NY Rangers 2018 Draft Preview – 1st Round (Picks # 26 and # 28)

Looking at potential Draft candidates for the Rangers at #26 and #28 is a difficult proposition for three reasons.

First off, unless your name is Nostradamus, it is pretty darn near impossible to figure out how the draft will shape up. We know who the top players are, but once you get passed the Rangers at #9 all bets are off.

The second complication rises from the possibility that GM Jeff Gorton is going to go all Monty Hall and look to make a deal. Gorton has gone on the record by saying that you can’t have a team made up of 18-year-olds so it is possible the Blueshirts move one of their lower first round picks for an NHL-proven player in their early-to-mid-twenties. It is also possible Gorton might try to move up from the bottom of the 1st round to the middle of the 1st round.

The third roadblock comes in the form of health. Czech RW Martin Kaut was a player I was most interested in prior to the NHL Combine. He had been climbing up the draft charts. However, Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News reported that Kaut returned home after a heart problem was discovered during his physical. Kennedy said that the problem was dealt with immediately and that it will not be a problem.

However, I can’t get the Alexei Cherepanov tragedy out of my mind so I would be concerned about drafting Kaut. I am sure any teams that have an interest are doing their due diligence in terms of Kaut’s health and well-being. Truth be told, I would be more inclined to draft him in the second round because of his health. In the end, I did list Kaut among the eight players I would target should the Rangers keep the 26th and 28th picks.

ALEXANDER ALEXEYEV

CS: # 22 NA – ISS: # 24 (Travis Hamonic) – THN: # 54 (Shea Theodore)

The 6-3/190 defenseman had a tough season. He left his Red Deer (WHL) Junior team in January to return home to Russia after the death of his mother. As a result, he missed out on the Top Prospects Game and then broke his finger during the playoffs. To his credit, he played all five of Red Deer’s playoff games and scored five points.

Alexeyev needs to get stronger and find a consistency to his game. Once he does that he might fulfill one scout’s take: “The kid has a chance to be an absolute horse,” he told THN.

ISS Scout Brent Parker: “Capable of impacting the game in many ways whether it’s offensively or defensively. Not a flashy player, just gets the job done and carries himself like a pro on the ice. Calm under pressure – will be a solid player in the NHL.”

JONATAN BERGGREN

CS: # 30 E – ISS: # 30 (Robby Fabbri) – THN: # 43 (Mikael Granlund)

The 5-11/183 RW’s size might be the only reason he could still be around for the Rangers. He won’t shy away from physical play, but he will use his excellent skating skills to avoid bad situations. His draft stock rose with his 10 points (in 7 games) in the U-18s and scored 18 goals and 39 assists in 38 games with Skelleftea’s Junior Team.

ISS Scout Joakim Eriksson: “Small, speedy and skilled forward. Excels in vision and playmaking. High compete levels and [is] always battling for pucks. What he lacks in size he makes up with his hockey sense. Needs to add muscles and strength to be able to play at the next level.”

DOMINIK BOKK

CS: # 12 E – ISS: # 28 (Andre Burakovsky) – THN: # 28 (Teuvo Teravainen)

The 6-1/180 German-born RW split last season playing in Sweden for Vaxjo’s Junior and Senior teams. THN related that Vaxjo teammate Elias Pettersson (Canucks 1st rounder in 2017) said Bokk has the same attributes as Pettersson. THN also pointed out that his Junior rights belong to Prince Albert (WHL) – the same team that developed fellow German Leon Draisaitl.

ISS Scouting Report: “Bokk is a skilled puck-mover, possesses smooth hands, and has good offensive instincts. He’s a threat whenever he has the puck on his stick in the offensive end and can both set up his teammates and finish on his own.”

BENOIT-OLIVIER GROULX

CS: # 20 NA – ISS: # 22 (Jordan Staal) – THN: # 33 (Ondrej Palat)

The 6-1/190 C/LW is no stranger to the world of hockey. His father Benoit has been a GM/Coach in the QMJHL and is currently a coach in the AHL (Syracuse), He is one of those character players that GM Jeff Gorton wants to bring the Rangers. He played with Filip Zadina on a young Halifax (QMJHL) team. With Zadina gone and Halifax hosting the Memorial Cup, the spotlight will shine on Groulx in 2018/2019.

THN sees him better suited to play on the second line or even as an offensive component to a shutdown checking line. He is tough to play against, is very good on faceoffs, and plays on the PP and PK.

