what reports are you looking at? the ones that are 2-4 years old? because everything i've read about him from recent reports says his skating has improved to above average for his size, he has ridiculous shutdown potential when he was playing in the AHL, he has a hard shot, and has a decent first pass. a couple sites also said he was easily the rangers most improved prospect over the past 2 seasons.

let the kid play before you call him a bust and a waste. i totally understand the argument that picking him at 10 is a stretch, especially in hindsight with how some players like schwartz and tarasenko are playing now, but i still say give him another year and let him bust out before labeling him a bust.
- rangerdanger94

I honestly think that choosing McI was the wrong decision at the time. Drafting for need over best available is not the way to go IMO. You should always draft by picking the best available player, even in there is a logjam in that area. Think about it, if we drafted Fowler and we had both Fowler and DZ, we could have already packaged one of them for an organazational need like a top 6 winger or a McI type bruising D man. Drafting the best available is always the way to go

Hockey Central ‏@SNHockeyCentral 10m
.@JSportsnet says he's hearing Derek Stepan on verge of accepting a bridge deal with Rangers.
- jimbro83

Was this tweeted? I can't seem to find it.

Where's Brooksie or Leonard, etc on this? Hmmmm. Hope so obviously.
- B2B76

‏@JSportsnet 7s
To clarify, in NY, Stepan is prepared to take short term deal...2 yrs...but still huge gap on dollars

‏@JSportsnet 7s
To clarify, in NY, Stepan is prepared to take short term deal...2 yrs...but still huge gap on dollars
- blacksheep1

wow so basically nothing new

or EK
- mighty13duck

‏@JSportsnet 7s
To clarify, in NY, Stepan is prepared to take short term deal...2 yrs...but still huge gap on dollars
- blacksheep1

SO basically he is giving information from two days ago...

Yeah, the guy basically just rick rolled all of us.

Yeah, the guy basically just rick rolled all of us.
- blacksheep1

- TrueBlue9182

‏@JSportsnet 7s
To clarify, in NY, Stepan is prepared to take short term deal...2 yrs...but still huge gap on dollars
- blacksheep1

Talk about blueballs

Larry Brooks corrected himself

Biron is entering the final year of his contract, which carries a $1.3 million cap charge. Hedberg is at camp on a tryout basis. If Hedberg were to win the job, the Rangers would have to be able to trade Biron in order to avoid the $375,000 cap hit they would take by sending him through waivers to the AHL Wolf Pack.

I honestly think that choosing McI was the wrong decision at the time. Drafting for need over best available is not the way to go IMO. You should always draft by picking the best available player, even in there is a logjam in that area. Think about it, if we drafted Fowler and we had both Fowler and DZ, we could have already packaged one of them for an organazational need like a top 6 winger or a McI type bruising D man. Drafting the best available is always the way to go
- WayneY

Exactly. Value is value. Always draft the best, then you have value to trade for what you need. Gambling by drafting for the exact need is just ridiculous. If we drafted, say Tarasenko, we probably could have gotten a bonafide proven tough dman who could play instead of praying McIlrath pans out.

Larry Brooks corrected himself

Biron is entering the final year of his contract, which carries a $1.3 million cap charge. Hedberg is at camp on a tryout basis. If Hedberg were to win the job, the Rangers would have to be able to trade Biron in order to avoid the $375,000 cap hit they would take by sending him through waivers to the AHL Wolf Pack.
- jimbro83

Realistically, not many team would trade for Biron.

Exactly. Value is value. Always draft the best, then you have value to trade for what you need. Gambling by drafting for the exact need is just ridiculous. If we drafted, say Tarasenko, we probably could have gotten a bonafide proven tough dman who could play instead of praying McIlrath pans out.
- xcheckmajor

With what cap space? Mcilrath only costs 1.3 million if he makes the team. Rangers don't have the luxury of getting proven players with Brad Richards on the roster.

