Good morning, boneheads!
Festivities continue today at 11 am ( TV-NHLN ). The Rangers will have one less pick today than originally projected.
The Rangers selected Vitali Kravtsov with their 9th pick. Kravtsov, a left shooting winger who plays off wing (typical for Russian power wingers) has size, soft hands and strong wheels. He doesn’t turn 19 until December, and is signed in Russia through 2018-19 season. But, according to some reports, he has an out clause and can potentially play in the US this season. This selection, expectedly, triggered a ton of lamenting and hand-wringing all over the place, including our blog. Did I mention expectedly? 😃
The thing is, according to multiple sources, and mainly this familiar one, Kravtsov was ranked second on the Rangers list of forwards all along. Which means they thought of him higher than Zadina, Tkachuk, Kotkaniemi, Wahlstrom etc. That is a big statement to make. Going against the grain, seeing it differently than most of the NHL scouts. That statement could make you a genius if it works long term, or get you fired if it doesn’t.
I liked what they did with their second selection. They targeted a specific player and moved up ( giving up their 26th and 48th selections ) to make sure they get him. Obviously they knew someone ( Minnesota ? ) would pick him up. The defenseman they selected, K’Andre Miller, is a big blue-liner with tremendous upside who recently converted from forward position.
The third selection is a bit puzzling to me. Not because of who was left, but because they decided to go after another D-man. They picked a 17 year old Nils Lundkvist, R handed D-man. I know very little about this player. We’ll have to wait a long time on this one.
Have fun with the rest of the day!
301 responses to “NHL Entry Draft, Day 2”
Wow
Lauri Punjabi is pretty……
Gordie Clark suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucks.
All 4 of the nhl players involved in that deal would be top 6 forwards or top pair d men on the rangers..nice work gorton
Lauri is the clear winner over Mrs Merkley and Madam Svechnikova
Man, what a draft so far, eh guys? We outsmarted them all….especially those pesky islanders! We stole that goalie early in the 2nd round from right out underneath them…. And we got another Lundkvist! Things are going to get “hairy” between him and hank! (Get it! Hairy bc I’m a mustache! Ha!). Welp…. Were up to the 6th round. Gotta go!
6th round. We found a 5ft 7in Norwegian goalie who is a late age up and comer who is friends with zucc younger brother
“Ragnarsson was actually the 2nd defenseman on our list!”
And just a friendly reminder: The Rangers are open for business.
Dave
That’s “going out of business”
😉
Should have drafted Tappen when we had the chance always select the best available?
Will fox sign in Carolina? Big trade but we didn’t have the pieces to match at all
Ughhhhhh! Why haven’t the Rangers picked me yet?!!
Rangers table looks dumbfounded
Pete
Lol
Rangers are a consignment shop of cast off’s and bad picks on hangers!
The new, re-energized 2018-19 Smurfs, reporting for duty. We’ll see how all these foreigners like the confined ice.
Wicky – There must be no more defensemen left on their list 🙂
Don’t worry, Kikik nuk-nuk….. if &^^^^………..< from the Botawanian African Dance Hockey League (BADHL) falls through, you’re next on Gordie’s list!!
Or Clarke is in the pisser
Who will be the first team to pick a girl, or has that already happened sub rosa?
At this rate we’re looking at a top 5 lottery pick next year which means absolutely nothing with this cotton candy clown show!
Clarke must be back from the pisser
I wanted to add the Rangers to my jersey collection.
http://tinypic.com/r/2ymf8uh/9
Man did that bathroom stink…. Gordie’s stomach was in knots from holding it all in. The excitement of fleecing every other team sure did a number on him!
I wanted to add the Rangers to my jersey collection.
http://i68.tinypic.com/2ymf8uh.jpg
Oops, they found one more d-man. Kjellberg is 6-3/190 and shoots, wait for it, left-handed. It looks like he played for his Swedish team’s Junior-20 team (Simon is 18 so he played “up in competition”).
So help me God, someone better hold Gorton and Clark accountable for wasting this draft with d-men after d-men after d-men.
Anthony
Look at my 1:08 post…I think it sums it up
Wow. Another D!!!!!! Wow
With all of the new age d-men we drafted (i.e. smallish offensive players) some tough guy is going to be rewarded with a handsome contract to act as a “buffer”. We may need a lot of “buffers”.
Carolina says they need to change up culture and make up of team…they make a big trade
Rangers say they want to change up culture of team…and?!
And?!
Re-sign Cody McLeod! I’m 4’10 and I need to be protected!
I think I can sum up my feelings on the Rangers draft is one word – “disgusted”. I am not going to quibble too much with Kravtsov and Miller because they are talented players who went in the areas they were supposed to. Yes, I would have preferred Wahlstrom and Miller would rather have given up a 3rd rounder to move up for Miller.
Lundkvist wouldn’t have been all that bad if not for the fact that Gorton and Clark spent most of the day trying to corner the market on defensemen. Best player available is not always the best way to go when your draft is dominated by one position.
