Rangers add to defensive depth at draft

NEW YORK – The 2011-12 season represented a significant step forward for John Tortorella’s young New York Rangers. A first place Eastern Conference finish and a subsequent run to the Conference Finals were just reward for a campaign full of hard work and obstacles for the Blueshirts.
 
The Rangers opened the season in Stockholm, Sweden as part of the NHL’s Premiere games, before a Western Canadian swing preceded a belated opening night at Madison Square Garden. On the ice, the Rangers’ young skaters continued to blossom.
 
Ryan McDonagh, acquired in the Scott Gomez trade with Montreal back in 2009, proved to be a consistent top-pairing defenseman, regularly logging 30 minutes a night alongside Dan Girardi in the absence of Marc Staal. Michael Del Zotto rebounded after a disappointing sophomore season, and rookie forward Carl Hagelin cemented a place alongside Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik on the Blueshirts’ top offensive line.
 
Perhaps most surprising though was the impact made by Boston College graduate Chris Kreider during the playoffs. Kreider signed with the Rangers after completing his time at BC this spring, debuting during the Conference quarter-finals against Ottawa.
Kreider tallied game-winners against both Ottawa and Washington, notching five goals and seven points during the Rangers post-season run. His speed and shot make him an early candidate for next season’s Calder Trophy, and his playoff form only justifies Glen Sather’s decision not to include the Rangers’ best prospect in a deal for Columbus’ high-priced captain Rick Nash at last season’s trade deadline and most likely won’t now either.
 
McDonagh, Girardi and Del Zotto, along with the returning Staal, were tremendous all season as the Rangers’ top-four defensemen. Stu Bickel, Steve Eminger, Jeff Woywitka and Tim Erixon split bottom-pairing duties, while Michael Sauer missed the entire campaign with continued concussion symptoms. Tortorella will hope to have Sauer available at some point next season, while Erixon is expected to push for a full-time spot on the roster after a year with the Connecticut Whale in the AHL.
 
Dylan McIlrath and J.T. Miller, the Rangers’ 2010 and 2011 first-round selections respectively, skated with the Whale during last season’s playoffs after completing their campaigns with Moose Jaw and Plymouth. Both, though unlikely, will look to crack the Rangers line-up at training camp this fall.
 
Henrik Lundqvist had perhaps his best season in the NHL, earning Vezina Trophy, Hart Trophy, and Ted Lindsay Award nominations for a 39-win season that saw him fall three short of tying Mike Richter’s record for most wins in a single campaign by a New York goalie. Lundqvist and Martin Biron (UFA) should continue to provide stability moving forward, while Cam Talbot and Chad Johnson battle it out in the AHL.
 
In terms of the 28th overall selection at this Friday’s NHL Entry Draft, it’s a safe bet to assume Rangers’ Director of Player Personnel Gordie Clark would prefer to draft a forward providing one sticks out. The Rangers have never been afraid to add to their defensive strength though, and the Pro Hockey News mock draft has seen one very attractive option fall. At 28th, the opportunity to select Peterborough Petes’ 18-year old defenseman Slater Koekkoek would be extremely hard to pass up.
 
The big Canadian blueliner represents a tremendous value pick for Clark and the Rangers, and though there is risk involved given his injury problems during the 2011-12 season, the Mountain, ON skater would be a tremendous addition to one of the NHL’s deepest defensive pools. His mix of size and skill is hard to ignore, particularly this late in the first round with other high-upside skaters off the board.
 
Were Koekkoek off the board then I’m sure Clark would look to either Cristoval Nieves or Nicolas Kerdiles given their likeness to previous Ranger picks, but in this situation we feel that the Rangers will make the following announcement.
 
“With the 28th pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, the New York Rangers select, from the Ontario Hockey League’s Peterborough Petes, Slater Koekkoek.”
 
Contact the author – alex.nunn@prohockeynews.com
Contact the photographer at Lewis.Bleiman@prohockeynews.com