Scott Glennie
He's #1 on my list for a reason. His top gear, hands, and offensive instincts are a package of skills that the Rangers desperately need. Hes a very, very good bet to make the NHL and be an extremely useful player. He was seen more as a finisher coming into this season but racked up a ton of assists before missing some time with a broken elbow he suffered in a collision with the net. He came back from the injury and performed very well in the WHL playoffs and was amongst the league leaders in playoff points before his team was eliminated.
Of course, there is a reason he isn't a stone cold lock for the top 10, or even the top 15. He plays a pretty wreckless game and doesn't have the type of frame that allows one to play that type of a game for a prolonged period of time. His injury this year was a fluke but the worry that he'll suffer a more serious one in the Pros that isn't a fluke is a pretty big concern. He also needs to work on his play with out the puck.
My Rating (1-10) 8.5: I'm a huge, huge fan of his game. While the injury concerns are there, I think that not picking a kid because he "might" get hurt is the wrong way to go about things. First line talent all the way.
Chances he'll be around when we pick - 15%. Hes got a chance to go in the top 10 and I'd almost bet on him being taken before pick #15. If he lasts that long, I would jump up a few spots to grab him.
Player Comparison: Mike Gartner-lite if everything breaks right. Geoff Sanderson is a safe comparable, and he happens to be one of my favorite players ever.
Jeremy Morin
Its been an up and down year for Morin. He was in the top 10 of most publications when they released their first draft ranking for the year but as the year went on and questions about his character arose along with his mediocre on ice performance, he fell all the way out of the first round...
until the u-18 tournament.
Jeremy Morin's game is simple - Shoot the puck in the net. Hes arguably the best pure goal scorer in the draft (including John Tavares) and if he had a smoother year with the US NDTP, he would have most likely been the first American selected in the draft. His talent is undeniable, he has a hard, accurate shot that he can get off in a moments notice. He compliments his hard shot with excellent hands around the net, which makes him money on anything below the hashes. His coaches at the NDTP have said that while he doesn't have Kessel's skating ability, hes got the same type of goal scoring instincts, and that he may score even more than Kessel. Hes a better skater with the puck than with out it and has magical hands - a scout noted "Morin could handle the puck in the rain and keep it from getting wet"
His footspeed isn't terrible (better than Tavares'), but hes got to improve it in order to score at the same rate in the NHL. The questions about his attitude and problems with the NTDP have caused his stock to drop, so its important that the Rangers really follow up with him before draft day and make sure they know exactly what they're getting with Morin should they choose to go in that direction.
My Rating (1-10) 8.25: Jeremy Morin is a top 10 talent, but how many times have we heard that term applied to a player who falls for what ever reason and then how often do we see them meeting expectations? It doesn't happen often. With that said, Jeremy Morin has the skills to become a very, very good first line sniper, something that our Orginization lacks.
Player Comparison: Kovalev at the top of his game.
Chances hes around at #19 - 90% - Some team may scoop him up earlier because of his high celing, but he should be around when we pick.
Toni Rajala
if there was one guy who has been a buzz player the last month, its Toni Rajala. Rajala had become some what of a "youtube" sensation over the past years. At first sight you wouldn't think much of him, playing at a very small 5'9" and probably 150 pounds. Though when you see him motor down the wing and unleash a cannon of a shot, especially coming out of a guy his size you start to understand the intrigue. His hands are pretty good, and he isn't afraid to dangle with the puck in traffic.
Of course, his size and strength are not up to par and he's probably 3, closer to 4 years away from the NHL. Hes gone to the traffic areas more than he used to but still doesn;t do it with the regularity that you see the successful smaller guys in the league do it.
My Rating (1-7): 5.5 but could be an 8 - as of right now I think hes a project but hes got some skills for sure. I wouldn't take him at 19 but if we traded down or acquired a late first/early second rounder and he was there, I'd take him.
Player comparison: Jiri Hudler, Brian Gionta, Mattias Tedenby Plus.
Chances hes around at 19 - 100%
