New York Rangers: Jeff Gorton Drafts Boy Band of Eighteen Year Olds.
With the ninth overall pick of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, the Rangers did not select defenseman Oliver Wahlstrom, nor did they select defenseman Noah Dobson. Both were taken by the Islanders at eleven and twelve overall, respectively.
I'm sure it wasn't until after laughing out loud that new Isles GM Lou Lamoriello scooped them up with haste.
Instead, with their first selection Jeff Gorton and the Rangers (er .. Glen Sather) opted for Vitali Kravtsov, an 18-year old left-hand shooting right wing. To say I'm disappointed with this selection is an understatement. This smallish right winger wreaks of Glen Sather ... again! Kravtsov is listed at 6'2" and 170lbs., and presently plays in the KHL - a league that doesn't hit, doesn't fight, and plays on Olympic size rinks.
On NHL ice, the game closes in on them, and they wind up getting pushed off the puck.
Likewise with regards to Nils Lundkvist, Olaf Lindbom, and Simon Kjellberg all from Sweden, the Swiss born Nico Gross, and Lauri Pajuniemi from Finland.
By no means am I trying to be disparaging. I just had something else in mind - kind of like what Lou Lamoriello had in mind.
Otherwise, Jeff Gorton drafted five defensemen with his first seven selections and six overall:
- K'andre Miller - 6'3", 204lbs.
- Nils Lundkvist - 5'11, 180lbs.
- Jacob Ragnarsson - 6'0", 176lbs.
- Joey Keane - 6'0", 184lbs.
- Nico Gross - 6'1", 185lbs.
- Simon Kjellberg - 6'3", 190lbs.
Together, they average 6'1", 184lbs. If you average all nine position players (because for some ponderous reason the Rangers wasted a draft pick on a goalie when they already have two highly touted prospects in their system) they still only average 6'1", 183lbs.
Smurfs!
I don't get it. Didn't Gorton watch the playoff final four? Didn't he help draft the Boston Bruins as we know them today?
Unless Glen Sather is indeed involved, I just don't get it.
Then again, who knows ... I'm not familiar with these kids. My hockey buddy says K'Andre Miller is pretty tough, and at least his size checks out.
Can't say the same for right wing selections Lauri Pajuniemi and Riley Hughes, who average 178lbs. soaking wet.
Needless to say, I'm not the least bit satisfied with this draft. The Rangers still don't have a top line center or even a prospective one.
I want to be wrong about Jeff Gorton's decisions.
But we shall see.
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