NY Rangers 2018 Draft Preview – 1st Round (Pick # 9)
The New York Rangers stand poised to make franchise history by making three 1st round selections in the 2018 NHL Draft.
As a result of his 2018 NHL Trade Deadline selling spree, New York Rangers GM Jeff Gorton expects to be very busy as we approach the Draft – whether than means using all 10 of his picks or using some of those picks to navigate his way up or down, or even trading them for NHL-ready assets.
“We’ll have various conversations leading into the draft,” Gorton explained to Larry Brooks of the NY Post. “There are a number of different scenarios we’ll consider.”
In addition to their three 1st round picks (#9, #26, #28), the Rangers also have two 2nd round picks (#39 and #48), three 3rd picks (#70 and #88) as well as single picks in the 4th (#101), 5th (#132) and 6th (#163) rounds. The team’s 7th round pick belongs to Ottawa as part of the Mika Zibanejad/Derick Brassard trade.
Gorton appears to be a member of the BPA (Best Player Available) Club when it comes to his draft strategy.
“If we [stay where we are], we’re going to take the guy we feel will eventually be the best player, not necessarily the player who might be the most ready to contribute next year,” Gorton told Brooks. “And it won’t be a position-specific pick.”
“We’re looking for assets, looking for the best players. I’m not a believer in picking by position. I don’t remember ever picking by position.”
As the jockeying for position begins, there are about ten players that could be in play for the Top Nine selections – with Rasmus Dahlin as the sure thing in terms of the first overall pick. After that, it becomes anyone’s guess as to the slotting of the remaining prospects.
Expected to go in the Top Nine are some combination (in alphabetical order) of: Adam Boquist, Evan Bouchard, Noah Dobson, Quinn Hughes, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Anderi Svechnikov, Brady Tkachuk, Oliver Wahlstrom, and Filip Zadina.
Svechnikov or Zadina are expected to go 2nd overall to Carolina with Montreal holding the key to what the Rangers might do. If the Habs follow through on their high interest in Kotkaniemi, that leaves Svechnikov or Zadina and Tkachuk available at four and five. Do the Rangers trade up for the goal scoring of Svechnikov or Zadina or do they look for the snarl of Tkachuk and reunite him with his Boston University coach David Quinn?
Ottawa and Arizona hold the fourth and five overall picks respectively and each team has been a recent trade partner with the Rangers.
As we look ahead to this Rangers preview, for simplicity and sanity’s sake, I am working under the assumption that the Rangers will keep all three of their first round picks and will not move up or down.
Without a clue as to what Montreal will do, I am targeting four players for the Rangers selection at #9. It is very possible that none of them will be available or a couple of them might be available when Gary Bettman announces that the Blueshirts are on the clock.
The four players I am looking at are Bouchard, Kotkaniemi, Tkachuk and Wahlstrom. I have included each prospects’ ratings for: Central Scouting (CS), International Scouting Service (ISS) and The Hockey News (THN). ISS lists a prospect’s NHL Style Comparison and THN lists their Best Case scenario comparison – and each service ranks all of the players together. CS breaks them up by North Americans (NA) and Europeans (E) for skaters and goalies.
EVAN BOUCHARD
CS: # 4 NA – ISS: #6 (John Carlson) – THN: #7 (Alex Pietrangelo)
The 6-2/192 defenseman is one of the best two-way blueliners available in the Draft and he comes with a bonus – he is a right shot. In addition, Bouchard plays in all situations and logged major minutes with London (OHL). In 67 games, he scored 25 goals and 62 assists.
He has played three seasons in the OHL and is ready to take the next step to the NHL. One scout told THN, “He has the best chance (amongst OHLers) after Andrei Svechnikov to go straight to the NHL.”
While he still needs to get stronger and pick up his physical play, ISS sees him as top-pair defenseman in the NHL.
ISS Director of Scouting Dennis McInnis said, “Stud played half the game most nights – able to control the game from the backend. Gets his shot through to the net. Runs the PP – good offensive instincts. Makes good decisions. Has all the physical tools necessary to be a top pairing defender at the next level.”
