Category: New York Rangers Top Prospects

New York Rangers Top Prospects

Where the Rangers Top Prospects have been ranked across the league

Posted on by Adam Rotter

Earlier this summer, the NHL Network had Brennan Othmann at #26 on their list of Top-50 prospects

Scott Wheeler ranked Othmann 33rd overall in his July 2022 list of Top 50 Prospects. He says that Othmann has “that sixth sense as a scorer, where he just finds holes in coverage and in goalies to finish plays at a higher rate than most.” (The Athletic)

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New York Rangers Top Prospects

Where the Rangers rank in the 2020 Hockey News Future Watch

Posted on by Adam Rotter

The Hockey News recently released their 2020 Future Watch issue which featured four Rangers in their top 57 overall prospects.

Igor Shesterkin was ranked 3rd overall, Vitali Kravtsov was ranked 23rd, Nils Lundkvist was ranked 52nd and recently signed K’ Andre Miller was ranked 57th.

In 2019, Shesterkin was ranked 37th overall, Kravtsov was ranked fifth overall, Lundkvist wasn’t ranked and Miller was 62nd. Lias Andersson was ranked 34th.

It’s the second straight year where the Rangers have had at least four prospects ranked in The Hockey News’ top 62.

Overall the Rangers rank second, behind Colorado, for the best farm system.

Last year the Rangers had the 11th best farm system.

The 2020 Hockey News Future Watch issue lists the Rangers top 10 prospects as:

  1. Igor Shesterkin
  2. Vitali Kravtsov
  3. Nils Lundkvist
  4. K’Andre Miller
  5. Lias Andersson
  6. Zac Jones
  7. Libor Hajek
  8. Julien Gauthier
  9. Matthew Robertson
  10. Morgan Barron

Last year, the list was Kravtsov, Andersson, Shesterkin, Miller, Hajek, Lundkvist, Adam Huska, Ryan Lindgren, Morgan Barron and Joey Keane.

Keane was traded for Gauthier earlier this year.

Nils Lundkvist was the second highest “rising” prospect this year, moving from outside the Top 100 last year to 52nd this year. They wrote, Lundkvist “has a skill set every team covets. He can play big minutes and moves the puck quickly and decisively.”

Shesterkin, moving from 37th to 3rd overall, was the sixth highest “rising” prospect with them adding that Shesterkin is included because they started compiling their lists prior to his call up.

Lias Andersson was the top ranked “falling prospect” this year, going from 34th overall to not being listed in the Top 100.

Igor Shesterkin, New York Rangers Top Prospects, Nils Lundkvist

Igor Shesterkin ranked as the top NHL prospect by TSN

Posted on by Adam Rotter

TSN‘s Craig Button lists Igor Shesterkin at #1 on his list of top-50 NHL affiliated prospects.

Shesterkin ranked 10th in his rankings last year and Button says he has “all the tools necessary – skill, poise, sense and technical ability – to be a success at the NHL level and is the heir apparent to Henrik Lundqvist on Broadway.” (TSN)

Other Ranger prospects ranked by Button include:

  • 22: Nils Lundkvist
  • 36: Vitali Kravtsov (Ranked 1st last year)
  • 43: K’Andre Miller

On Shesterkin, Button added, “when you look at his resume, all he has done in the course of his career is have success, unbelievable success. When you want to look at goaltending leaders wherever he has played he is at the top of the list or near the top of the list. When you think about his NHL debut on Tuesday against the Avalanche, a little bit of a shaky start but then he settles right in. When you consider that he has mind, skill, poise and technical abilities, you are looking at the heir apparent to Henrik Lundqvist, who has been one of the greatest goalies of the history of the NHL. Pretty big shoes, skates and pads to fill but for Shesterkin you are looking at a top-end goaltender and the Rangers have a replacement for Henrik Lundqvist.”

Corey Pronman of The Athletic listed Lundkvist as one of his standouts from the World Juniors, saying that he may not be “the biggest, quickest or most skilled defenseman you’ll ever see, but he’s so smart and that makes him project as a top-four defenseman in the NHL.”