Redrafting the New York Rangers part 3: Rebuilding a contender
2014 – Original Selection #59 Brandon Halverson
In the summer immediately after the Los Angeles heartbreak, the New York Rangers drafted Brandon Halverson out of the OHL
To date, Brandon Halverson has played in one game NHL game and that was simply to relieve a shell-shocked Henrik Lundqvist. In 13 minutes played, Halverson allowed one goal and made five saves.
Goalie development is a gamble. Each goaltender finds their stride at a different point. I don’t see anything ‘wrong’ with the selection, especially at the time, but Halverson was going to have a difficult job cracking the New York Rangers lineup.
What’s ironic is that the Rangers drafted another goalie in the same year who will has a chance to become a New York legend. In the fourth-round, the New York Rangers selected Igor Shesterkin with the 118th pick. If Shesterkin continues to develop this could end up being one of the most memorable drafts in New York Rangers history.
As for Halverson, he wasn’t given a qualifying offer by the Rangers had has been playing in the AHL.
New Selection: Brayden Point
Originally selected with the 79th pick in the draft, Brayden Point has turned out to arguably be a top five player from the draft. The Calgary native has 262 points in only 295 games played. Point has the third highest PPG from the draft class, behind only Leon Draisaitl and David Pastrnak, and the fourth highest point total only behind Draisaitl, Pastrnak and Dylan Larkin.
Brayden Point is the perfect ‘hindsight player.’
Draft Note:
The Rangers traded their 2014 and 2015 first-round picks away with Ryan Callahan in order to acquire Martin St. Louis. The 2014 pick was initially a conditional second-round pick. If the New York Rangers made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, which they did, the second-round pick would become a first-round pick, which it did.
Other notable players available:
#108 Devon Toews, #112 Viktor Arvidsson, #116 Danton Heinen, #138 Oskar Lindbolm, #171 Kevin Labanc, #205 Ondrej Kase