at #2

Posted on by Adam Rotter

The Rangers moved from sixth to the second overall pick in last night’s draft lottery.

Craig Button of TSN says that the Rangers should select Kakko with the second overall pick and that he plays his game with “skill, power and will.”

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Button added, “he adds to a tremendous group of young players in their system with Vitali Kravtsov.”

Sam Cosentino ranked Kakko first in his March rankings and noted that some think he could be a center. Kakko was ranked 2nd, behind Jack Hughes, in Cosentino’s April rankings.

Corey Pronman wrote at The Athletic that in Kakko the Rangers would be getting a player as close to “NHL ready” as most under-18 players are and is “exactly what their rebuild needed: a true impact prospect they can build around.”

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Pronman adds that Kakko is a “highly skilled” and competitive winger that can win battles against NHLers “right away. (The Athletic)

All three writers on NHL.com have the Rangers selecting Kakko with Adam Kimelman writing he has “game-breaking offensive abilities, including high-end vision and hands, and can make plays at top speed. He could step right into a top-six role in the NHL next season.”

David Quinn told Larry Brooks that he has already began watching clips of Kakko, saying “he’s impressive” and that “sees the play ahead of the play.” (NY Post)

A scout told Brooks that Kakko is, “very competitive, highly motivated and extremely skilled. He’s a goal-scorer with outstanding instincts. He likes to use his body, too.”

Adam Rotter: There are going to be whispers and rumors and a whole lot of speculation between now and when the Rangers make their pick but it’s either going to be Kakko or Jack Hughes. Some believe that the Rangers are one of the teams that have Hughes and Kakko neck and neck for first overall and if that is the case then they can just simply walk to the podium and announce the name of the person the Devils don’t take.

2019 Draft, Jeff Gorton, NHL Draft, NHL Draft Lottery

The Good Luck charm that Jeff Gorton brought to the Draft Lottery

Posted on by Adam Rotter

The Rangers will have the SECOND pick in the 2019 NHL draft.

Jeff Gorton spoke after and said (NYR):

  • What was the feeling when your name wasn’t called at 7, “initial reaction when you see that you are going to be in the top-three is exciting. You hope for the best, have good feelings and bring nice things that help us along but when you see you are in the top-three it’s a rush and then you want to get as high as you can, your heart starts racing and you see Chicago go by you and fortunately for us we are leaving with second overall.”
  • What does it mean for the franchise, “it’s opportunity, a great opportunity to draft second position in an unbelievable draft. We are excited about the caliber of player that will be made available to us, I’ve said a few times, we’ve never picked this high. 6th would have been a great spot too but second will afford us some different looks and thought process as we go through this over the next couple of months.”
  • Does it shift the next couple of months, “I don’t think it shifts too much, I think it’s great that it’s earlier and gives us an opportunity to maybe spend with a smaller group of player. We get to go to the U-18s and know where we are picking as opposed to what might happen in the lottery. We know we are second overall and we are excited as we head over to the U-18s next week.”
  • “My first thought was the fans and how supportive they’ve been since we announced what we were going to do. It’s only been a little over a year but it feels longer sometimes but when you have a night like tonight and get 2nd overall it’s great for the fans and something to look forward to.”
  • On having Steven McDonald’s shield, “Steven McDonald is something that means a lot to the Rangers franchise, when you name your extra effort award it tells you about the person we are honoring as we bring the shield up here. We are lucky that Patti and Connor were able to give us this opportunity and it just felt lucky as soon as the idea came.”

2019 Draft, Kaapo Kakko, NHL Draft, NHL Draft Lottery

The Rangers will have the Second overall pick in 2019

Posted on by Adam Rotter

The Rangers will have the Second Overall pick in 2019.

The Rangers had the sixth best odds of winning the lottery and a 23% chance of picking in the top-3.

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Jeff Gorton said on NBCSN, “it certainly helps when you can move to the top-3, the Rangers have never been in the top-3, it’s exciting right now.”

The Top-3 ranked North American skaters by Central Scouting are centers Jack Hughes, Kirby Dach and Dylan Cozens.

The Top-3 ranked European skaters by Central Scouting are Finnish RW Kaapo Kakko, Russian RW Vasily Podkolzin and Swedish defenseman Phillip Broberg.

Kakko is ranked second overall by TSN’s Bob McKenzie and Craig Button.

One NHL head scout scout told McKenzie of the race between Hughes and Kakko, “The difference for us, right now, is razor thin. It’s almost a coin flip, pretty much a dead heat. Really close. Call it Hughes at 51 per cent, Kakko at 49 per cent. It’s that close and that could change.”

Another scout told McKenzie said that Kakko’s “game is from the top of the circles down with his size, strength and release.”

Corey Pronman wrote in The Athletic, “Kakko is a top prospect because he has so many high-end elements. I’ve talked to scouts who feel his compete level is his best trait, scouts who feel his hands are his best trait, as well as scouts who feel his hockey sense is his best trait.

Adam Rotter: Well this worked out pretty well for the Rangers. You have to think that Kaapo Kakko will be the pick but the Rangers love taking Russians so you can’t rule out Podkolzin. Either way the Rangers are adding an extremely high-end winger to their rebuild and someone that should team with Vitali Kravtsov to drive the Rangers offense for many years to come. Kakko will draw a lot of the attention leading up to the draft and for good reason. Some compare his style of play to Rick Nash with his hands and how he attacks the net to score. He fits very well with the type of player the Rangers usually take, European/high hockey IQ/high compete, and is probably someone David Quinn will love right away. This was certainly a trying season for the Rangers but they kept working, kept competing and the ping pong balls rewarded them.