Day: June 29, 2013

If you’re wondering what exactly the Rangers were thinking when they decided to keep Richards, then you’re not alone.  The general consensus outside the Rangers was to buy-out the veteran center who has seven more seasons remaining on his nine year contract.

Within the Rangers hierarchy, it appears it may not have been quite so unanimous, at least if you are to believe Louis Jean of TVA Sports in Montreal.

The Rangers are in need of a physical presence on their blueline, but it looks as if 2010 first round draft pick Dylan McIlrath does not appear to be in the short term plans at least.  The 6-5 defender, originally drafted as a work in progress, remains just that.

Perhaps more concerning was this quote from Gordie Clark in the New York Times: So the Rangers are keeping a close eye on defenseman Dylan McIlrath, 21, their first-round selection in 2010. McIlrath, who is 6 feet 5 inches and 215 pounds, missed the first part of last season after an off-season knee injury. But he returned to pick up 125 penalty minutes, including 13 fighting majors, in 45 games with the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League.

The Rangers go into tomorrow’s draft with no first or second round picks, courtesy of trades for Rick Nash and Ryane Clowe.  It’ll be the first time the organization won’t be picking in the first round since 2002 – when Pavel Bure cost them their first rounder – and is the first time 50 year history of the Draft that the Rangers won’t have a pick in the first two rounds.

It’s new territory for Gordie Clark too, who heads up the Rangers drafting squad.  In his 19 years, Clark has never been to a draft where he didn’t have at least one pick in the first two rounds, and as a result he says that he’ll focus on position rather than best player available.