New York Rangers Report Card: Lias Andersson

The New York Rangers had high hopes for Lias Andersson when they picked him seventh overall in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.  The hope was that he would be ready to step right into the NHL and make an impact.  After two years, that hasn’t happened.

Lias Andersson – Grade D

As we start our report cards for the 2018-19 New York Rangers, our first player is Lias Andersson.  We will be working through the team in alphabetical order and will be reviewing the performance of all players who suited up for the team this season.  That means we will also be talking about old friends Mats Zuccarello and Kevin Hayes.

His season

Lias Andersson didn’t spend the entire season in the NHL.  Out of training camp he was demoted to Hartford and began the season with the Wolf Pack.  Andersson actually won the Lars-Erik Sjoberg Award as the top rookie in training camp last fall, only to see him lose his roster slot to Brett Howden.  He played 14 games in Hartford, scoring four goals and adding eight assists.  His stats were the best for a player under 21 in the AHL.

That performance warranted a call-up on November 5.   He played  21 games with one goal and two assists averaging about ten minutes of ice time per game.   With several Rangers coming back from injuries, there was no room for him on the roster and he was returned to Hartford at the end of December.

On February 20, Andersson was recalled from Hartford and remained with the Rangers the rest of the season.   His offense was even worse as he had only one goal and two assists in 21 games. He was stapled to the fourth line for most of his time with the Rangers this season.

Why the grade

Andersson is a flashpoint for many Ranger fans, mostly for his lack of production at the NHL level.  The team did him no favors by openly predicting that he was “NHL ready” as a 19 year old after he was drafted.  He was under even more pressure when Filip Chytil, picked 14 slots later, proved to be a gifted goal scorer.

If Andersson was a second round choice who was heralded as a two-way forward with a leadership upside, no one would be questioning his ability or potential.  But as a high first round pick, every game he plays is under a microscope.

While his season was serviceable, he was unable to post any offensive numbers in limited ice time.  It’s symptomatic of his season that most fans remember his best game as the pre-season opener against the Devils when he scored two goals and was the first star.

With the Rangers out of the playoffs, Andersson got some additional ice time and showed a feisty side and actually had a fight with Blake Coleman of the Devils on April 1.  This was days after he got into an altercation with Patrice Bergeron of the Bruins.

While there were signs that the player that the Rangers thought they had drafted was really there surfaced late this season, this year has to be seen as a disappointment for Andersson.  That’s why he earns a grade D .  This grade is not a reflection on his potential and Ranger fans should not give up on him.  He won’t turn 21 until October and should be given at least a season or two to prove that he was worth such a high pick or will develop into a consistent NHL player.

The numbers

Games:  42
Goals:  2
Assists:   4
Points:  6
PPG:  0.14
CF%:  42.5
+/-:   -13
PIM:  29
ATOI:   10:43
Faceoffs:  44.2%

Next report card:  Matt Beleskey