2008 Rangers Draft Review

Well the 2008 NHL Entry Draft is all set and done. What we saw this past Friday night and Saturday morning was arguably one of the most interesting drafts that I have ever seen. Between the blockbuster trades and puzzling moves (Garth Snow, I'm looking at you), there were many topics of discussion. Although my New York Rangers were relatively quiet, Glen Sather, Gordie Clark and co. made some very interesting picks. Here is my review of each Ranger pick:

1st round, 20th overall- Michael Del Zotto (D): Picked 2nd overall in the OHL entry draft two years ago, ahead of the likes of Drew Doughty and Zach Bogosian, he is arguably the best offensive defenseman to come out of this draft, scoring the most points among defenseman in the OHL this past season. An obvious BPA choice at 20th overall, the only knock on him is his 1 vs 1 play on defense and his affinity for committing a bad give away. Time will tell if DZ and Sanguinetti will be one of the best 1-2 offensive punches from the back end in the NHL.

Comparable: Brian Campbell

2nd round, 51st overall- Derek Stepan (F): I'll be honest, I had no idea of who he was before he was selected by the Rangers Saturday morning. At 6 foot and 170 pounds, he needs to gain muscle, but his willingness to drive to the next and quick stickhandling make him a potential sleeper for the Rangers. He is said to have top 6 forward potential, a need in the Rangers' prospect cupboard.

Comparable: A poor man's Ron Francis

3rd round, 75th overall- Evgeny Grachev (F): My favorite pick of this draft by the Rangers. At 6'2" and 200+ pounds, he already has an NHL body, and it is only a matter of time before skill accompanies it. Said to be in the mold of Anisimov, he could be the banger that crashes the net that the Rangers desperately need. The breaking rumor that he gained his American visa, he very well could play in Hartford next season, making this pick even better.

Comparable: Dustin Brown

3rd round, 90th overall- Tomas Kundratek (D): My first thought when the Rangers gave up Alex Bourret to trade and get this pick: A Michal Rozsival clone. Built in a similar way, he is a solid puck moving defenseman who is ranked the best Czech prospect in this draft. His horrendous showing at the World Junior Classic made his stock drop, but if he can put all of his talent together, he can end up being a solid player.

Comparable: Michal Rozsival

4th round, 111th overall- Dale Weise (RW): A late bloomer at 20 years old, a solid season in Canadian Juniors made his 3rd draft a charm. Another big forward, he is likely heading to Hartford next season to see what he can do. A very safe pick in the 4th round.

Comparable: A lesser Corey Perry

5th round, 141st overall- Chris Doyle (F): Another potential steal in this draft, he is already said to possess an NHL calibur shot. Weak in his own end, he will need work in that aspect of his game. If he puts it all together, he projects to be an effective energy player.

Comparable: Could be the next Nigel Dawes

6th round, 171st overall- Mitch Gaulton (D): Another pick that I fell in love with once I read about him. Going 4th overall in the OHL draft in the same year as Del Zotto, yes, again, ahead of the likes of Bogosian, Doughty, and Pietrangelo, he is a hard hitting, crease clearing defenseman who has been very unlucky with injuries. Rumor has it that some teams had him in their plans as early as the second round if his injuries did not happen, making this pick a potential huge steal in the 6th round if he is fortunate with his health.

Comparable: A scary player if he stays healthy- Mike Commodore



Synopsis: A solid draft by the Rangers that addressed a lot of needs if some of the prospects picked pan out to be NHL level players. While some picks were a bit off the board, Gordie Clark has picked out some late sleepers, albeit not many recently. Only time will tell, however, before this draft can be considered a flop or success.

Be sure to keep an eye out for my Offseason Preview for the Blueshirts in the coming days!