It’s very easy for most of us non-in-the-know Rangers fans
to question the team’s actions this weekend. Taking defenseman Dylan McIlrath over consensus future studs Cam Fowler
and Brandon Gormley was a shocking and widely criticized decision. Not only were the latter two consistently
ranked in the top 10, but the Rangers were unanimously expected to pursue
offense in the first round.
Yet McIlrath was the pick, along with five more forwards in
the 2010 draft, none of whom are sure things. The majority of us haven’t seen these guys play. But in reading the opinions of the folks that
have, it seems as though:
A: Though it was shocking that Fowler and Gormley slipped,
teams in the 12-15 range were clawing at each other for the chance to take
McIlrath.
B: Christian Thomas was a good scorer on a bad team. And Adam Graves’ ownership of his team, the
Oshawa Generals might have had something to do with the pick as well as
Thomas’s bloodlines, he’s the son of former NHLer Steve Thomas. Yet like McIlrath, it seemed that if the
Rangers were set on Thomas, they could have moved down, as he was not ranked
this highly anywhere.
C. Andrew Yogan, a Florida
kid, was a bit of a steal. Yogan seems
very comfortable with the media and was ranked much higher than his draft slot
by numerous media outlets. His potential
is certainly encouraging.
As surprising, and perhaps questionable, as the Rangers
picks were this weekend, the Rangers scouting department, led by Gordie Clark,
deserves a pass until future notice. Clark and the others have done an incredible job in recent years and no
one is more qualified to deliver accurate opinions, and successful prospects,
to the Rangers than him. Clark has a proven
track record, and though the majority of us are puzzled by what went on, at
least this year we should let Clark’s
decisions go unquestioned. Let’s see how
it plays out. McIlrath could turn into a
bust along the lines of Hugh Jessiman, or Pavel Brendl, but he also could
become Adam Foote with some offense. This
was certainly a risky draft, but last year’s “risky” selection of Chris Kreider
sure seems to have turned out well. In
five years Clark may be shredded for the 2010
draft, but for now, Rangers fans should trust the man that has restocked the
system so successfully.
Stay tuned for more draft coverage and interviews from the
Rangers draft party with Chris Kreider, Ryan Bourque, and Ethan Werek…
