The New York Rangers only came into the 2011 NHL Entry Draft with four picks, but managed to acquire two additional selections to draft some interesting prospects for the farm system. Selecting at 15th overall, there were several ways the Rangers could have gone and in the end, had a draft that could either boom or bust. There are some question marks, but Gordie Howe and co. made those selections for a reason. Clark is very good at seeing the potential of players and their ability to grow, as the Rangers' fans have gotten used to over the past years.
The Rangers started out on Friday night with a choice. There were several forwards available at the 15th overall pick such as Tyler Biggs, Joel Armia, Mark McNeill and Matt Puempel. Instead, the Rangers chose J.T. Miller out of the US National Team Development Program. Regarded as a two-way player that is strong on both sides of the puck, Miller put in a great performance for the United States at the U-18 tournament with 13 points. He has drawn comparisons to Mason Raymond and Ryan Kesler of the Vancouver Canucks, which are strong indications of the two-way play that may be to come. He is the ideal player for John Tortorella's hard fore-check and responsible defensive play as well. Miller has committed to the program at the University of North Dakota next season, where he will face very physical competition. He joins a great program that produced NHL players such as Zach Parise, Jonathan Toews, Travis Zajac, T.J. Oshie, Drew Stafford and Matt Greene.
Without a pick until the fourth round, the Rangers were keeping their eye on one prospect in particular. The staff had pinned Steven Fogarty as a late-1st to 2nd round draft pick, but it caught their eye when he kept falling through the ranks. It is hard to gauge the projection of a high school player, but Fogarty has a very big 6'2" 194lbs frame. The Rangers traded falling prospect Evgeny Grachev to the St. Louis Blues for the 72nd overall selection in the 3rd round in order to select the talented young forward. The 18-year old played for Edina High School last season which is very well regarded for its hockey program, and he plans on playing a year in the USHL before starting his college career at Notre Dame. This could suggest that Fogarty has his eyes set on turning pro after only a one or two seasons of college hockey, which could prove well for his development. His combination of hands, size and speed could turn into a strong player in a John Tortorella system down the road.
With their 4th round pick, the Rangers went to the WHL to draft an outstanding forward prospect. Michael St. Croix was being compared to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins almost a year ago, but due to inconsistencies fell to the fourth round where the Rangers chose him. The shifty Edmonton Oil Kings pivot has good speed and excellent hands, leading him to a great second season in the Western Hockey League where he posted 27 goals, 48 assists and a +28 rating. The +/- rating is the most notable stat for St. Croix because the year before he posted a -21 rating. If the 5'11" forward can add some muscle and some strength, he may be a steal at #106 for the Rangers.
Shane McColgan was a highly regarded prospect that projected to go as early as the first round in the 2011 Entry Draft, but questions about his size and inconsistencies made him drop down to the fifth round. Though that may seem like a steep drop, the speedy forward still has a lot to offer from his 5'8" 165lbs frame. Though his point total dropped from 69 in 2009-10 to 66 in 2010-11, his +/- rating saw an increase of 18 as he went from a -15 to a +3 with the Kelowna Rockets. At 134th overall, McColgan has offensive skills and a bit of a temper that could allow him to make it to the next level.
The Rangers didn't have to wait long for their next pick, as they held the 136th overall pick as well. With the selection they chose imposing defenseman Samuel Noreau out of the QMJHL. The 6'5" defenseman is not known for his offense but for his play on the defensive side of the puck and for his toughness. He scored a grand total of five goals and ten points last season, but racked up 141 PIMs and was a good fighter in the Q. At 18-years old, he will probably play at least two more years in Juniors before turning pro.
The Rangers final selection came in the 6th round at 172nd overall. Glen Sather traded Nashville a 2012 6th round pick for this selection and the team selected Slovakian defenseman Peter Ceresnak. A two-way defenseman with size, the 6'3" 209lbs Ceresnak played for one of the worst teams in the Slovak Junior circuit. Ceresnak is more than likely going to enter himself into the European draft for the CHL and will come over to North America to play the rest of his junior hockey. There, the Rangers can keep a close eye on him and make sure his development goes along as best as it can.
Overall, the Rangers covered all of the bases in this draft. There are several high risk picks in Fogarty and McColgan, while 1st rounder J.T. Miller is all but destined to become a two-way threat in the Rangers top-6. Michael St. Croix has great hands and offensive upside, while the Blueshirts also picked up two defenseman with right handed shots. There was not a lot more that the Rangers brass could do, and they did an excellent job with the picks they had and acquired. With Tim Erixon acquired for two 2nd round picks, the Rangers picked up a possible top-5 draft pick as well. In the next four to five years these players will show if they warranted their selections in the entry draft, but the future looks bright with these young hockey players.
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