New York Rangers: A look back at the lackluster 2015 NHL Draft
Last Friday, the Hartford Wolfpack released its roster for the upcoming season. One New York Rangers prospect that was missing from the Rangers AHL affiliate was 2015 second round pick Robin Kovacs.
Kovacs was selected 62nd overall that year, and despite being labeled undersized, his speed was something to keep an eye on. However, the only thing that was fast was his exit from the team in the pre-season.
Kovacs was sent down and reportedly didn’t show up to Hartford for camp. This led the Rangers to place Kovacs on unconditional waivers, marking a short stint for Kovacs in the Rangers organization. Kovacs only had two goals and 10 assists for 12 points in 72 games.
Kovacs didn’t pan out and is another failed pick from the very poor 2015 NHL entry for the Rangers. While they had some good finds in the later rounds, they failed to take advantage of their higher selections. Let’s take a look at the rest of the players that were drafted, and see how they panned out.
Ryan Gropp (2nd round, 41st overall)
Ryan Gropp was taken with the pick the Rangers acquired from the Anaheim Ducks when they traded away Carl Hagelin. At 6’2, 190 pounds, Gropp’s side and speed gave the Rangers a lot of hope that he can turn into a forceful power forward.
The Rangers managed to take Gropp with prospects like Jeremy Bracco and Daniel Sprong still on the board. It’s clear the Rangers reached mightily and could’ve waited awhile to take him.
Gropp has been disappointing thus far, even failing to make the Hartford Wolfpack last season. He returned to the WHL and started out slow, but still finished with 84 points in 66 games.
However, for a second round pick like Gropp, being cut from the AHL roster isn’t promising. Gropp was cut early into this pre-season, as the clock continues to tick. When will Gropp make the jump? He’ll have to certainly prove himself if he plays in the AHL this year.
Sergey Zborovskiy (3rd Round, 79th overall)
This pick was a bit of a head-scratcher. Zborovskiy was also considered a reach, and way too slow to be an NHL caliber defenseman. When the Rangers selected him, the thinking was Zborovskiy could be a solid two-way defender. His 6-foot-3 frame was also attractive despite his lack of speed and acceleration.
Known as a stay at home defenseman, Zborovskiy signed an entry-level contract heading into the 2016-2017 season and peaked offensively when he tallied seven goals and 33 assists for 40 points in 63 games.
Despite this, Zborovskiy was recently sent to the ECHL following training camp. The ECHL is a tier below the AHL, which should concern the Rangers that Zborovskiy isn’t ready yet. If Zborovskiy was a fine NHL peospect, the thinking is he would be ready by now. Zborovskiy was definitely a risk, and we’ll still have to wait to see if the 20-year-old was worth the reward.
Aleksi Saarela (3rd Round, 89th overall)
The 20-year-old Finnish center was one of the few bright spots in this draft for the Rangers. Saarela was one of the better playmakers available at that time and has superb skating abilities.
However, the Rangers let one of their better picks get away. On February 28, 2016, the Rangers shipped Saarela to the Carolina Hurricanes for the experienced center Eric Staal. Staal has 775 total points in his illustrious 12-year career that includes a Stanley Cup championship back in 2006.
The Rangers believed the struggling Staal would rejuvenate his career in New York, and be the boost the Rangers desperately needed. Yet, it never worked out like that. Staal would score a measly six points in 20 games with the Rangers, who ended up getting bounced by the Penguins in the first round that year.
Saarela, on the other hand, lit it up in his first taste of AHL action. In nine games with the Hurricanes AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, Saarela posted six goals and four assists for 10 points.
Who knows how good Saarela will be for a full season in the AHL, but his short stint there was very promising. If Saarela continues to shine and be a potent NHL center, the Rangers will look back with nothing but shame at the robbery that was committed by the Hurricanes.
Brad Morrison (4th Round, 113th overall)
Like Saarela, Morrison was another offensively gifted player with great hockey instincts. The difference is, Morrison often gets rubbed out and moved off the puck.
While he is a hard worker, Morrison will need to improve his strength and better assert his 6’0, 170-pound frame. His lack of strength is made up for by his impressive speed and skating ability.
This season will mark Morrison’s sixth in the WHL, as the Rangers wait for the 20-year-old to progress in his development. While there are qualities to like, one concern is his lack of production.
Must read: Season preview Q&A with Kevin Weekes
In 61 games last season, Morrison scored 21 goals and 31 assists for 52 points in 61 games. In the year he was drafted, Morrison scored 23 goals and 27 assists for 50 points in 67 games. While his numbers are impressive, the Rangers need to see a bigger increase in production at that level.
Morrison is still a few years away from being considered an NHL talent, and the Rangers like his potential. However, as with any prospect, the Rangers will have to wait and see if Morrison can up his production and continue on the right track.
Daniel Bernhardt (4th Round, 119th overall)
The 21-year-old Swede was taken by the Rangers in the fourth round and has a good combination of size and skill. At this point in the draft, the Rangers figured they would take a gamble on him considering he is 6’3.
Unfortunately for the Rangers, that gamble really hasn’t paid off. Bernhardt hasn’t lived up to his billing and continues to underwhelm no matter where he plays.
His best season came in 2015-2016 when he played for the London Knights in the OHL where Bernhardt scored three goals and eight assists for 11 points in 29 games. For that to be Bernhardt’s best is extremely disappointing, and last year proved cause for greater concern.
Last season for Vasteras IK in Sweden, Bernhardt posted just four goals and a just one assist for five points in 28 games. With Bernhardt’s struggles well documented, it’s very unlikely that he ever reaches the NHL at this point, making this pick look like a failure.
Adam Huska (7th Round, 184th overall)
Finally, a successful draft pick. Better yet, it only took them seven rounds to find him. Huska was a solid addition to an already strong list of goalie prospects the Rangers have.
The 20-year-old stands tall at 6-foot-3 and has the ability to make many high quality saves. The only knock on Huska was his mechanics, something I’m sure goaltending coach Benoit Allaire will clean up.
In Huska’s second year in the USHL, he went 26-9-2 in 37 games and posted a 1.82 GAA with a .931 save percentage. Last season, Huska played in college for the University of Connecticut.
In 21 games, Huska had a 2.87 GAA and a .916 save percentage. While his goals against were noticeably higher, his save percentage was still solid considering he played in a more competitive league.
Huska’s success is important to the Rangers considering Lundqvist will turn 36 this year. The franchise netminder was also a seventh-round pick. Could Huska follow a similar path? Of course, I’m not being completely serious. However, the Rangers should be excited about finding a talent like Huska that late in a draft that was otherwise a bust.
Conclusion
Out of the seven picks the Rangers made back in 2015, maybe two of them are likely to play in the NHL one day. It is understood that not every draft pick works out, and developing a few solid pros is considered a success.
Next: Top five prospects to keep an eye on
However, Kovacs being placed on unconditional waivers was the final nail in the coffin for the 2015 draft. It was a draft of risks and little reward. It looks like the Rangers had a successful draft this past offseason, with Filip Chytil and Lias Andersson impressing right out if the gate. Hopefully, it makes them forget about all the failed projects that came along in 2015.