JESPERI KOTKANIEMI
CS: 6 E – ISS: 16 (Boone Jenner) – THN: #18 (Jeff Carter)
The 6-2/190 Center has been rising up the draft boards and has been linked to the Montreal Canadiens at # 3. Kotkaniemi has worked hard all season and the results have paid off. He represented Finland at the World Under-18 Tournament and scored three goals and six assists in seven games while scoring 10 goals and 19 assists in Finland in 57 games in Finland’s Elite League.
ISS Scouting Report: “Jesperi is a big, skilled centre that is a presence every time he is on the ice…. He will challenge anyone offensively and isn’t afraid to take it to the dirty areas to create offence for himself or his teammates…. Will need to show more consistency in play away from the puck and in the use of his physical tools.”
BRADY TKACHUK
CS: #2 NA – ISS: # 4 (Matthew Tkachuk) – THN: #3 (Wayne Simmonds)
The 6-3/196 Center/LW is no stranger to life around the NHL give his bloodlines with father Keith, brother Matthew and, by way of extended family, Jimmy and Kevin Hayes. New Rangers Coach David Quinn watched first hand as Tkachuk scored eight goals and 23 assists in 40 games as a Freshman at Boston University where Quinn used him on the PP and PK as a rookie. Brady shined in the WJC, scoring three goals and six assists in seven games.
One scout told THN, “He’s a high-end power forward. He plays hard and has a good skill set. The world juniors were his coming-out party and got him re-energized.”
ISS Scout Dave McDonald: “High energy physical game. Sees the game very well; though he plays a physical game, he consistently put himself in good position to give himself opportunities. Projects as a top-six power forward with offensive upside.”
OLIVER WAHLSTROM
CS: # 7 NA – ISS: # 5 (Brock Boeser) – THN: # 8 (Phil Kessel)
The 6-1/205 Center/RW might have the best shot in the entire 2018 Draft. Wahlstrom was part of the USNTDP as a member of the U18 team and was dynamic offensively with 47 goals and 45 assists in 60 games. While he was passed over for the WJC, he continued his scoring ways at the Under-18s with seven goals and two assists in seven games.
“He’ll shoot the puck from anywhere and has a quick, heavy release,” a scout said to THN. “He can shoot with guys hanging off of him, he can shoot at speed, he can shoot from awkward angles. He can turn a corner on a guy and shoot while he’s putting out his hip.”
ISS Scouting Report: “Wahlstrom is a very skilled forward that has continued to turn heads with his play throughout the course of the season. A pure goal scorer and has all the attributes to put up big numbers in the NHL.”
If any of these four players were available for the Rangers at the ninth spot, the team would walk away winners by taking any of the four players. They all bring skills and talents that any team would crave.
Given a choice among all four, Oliver Wahlstrom would be my first choice. The Rangers are starved for an offensive weapon that can be a legitimate game breaker. Drafting Wahlstrom will not be a quick fix for the Rangers as he is committed to play for Jerry York at Boston College. A year or two under York will help Oliver work on his play in the defensive end and corral his consistency.
However, his offensive skills, especially his shot, make him the best bet to make the biggest impact in the long run for the Rangers.
As much as I am intrigues with reuniting Brady Tkachuk with his collegiate coach David Quinn, I have to say that Evan Bouchard would be my second choice after Wahlstrom. That is no knock on Brady, I just believe that Bouchard’s impact on the blue line would be bigger than Tkachuk’s impact at forward.
When the Rangers traded away Ryan McDonagh, they lost a defenseman who could regularly eat up 25+ minutes of ice time as a first pair d-man playing even strength and special teams. Bouchard projects out to be the same type of player who can survive and thrive on McDonagh-like minutes.
Tkachuk would be my third choice and I would be very happy to see him don a Rangers jersey. He might not ever reach the offensive exploits of his father Keith (538 goals and 527 assists in 1,201 games), Brady could be a reincarnation of an Adam Graves – a player who does whatever it takes to win and leaves all of his effort on the ice.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi would be a fine “consolation” prize if the other three players are drafted before the ninth spot. Yes, the Rangers have a plethora of young centers (Lias Andersson, Filip Chytil and Brett Howden), but one or two of them (or even Kotkaniemi) can move to the wing. The most important thing in the 2018 Draft is to bring in as many talented players as possible and let the competition sort out any position battles and/or changes.
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