New York Rangers: Rangers draft for toughness and grit, Sanguinetti traded

NHL Draft day in Los Angeles...The Rangers are on the clock...With the Ranger brass about to select 10th in the first round it seems that Windsor Spitfires and USA World Junior standout Cam Fowler is still available...the breath of collective fans catches...and then the club selects Dylan McIlrath of the Moose Jaw Warriors. A player sometimes called “The Undertaker”, McIlrath was assessed 19 fighting majors last season for the Warriors. My first thought was something along the lines of “What the What!”

At the conclusion of the Draft, it became a bit more clear that it was the Rangers intent to draft for both skill AND toughness. Judging by the way Philadelphia edged the Rangers for a playoff spot this Spring, perhaps this was a good direction to go in. General Manager Glen Sather, Director of Player Personnel Gordie Clark and their entire staff of scouts seem to be making a bold statement that softness will no longer be generally tolerated. The scouting contingent had apparently focused their attention on a handfull of players who had made recent dramatic improvement. This included McIlrath who had won most improved player twice in two years at Moose Jaw.

Perhaps the writing was on the wall when the trade with Calgary that sent Higgins/Kotalik to the Flames for Prust/Jokinen that the Rangers were trying to harden themselves up for the future. The later acquisition of Jody Shelley would seem to show that the Rangers were looking to add toughness without sacrificing skill...a more difficult thing to do than you would imagine.

It remains to be seen what the overall effect this draft class will have on the future of the organization. But it seems like the message to prospects in the Rangers system is a very loud and clear statement of “Play up or we’ll find you another place to play!”

During the draft, defense prospect Bobby Sanguinetti (2006 1st round/21st overall selection by the Rangers) was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes for a 6th round pick in this draft and a 2nd round pick in next year’s draft. Sanguinetti, a New Jersey native and lifelong fan of the Manhattan club, was envisioned as a Rangers puck-rushing defenseman of the future with big offensive upside. It has been speculated that Sanguinetti showed up for camp out of shape last year, and had been tagged as a consistent under-performer at the Rangers AHL Hartford affiliate. Time will tell what the impact of this deal will be.

Here are the latest additions to the Rangers burgeoning stable of up and coming prospects:

1st Round/10th overall pick - Dylan McIlrath, D, Moose Jaw Warriors

2nd Round/40th overall - Christian Thomas, RW, Oshawa Generals

4th Round/100th overall - Andrew Yogan, C/LW, Erie Otters

5th Round/130th overall - Jason Wilson, LW, Owen Sound Attack

6th Round/157th overall - Jesper Fasth, RW, HV 71 Jr. (Sweden)

7th Round/190th overall - Randy McNaught, RW, Saskatoon Blades


What all of this might mean:

McIlrath, should he be true to his press, can put a guy through the boards, score a goal, and then defend a teammate with his fists before the horn finishes blowing.

Thomas and Fasth are known as very good skaters and goal scorers.

Yogan and Wilson seem to be gritty pluggers that can put the puck in the net.

McNaught seems to be a straight-up enforcer.


Central Scouting capsules of these players are available for viewing at the following URL:

http://rangers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=532791

If’n you like the fisticuffs, there is a You Tube video of a fight between McIlrath and McNaught that sort of gives you the idea that neither of these gentlemen puts up with much nonsense on any given night. Good times.