Taking a goalie in the 2nd round of this draft should be a fireable offense unless you are a team that has no goaltending prospect in your system. Granted, Huska, Wall and Halverson are not progressing, but having Igor Shesterkin means you do not have to reach for one in the second round – especially when there was some pretty good value still available.
Call Steve Yzerman and get permission to talk to Julien BriseBois or call Rob Blake in L.A. and ask to speak to Mike Futa. Either that or tell Jeff Gorton he needs to move on from Gord Clark.
The next guy the Rangers pick is going to say he modeled his game after his idol, Hugh Jessiman.
One word describes this draft
“Disasta”
Rangers are drafting all these defensemen because Tavares has told the Rangers that he’s joining them on July 1st. 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣
I only know what I read about these prospects. I haven’t scratched the surface. But for a team that’s loaded at D and needs some serious help at forward in the pipeline, it’s confusing.
And like Wicky said – Carolina needs a culture change and they go out and make it happen. We just sit there.
I’m open minded yet underwhelmed.
The Rangers can’t afford to trade any of their forwards now because they still need to ice forwards every game.
Well at least we still have Marc Staal to mentor all our new D prospects!
I can’t wait until next year’s draft when we win the 2019 Draft Lottery just to see which defenseman we draft first overall instead of drafting Jack Hughes.
Which would you rather have:
Kravtsov, Miller, Lundkvist, Lindbom Ragnarsson OR
Wahlstrom, Miller, Berggren, Groulx, McLaughlin (or S. Ranta)
Patchioretty to sharks?
They were doing fine until Lundkvist. Weird pick at that point. But I could understand it if that’s the D they loved, and were planning on going with forwards for the next few picks. What I’m saying is that Lundkvist is an okay pick there if your next few picks are Groulx, Berrgren and Wise.
The goalie was inexcusable with the organizational depth + players still available. THATS the pick I have most issue with.
Rangers at central registry…pick trade?
Tavares to Buff would be the shocker. Teams with Eichel, #55 and new D stud to bring Sabres back to relevance.
Had the Rangers won the lottery…..they would have passed on Dahlin.
Greton and Clark might have found another d-man hiding under a rock somewhere.
The defense (never) rests in the Gordie & Gorton Draft Show.
Trading Names and Spooner for an R7 to grab a lefty Dman they like.
The killer Gs drafting Ds
TYM – they had Dahlin as their 4th best Dman after Miller, Lundkvist and Ragnarsson
Gorton and Gordy probably over at Central Registry to see if they’ll validate their parking.
Reportedly rangers at central registry to inquire if they could use a couple of next year’s picks to draft more d men
They’re over at Central Registry because Clark saw a 5’9 behind the desk and needs to know if he’s a righty or lefty.
Gorton’s over at Central registry because he forgot his Hulu password and needs someone to tell him what happened in the last Handmaid’s Tale
Rangers didn’t draft BPA because they plan on going hard at vet free agents to try and make playoffs next season because of hank.
Wanted to draft players with 3 year developmental window to think about doing a true rebuild in 3 years after hank is gone.
Gorton over at central registry asking if the last game of thrones season has started yet because he just watched all of season 7 over the last two days
Gorton’s at Central Registry asking if they know which way the weight room is.
Gorton at central registry asking if the wifi and orange juice is free
Staal in the market for a mid-sized ocean liner to bring along the dozen or so trainees he’s inherited for his shuffleboard team.
“Just glide backwards like this and stick your stick out. You’ll know when to stop either when you run backwards into Hank or the guy goes around or through.you.”
I’m not feeling so hot if I’m Sean Day.
JVR——-Come on down!
Slats to Lou: “So, is Snow available?”
Ok boys, I’m out. Going to watch some dvr’d F1 qualifying then 24/7 DVD about a rangers team that actually competed and one that was easy to root for and care about.
Later and LGR
Waiting for jpp to put a positive spin on this disgrace of a draft….
According to him, in 3-4 years we’ll have the likes of Chara, Seth Jones and byfuglien.
I sincerely hope for his sake that he’s trolling. Otherwise he’s delusional.
Gorton at central registry asking when the mock draft ends and the real one starts
K’andre is obviously the next Seth Jones….
Ragnarsson…. the next Chara
Lundqvist….. The next big buff.
It all makes sense……..
Correction… Lundkvist. Wouldn’t want to misspell “little” buff’s name….
I just don’t understand how you could let your team draft so many defenseman in one day.
Anybody know what we did to get that 7th round pick?
Old hockey adage – you can never have too much defense.
Gord Clark: “Hold my beer.”
James Where is that template? Sounds like just want to build strength down the middle last year centers this year defense and goalies …see how it works out
Now we just need a draft where we can get guys who can score goals!
OK, boys…
NEW POST
Unless they have decided Shestorkin is not Hank’s replacement there’s no reason to pick a goalie that high. A position player can be traded. Backup goalies have limited trade value. They threw away that pick.
Are we going to field a team of just defensemen in 2021/22 ? Is that what they mean by ‘team defense’?