New York Rangers: Five best prospects who will play overseas in 18-19

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TORONTO, ON – DECEMBER 27: Russia defenceman Yegor Rykov (28) skates the puck up ice against Latvia during the World Junior Hockey Championships on December 27, 2016, at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Dan Hamilton/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images /

4. Yegor Rykov, LHD, SKA St. Petersburg

Acquired from the New Jersey Devils in the Michael Grabner trade, Rykov just finished his rookie season with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL.

It is very rare that a KHL team gives a 20 year-old significant minutes, especially on a team as stacked as SKA, but they gave Rykov more and more responsibility as the season went off. He even played 49 games with the squad in his age 19 season.

In 53 regular season games, Rykov notched two goals and 12 assists in 12:33 a night. In 13 playoff appearances, the Vidno, Russia native notched two assists.

Dobber Prospects describes Rykov as a “promising, sizable blueliner with leadership qualities and a good two-way game that needs some seasoning.”

The Rangers see a kid who checks off a few of their boxes:

Good puck-mover
Leader
Plays in a men’s league

They believe that Rykov has top four NHL defenseman upside, so grabbing him for a rental in Grabner was, in their view, a steal.

Rykov will be seeing his role expand even more with SKA in 2018-19 and will likely join the Rangers in North America for training camp in 2019.

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