Exactly. Value is value. Always draft the best, then you have value to trade for what you need. Gambling by drafting for the exact need is just ridiculous. If we drafted, say Tarasenko, we probably could have gotten a bonafide proven tough dman who could play instead of praying McIlrath pans out.
- xcheckmajor

it's just always easier in hindsight. i can honestly say i had no idea who tarasenko was on the day of the draft...but i obviously know him now. we forget how much of a crapshoot the draft is on the day of the draft.

the way i see it, you can't sign a player like lucic, franzen, pronger, etc. through FA...you gotta draft em nowadays. and i think that mcilrath deserves his chance to make the team before we label him a total bust.

the kid is a 21 year old defenseman. we know that Dmen take longer to develop and those that are up in the NHL are constant healthy scratches (just look at larsson on the devils).

while i agree that there were better choices at #10, i still think we should give the kid a chance to play in the show before we write him off. if it takes him 1 more year....so what? that just means the rangers are more patient and have enough NHL defensive depth to let him develop properly. or would you rather have him up here and be a -57 like cam fowler or a healthy scratch every 7 games out of 10 like adam larsson?

after the first days of training camp my opening night roster looks like this:

kreider-stepan-kristo
pouliot-brassard-nash
zucc-richards-miller?( if not ready lindberg/fast etc)
boyle-moore-dorsett
pyatt (if not moved although looked really good today)

Mcd-girardi
staal-MDZ
moore-stralman

Hank
biron

when cally and hags return:

kreider-stepan-kristo( if he looks good otherwise cally)
nash-brassard-cally
pouliot or zucc-richards-hags
boyle or pouliot-moore-dorsett

Mcd-girardi
staal-MDZ
moore-stralman

hank
biron

Chill in the air today, SMELLS LIKE HOCKEY. MSG airing a 2 hr special tomorrow morning at 11.

Chill in the air today, SMELLS LIKE HOCKEY. MSG airing a 2 hr special tomorrow morning at 11.
- B2B76

Very exciting to get hockey back.

Im so looking foward to this game so we can sit here and completely over analyze what we see on the ice.

after the first days of training camp my opening night roster looks like this:

kreider-stepan-kristo
pouliot-brassard-nash
zucc-richards-miller?( if not ready lindberg/fast etc)
boyle-moore-dorsett
pyatt (if not moved although looked really good today)

Mcd-girardi
staal-MDZ
moore-stralman

Hank
biron

when cally and hags return:

kreider-stepan-kristo( if he looks good otherwise cally)
nash-brassard-cally
pouliot or zucc-richards-hags
boyle or pouliot-moore-dorsett

Mcd-girardi
staal-MDZ
moore-stralman

hank
biron
- webleedblue

Step is not signed yet, I think he will sign a couple of days into the season. And why would you put Nash on the second line?

[quote=TrueBlue9182]
I have to wait until October to see my team play since not a single game of pre season will be aired on MSG or MSG plus (Including the first BK game)

I have to wait until October to see my team play since not a single game of pre season will be aired on MSG or MSG plus (Including the first BK game)
- mighty13duck

Do the devils get to see theirs?

Do the devils get to see theirs?
- GioRock

No I don't think so, because if they did I would watch theirs when they play the Isles. I don't understand, its not like they are playing anything good in that time slot.

No I don't think so, because if they did I would watch theirs when they play the Isles. I don't understand, its not like they are playing anything good in that time slot.
- mighty13duck

I wonder why the isles didnt play the rags in Brooklyn. That would be more appropiate. IMO.

I wonder why the isles didnt play the rags in Brooklyn. That would be more appropiate. IMO.
- GioRock

I think it comes down to the Isles wanting full attention on them. If they faced the Rags, a bunch of Ranger fans would buy tix and take a little away from the event.

I honestly think that choosing McI was the wrong decision at the time. Drafting for need over best available is not the way to go IMO. You should always draft by picking the best available player, even in there is a logjam in that area. Think about it, if we drafted Fowler and we had both Fowler and DZ, we could have already packaged one of them for an organazational need like a top 6 winger or a McI type bruising D man. Drafting the best available is always the way to go
- WayneY

Here's the thing with Gordie Clarke's philosophy: He favors guys who stand out from their peers in some way and/or demonstrate at least one skill/ability that is elite. Kreider with the size/speed combo for example. Obviously McIlrath with his size and toughness looked like a man against boys on the ice. They felt he had enough raw ability that they could develop him into a top-four blue liner in the Jeff Beukeboom mold. Just because he hasn't made an impact at the NHL level yet does not mean he is a bust or won't turn into a reliable top-four guy.

If you look at the players drafted after McIlrath in round one, only one, Cam Fowler, has played more than 52 games in the NHL. There are eight who have yet to play even one regular season game including fellow D Brandon Gormley and Derek Forbort. Now, I'm no expert on other team's prospects but there are still some really good prospects that were drafted after McIlrath who have yet to make an impact in the NHL which tells me that McI is really not that far behind in his development.