New York Rangers: Five thriving late picks from the last two drafts
From Henrik Lundqvist to Pavel Buchnevich, the New York Rangers and their fans know the value of a top notch late draft pick. Even the most successful teams miss with most of their picks past the first two rounds, though. It’s still early, but the Rangers boast some interesting names from the lower rounds of the last two drafts.
With the exception of goalie Igor Shestyorkin, New York’s 2014 and 2015 draft crops aren’t looking too hot. Jeff Gorton and company appear to have turned things around in 2016 and 2017, though. First rounders Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil obviously help, but let’s focus outside the top 62 picks.
The Rangers made 11 picks in the third round and beyond over the last two years. They’re not all thriving and most won’t reach the NHL. Even the ones that will make it are a few seasons away from skating at Madison Square Garden.
But a handful of these selections have put up some big numbers to start the season. Ranger fans should keep an eye on these five late picks from 2016 and 2017.
Morgan Barron, sixth round, 174 overall in 2017
Center Morgan Barron is off to a surprising start in his freshman campaign at Cornell. At 6-foot-3 and 209 pounds, Barron offers some serious size, but he was something of a mystery when New York chose him in June. Prospect writers mostly labeled him “raw” before shrugging and moving on.
Some of the questions surrounding Barron come from his odd route to the draft. Despite hailing from Halifax in Canada, Barron did not play any level of Canadian junior hockey. Instead, he skated for an all-boys boarding school called St. Andrew’s College.
Since the draft, Barron posted nine points in his first 12 NCAA games. In an early season highlight, Barron tallied two points to lead Cornell over Boston University at Madison Square Garden in late November.
The Rangers don’t have a ton of prospects in the NCAA ranks. They only hold the rights to Barron, goalies Adam Huska and Tyler Wall, and defender Tyler Nanne. Barron’s hot start gives Ranger fans a welcome excuse to follow college hockey this season.
Sean Day, third round, 81 overall in 2016
Unlike Morgan Barron, Sean Day carried major hype into the NHL draft. Day received exceptional status from Hockey Canada to enter Canadian juniors at age 15 thanks to his physical maturity. Some personal struggles kept his NHL draft stock down, but he’s thriving now.
The 6’3″ defenseman is an elite skater who loves to shoot the puck. New York considered placing Day in Hartford this year before sending him back to juniors.
Assigning Day to a final season in juniors hasn’t hurt his development. With former Windsor Spitfire teammate Mikhail Sergachev jumping to the NHL, Day plays a much bigger role.
He started slowly, but he now stands at 20 points in 23 games. At 0.87 points per game, Day’s performing at the best scoring pace of his junior career by far. He leads Windsor defenders in scoring and ranks 13th in the entire OHL for points by defensemen.
He’ll probably need a season or two in Hartford, but Day is finally starting to tap into his massive potential.
Tim Gettinger, fifth round, 141 overall in 2016
Tim Gettinger continues our theme of skaters with serious size. The 6-foot-6, 218 pound Gettinger hasn’t had the same explosive breakout as Day and Barron, but he’s improving steadily.
This season, Gettinger has 29 points in 28 games with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL. It marks Gettinger’s first season above the point per game mark and has him on track for his second 30 goal season in a row.
Gettinger’s Greyhounds currently hold the best record in the OHL, which sets him up for a deep playoff run in his final junior season. He ranks fourth on the team in points and leads them in shots on goal by a healthy margin.
The big winger is an excellent shooter and could develop into a solid bottom six contributor.
Both Gettinger and Day could receive invites to team USA’s camp for the upcoming World Junior Championships. They each participated in team USA’s preliminary camp over the summer. The odds favor neither player making the final roster, though.
Ty Ronning, seventh round, 201 overall in 2016
At 5-foot-9, winger Ty Ronning doesn’t have an imposing figure, but he does have a non-stop motor. The son of former NHLer Cliff Ronning plays an unrelentingly aggressive game. Ty was born a few years after his dad’s Vancouver Canucks lost a certain playoff series to the 1994 Rangers.
Ronning has the misfortune of playing for the WHL’s Vancouver Giants, one of the league’s weaker teams, but he leads them in goals (26), points (38), and shots on goal (158). Those 158 shots average out to nearly five and a half shots on goal per game. He also ranks 14th in scoring for the entire WHL.
Ronning actually played 12 games for the Hartford Wolfpack last season and tallied five points. The Rangers haven’t signed him to an entry level contract yet, but he should be a lock to receive one soon.
Ronning’s mixture of skill, forechecking presence, and high hockey IQ could quickly make him a fan favorite on the Rangers’ third or fourth line.
Patrik Virta, seventh round, 207 overall in 2017
New York went for an undersized forward in the seventh round for the second straight draft when they chose Patrik Virta. The Rangers chose the 5-foot-10 Finnish center despite his status as a triple overager.
Virta plays for TPS of the Finnish Elite League, Liiga. His 17 points in 27 games might not seem impressive, but his underlying numbers tell a more interesting story.
Corsi is a statistic used to track shot attempts. The higher a player’s corsi for percentage (CF%), the greater percentage of shot attempts his team manages while he’s on the ice. Virta’s 56.0 five on five CF% ranks second on his team.
Virta’s ability to drive the play suggests he might have a future as an excellent checking center. He’s also the only player on this list skating in a professional adult league, which makes his point totals a little more impressive.
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As an older prospect, Virta likely makes the jump to Hartford next season if the Rangers decide to ink him to a contract.