Through trades and injuries, the New York Rangers turned to their AHL affiliate for defensemen. John Gilmour was the first to get the call to come play at the NHL level.
John Gilmour has played professional hockey for two seasons now. In his first year and in the first half of his second season, Gilmour played with the Hartford Wolf Pack. In his first season in Hartford, Gilmour played in all 76 games and put up a respectable six goals and 19 assists for 25 points.
Gilmour was able to beat his rookie season point total in substantially less games played. In the 44 AHL games he suited up for, he again had six goals along with 20 assists for 26 points. Presumably, these totals would have climbed even more had he played more games.
When alternate captain Marc Staal was moved to the injured reserve, Gilmour was called up. He made his NHL debut against the team that drafted him, the Calgary Flames. He proceeded to finish the season with the Rangers. In 28 games, he recorded two goals and three assists for five points.
With the Rangers looking to rebuild their blue line, should Gilmour be in their future plans?
My answer is yes.
If this truly is a rebuild, the Rangers should be aiming to utilize as much of their young players as possible. Gilmour will turn 25 on Wednesday. He is still young and at a good age to continue his NHL development. He has proven himself at the AHL, it’s time for him to have an extended chance at the NHL level.
Related: 2017-18 Report Card: John Gilmour
One factor that does pose an issue is his defensive ability. He has shown he has quite the knack for offense, even in such a quick transition from the AHL to NHL. However, he does have defensive shortcomings. The same player that looks so confident in the offensive zone still looks somewhat out of place in the defensive zone.
Luckily, Gilmour has plenty of room for growth. This is only his second year of professional hockey and he didn’t even play 30 NHL games. The Rangers will have to learn to deal with the growing pains that come with rookie development. Gone are the days of benching a rookie for a simple mistake. If the rebuild is to be successful, development will be key. It is unfair to punish these young players for mistakes that are to be expected. They need to grow from their shortcomings.
Additionally, Gilmour is a better option than some defensemen on the roster. Marc Staal is on a steady decline and is extremely unreliable in his own end. He does not contribute much offensively, and while he offers leadership, Gilmour is more than capable to take his roster spot. Unless Brendan Smith is able to collect himself this summer, Gilmour is the better choice of the two.
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Overall, Gilmour is a better choice that some players currently on the roster. So long as the Rangers have patience, Gilmour will be a fine defenseman to have on the roster.