Just earlier today, the Rangers made a deal with the Calgary Flames and acquired defenseman Tim Erixon and a 5th round draft pick in exchange for two 2nd round draft picks and forward prospect Roman Horak. In Erixon, the Rangers get a big (6'2", 190 lbs) defenseman who has excelled in the Swedish Elite League as a 20-year old. The Flames get two picks that they needed, as their early picks had been previously traded away. All of this was made possible when Erixon refused to sign a contract with Calgary, and Glen Sather swooped in and took advantage.
The Rangers now only have four picks in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft, the 15th overall, 106th, 134th and finally the 136th. The Rangers need to now focus on drafting promising forward talent and also a goaltender. With the recent acquisition of Erixon, the Rangers now have two puck-moving defensemen (the other being Michael Del Zotto). There are also a staple of young defensive-minded players such Michael Sauer, Ryan McDonagh, Tomas Kundratek and Dylan McIlrath. With only four picks, taking at least three forwards to add to the prospect pool could only help. After losing Horak and Werek to trade and picking up Oscar Lindberg, the Rangers need to shoot for the stars with their 1st round pick. If there is a possibility for a high-scoring forward such as Joel Armia available at #15, then Sather and Co. have to go for it. I believe that the Rangers should draft a goaltender and take the long-term approach to developing him. With Henrik Lundqvist still under contract for three more season and Martin Biron the established backup netminder, there is plenty of time to groom a goalie for the post-Lundqvist era. Recent starters such as Jimmy Howard and Corey Crawford have emerged as legitimate NHL goalies after being groomed in the minors with patience, so there is no reason why the Rangers cannot do the same.
On the Flames end, they acquire both the Rangers' 2nd round draft pick and the Capitals 2nd rounder (acquired in the Bobby Sanguinetti trade). They now have both the 45th and 57th picks, in addition to their first rounder which is 13th overall. This is a change in philosophy for the Flames with new GM Jay Feaster, as the team's core is getting older. Both Jarome Iginla and Miikka Kiprusoff are in their 30s, and they do not have much up and coming talent to replace them or add to the lineup. This is a new start for a Flames team that will start building from the ground up, replacing their expensive veterans with younger, more viable and cheaper options. An interesting turn of events from this trade is that Roman Horak is now paired with his linemate, Ryan Howse. Howse was a 3rd round pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft and has scored 98 goals in the past two WHL seasons. Adding a familiar face with him should aid in both of their developments, as the Flames could have a dangerous second or third line down the road that has a lot of chemistry.
This should signal the start of more trades leading up to draft day in late June. There are rumors that Jason Spezza could be moved, as well as the rights to Brad Richards if the Dallas Stars' ownership issues are not sorted out. There is a new team in Winnipeg with a wealthy owner looking to flex his financial muscles, and teams are looking to get a head start to next season. Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals starts tonight at 8 PM EST, so don't forget to check that out. My prediction? Canucks in five.
I really like this deal but think the signing of Stajcer and Missiaen will make drafting a goalie less of a need at the draft.
ReplyDeleteBut the idea of the Rangers possibly having 5 first round picks in their Top 6 has to brighten every Ranger fan's day