5. Yegor Rykov
Yegor Rykov is a Russian native who has been playing for SKA St. Petersburg as a part of their third defensive pair. The Rangers landed Rykov as a part of the trade for Michael Grabner made with the New Jersey Devils at the end of the regular season.
Rykov was drafted by the Devils in the fifth round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. He has a year left on his KHL contract, but has good promise based on where we’ve seen him play thus far.
The biggest impact that comes in regard to Rykov is how well-rounded a player he is. Rykov is very quick despite his size (6’3″, 202), and though there is nothing particularly flashy about his style, he is accurate.
He does a good job reading the ice and can make a good first pass. He has displayed the ability to do the same on the defensive end and uses his stick to break up passes and block shots.
Rykov just needs a bit more time to develop the rest of the game, collect under pressure and use the skill set he has. So the fact that he has one year left in Russia is great for the Rangers.
The bottom line is that Rykov has the potential to develop into a great two way defenseman. He just needs to finish out KHL contract and get some time playing in the states.