ISS Scouting Report: “His strong two-way play, work ethic and commitment every shift is what separates him from other players in this draft…. He is a player who coaches love to have on their side who can be relied upon to eat big minutes, and add character along the way.”

MARTIN KAUT

CS: # 4 E – ISS: # 13 (Tyler Toffoli) – THN: # 27 (Reilly Smith)

If not for the medical issue he had at the NHL Combine, the 6-1/174 RW would be a surefire 1st round pick. It is still possible that he does get drafted on Day 1, but I would expect it will be by a team that has more than one 1st round selection.

Kaut played in the top Czech league as an 18-year-old and averaged a point a game (2-5-7) in the WJC. You could describe him as a jack-of-all trades/master-of-none player. He does everything well, but doesn’t excel in any one facet of the game.

ISS Scouting Report: “Kaut is a very shifty, and elusive forward that is hard to handle in all areas of the ice…. He competes hard each shift and you always know what you are getting with this player. He shoots the puck very well and is extremely accurate. He is used in every situation and thrives on the power play.”

KIRIL MARCHENKO

CS: # 17 E – ISS: # 29 (Denis Gurianov) – THN: # 65 (N/A)

The 6-3/163 LW still has some filling out to do before he heads to North America. He showed off his ability at the U-18s where he scored 3 goals and 3 assists in 5 games.

ISS Director of Scouting Dennis MacInnis: “I like this kid – has good offensive instincts. Big time upside if he puts it all together. Still growing into his body. A raw, offensive product that will need more seasoning. Can play, and handle puck, in traffic while making plays. Good skater with mobility – can work on improving his speed.”

K’ANDRE MILLER

CS: # 23 NA – ISS: # 32 (N/A) – THN: # 26 (Seth Jones)

The 6-4/205 blueliner is described as “a physical specimen. He has a beautiful, powerful stride, and he’s becoming a stout defender,” according to one scout’s comments to THN. “At the least, he’ll be a minute-eater because he’s such a great athlete. I love his floor and I love his ceiling.”

Miller makes good use of his size by playing an aggressive style of hockey and projects to be a “stay-at-home, shutdown defender” according to ISS.

His skating is good for a player his size because he started out as a forward before switching to defense – so he is still learning his position. He will get a chance to drown and develop under Tony Granato at the University of Wisconsin.

SAMPO RANTA

CS: # 18 NA – ISS: # 50 (N/A) – THN: # 30 (Jake Virtanen)

The 6-2/192 LW drew some conflicting scouting reports between THN and ISS. THN praised his hands, speed and shot, but then knocked him for not having great hockey sense.

Conversely, ISS rates his Hockey Sense as “Very Good”. He will need to work on his consistency and defensive play and, like K’Andre Miller, Ranta will get a chance to do that at Wisconsin.

ISS Scouting Report: “Ranta is a slick, playmaking forward that generates a lot of his offense at full speed…. He has good one-on-skills and is creative with the puck and has a knack for the net.”

ISS lists his NHL Potential as “Potential top six forward but needs significant development.”

In my 2018 NHL Mock Draft, I have the Rangers electing Dominik Book at #26 and Benoit-Oliver Groulx at #28. If the Rangers. If Kaut had/has a clean bill of health, I could see him jumping into one of those picks if her were available. If he is available in the 2nd round at #39, I draft him.

I like K’Andre Miller and if he were available at #28 I would give consideration to taking him. He would have definitely been one of my picks if he were a right-handed shot. Normally, I don’t make that such a big deal, but it does play a factor in tipping the scales towards drafting a player.

I like Alexander Alexeyev as well – so much so that in my first run through I had him going to the Blueshirts at #28. He falls into the same category as Miller – a left-handed shooter. As it turns out, I have the Rangers selecting him in the 2nd round at # 39.

Jonatan Berggren came close to making the grade, but I went with Bokk as the higher potential player and Groulx for the reliable and steady factor. Groulx may not develop into a 30-40 goal scorer on a consistent basis, but I see a little of Adam Graves in him.

Kiril Marchenko and Sampo Ranta are both players the Rangers could look at if they decide to take a chance at #28. Both players are going to need more development time than any of the other forwards I have keyed on at this point on the Draft. It still might be worth taking a chance given that the Rangers could have three first round picks.

Both Marchenko and Ranta are two players I would have no problem taking in the 2nd or even 3rd rounds were they available. I have both of them (as well as Kaut) going the 2nd round before the Rangers draft.