NY Rangers get a nice haul for Alexandar Georgiev

There was never any doubt that NY Rangers GM Chris Drury was going to try to trade netminder Alexandar Georgiev prior to the NHL Entry Draft.   With the Rangers unlikely to give him a qualifying offer by July 11, the goalie was destined to become an Unrestricted Free Agent.   The fact that Drury was able to trade Georgiev to the Colorado Avalanche and get three draft picks in return, is nothing less than a  miracle.

When Colorado General Manager Joe Sakic decided that Darcy Kuemper was going to be too expensive for the cap-strapped Avalanche, he was obviously impressed enough by Georgiev that he made the deal for the former Ranger’s rights. By doing that, he gets a goalie who will split duties with Pavel Francouz and has the skill to become a number one netminder in the NHL.

What Drury got

The Rangers got three draft picks for Georgiev; a  third round (#97) and a fifth round (#161) pick in this year’s draft and a third round pick in 2023.  Let’s not kid ourselves.  The Avalanche get the last pick in each round as the reigning champions so the picks this year are really fourth and six rounders.

If you want to define a “win now” mentality when it comes to draft picks, Colorado has now traded away 11 of their 21 draft picks over the next three years and have only two picks this year (sixth and seventh rounders).

They have kept their next two first round picks, the only two picks in the top three rounds for three straight years. They may not have a lot of draft picks, but they have a Stanley Cup.  Glen Sather must be envious.

Late round picks work out

While virtual fourth and sixth round picks may not seem like a lot, there have been some late round success stories for the Blueshirts.  Look no further than our  Vezina Trophy winner, Igor Shesterkin.

• 2017 6th round (#174) – Morgan Barron
• 2014 4th round (# 118) – Igor Shesterkin
• 2013 4th round (#110) – Ryan Graves
• 2010 6th round (#157) – Jesper Fast
• 2008 4th round (#111) – Dale Wiese
• 2007 6th round (#168) – Carl Hagelin
• 2004 4th round (#127) – Ryan Callahan

And of course, there was Henrik Lundqvist, taken at #205 in the seventh round in 2000, very possibly the best late round draft selection in NHL history. Most recently, the Rangers have signed forwards Lauri Pajuniemi (2018 5th round), Adam Edström (2019 6th round), Matthew Rempe (2020 6th round), defenseman Hunter Skinner (2019 4th round), and goalie Dylan Garand (2020 4th round) to Entry Level Contracts.

2020 5th rounder Brett Berard is starring for Providence College and they have high hopes for 2021 4th round pick Body Lamb who will be playing for the University of Minnesota in the fall. All in all, since the lockout the Rangers have drafted 65 players in the fourth round or later.  12 of them have made it to the NHL for at least one game.

19 percent of late round picks making it to the NHL may not seem like a lot, but if the scouts are doing their job, they may find a diamond in the rough who will become a solid player. When they find an all-world goalie or a future team captain, it’s a difference-maker. The Rangers have four picks in the fourth round or later this year.  Let’s hope they strike gold.