How did the New York Rangers build the top farm system in the NHL?

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Draft Success Stories

Not only does Gorton handle all trades involving the Rangers, but he’s also the man responsible for drafting players in the Entry Draft every year. Just in terms of the last three drafts, Gorton has gone on and drafted some high caliber talent. Here’s just a snippet of who has joined the Blueshirts in the past few years.

Kappo Kakko

What else can be said about Kakko? The Rangers lottery pick winner immediately made his presence known after registering his first career goal just three games into his career and quickly cemented himself in NHL history as the second player born in the 21st century to score in the NHL

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – JUNE 21: Kaapp Kakko smiles after being selected second overall by the New York Rangers during the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena on June 21, 2019 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Vitali Kravtsov

The 19 year old Russian born wing has easily emerged as one of the most explosive players in the Rangers farm system. Not only did Kravtsov break the record for most points by a teenager in a single post season in the Kontinental Hockey League, but he would also go on to break his own record in the following postseason.

VANCOUVER, BC – DECEMBER 30: Vitali Kravtsov #14 of Russia skates with the puck in Group A hockey action of the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship against Switzerland on December, 30, 2018 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images) /

K’Andre Miller

Considered one of top defenders in the NCAA with the University of Wisconsin, Miller gathered 22 points in 26 games in his freshman campaign last season. He would go on to be apart of the All-Big Ten Rookie Team and was also a finalist for Freshman of the Year.

DALLAS, TX – JUNE 22: K’Andre Miller poses for a portrait after being selected twenty-second overall by the New York Rangers during the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center on June 22, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Matthew Robertson

: The 6’3″, 200 pound defender, makes very few mistakes and is a fiend with the puck in transition. In just eight games this season in the Western Hockey League, Robertson has already tallied six points on three goals.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – JUNE 22: Matthew Robertson, 49th overall pick of the New York Rangers, is greeted by head coach Dave Quinn of the New York Rangers at the draft table during Rounds 2-7 of the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena on June 22, 2019 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Igor Shesterkin

Although chosen by former GM

Glen Sather

, Shesterkin is quite possibly the heir to

Henrik Lundqvist

. He allowed an extremely impressive 1.11 GAA in 28 starts in the KHL last season with a record of 24-4. In his first appearance in the NHL in a preseason game, he didn’t disappoint, as he stopped 36 of 40 shots against a very powerful Flyers team.

MONTREAL, QC – JANUARY 02: Igor Shesterkin #30 of Team Russia looks towards the play in a quarterfinal round during the 2015 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships against Team United States at the Bell Centre on January 2, 2015 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Team Russia defeated Team United States 3-2. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /

These are just a few of the Rangers’ top prospects currently in the NHL or in their minor league affiliate, Hartford Wolf Pack. With their own picks, the Rangers have drafted Filip Chytil, Kravtsov, Morgan Barron, Riley Hughes, Zac Jones and Nico Gross.

Players like Nils Lundkvist, Lias Andersson, Karl Henriksson , Joey Keane and Hunter Skinner have also been acquired by the Rangers via the Entry Draft as a result of trades. Yegor Rykov and Adam Fox join Ryan Lindgren, Howden and Hajek as prospects acquired in trades.

Trading, drafting, and even coaching all come into the conversation when talking about having the top farm system in all of hockey. If all of those pieces are working together as a unit, then that team will be successful in the future. It just happens to be that the Rangers are on that course right now and are already rebuilding. There trades have turned into draft picks, and those picks are easily on their way to being stars in the NHL. It’s only a matter of time before the Rangers are back in the playoffs on a regular basis and making a run for the Stanley Cup every year.

Related Story. Kaapo Kakko is not happy. light

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