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It's OK to be Disappointed with Lias Andersson For Now


Phil

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For any other teenaged prospect, little would be made of such a series of events if not for the fact that NHL-readiness ? or the appearance of it ? was a major factor in why New York opted to select him so high in the first place. The optics of which will only worsen should potential franchise center Casey Mittelstadt pay early dividends for the Buffalo Sabres, who selected him immediately after the Rangers exited the draft stage, Andersson in hand.

 

To be fair to Andersson, those would be circumstances well out of his control, but ones that would nonetheless affect the optics of both the decision to take him early and of his progress thus far.

 

While other top-ten picks, like Mark Scheifele and Mikko Koivu, took years themselves to crack an NHL line-up, none were drafted with the kind of ?NHL-ready? fanfare Andersson was. That matters. At least for now.

 

?If [Andersson] becomes an NHL staple in a month, three months or another year (or even two), no one will care about this particular assignment to the AHL,? said Larry Brooks of the New York Post, speaking in response to the news of Andersson?s demotion. Though his general assessment is correct, it still appeals to hope ? something the Rangers were likely anticipating would have translated to reality by now.

 

https://www.blueshirtbanter.com/2018/9/30/17919060/its-ok-to-be-disappointed-with-new-york-rangers-lias-andersson-for-now

 

 

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The "disappointment" emotion should be directed towards the Rangers, not Lias at this point.

 

The lesson should be that premium draft choices are rare and top talent should not be passed up for lesser talent due to need. In this case it was not positional need, or a need for toughness, or need for a righty, etc. It was the need/desire to draft someone who was closer to NHL ready. Someone who could get to NY quickly. Regardless, teams should select the best player (w/o red flags) and not drop down into a lower tier of players to fulfill a need. It is that simple. Great players are rare. In hockey, at the top of the 1st round, if a guy has a significantly higher evaluation score, don't outsmart yourself.

 

Phil, I railed about this during the draft last year and it fell on deaf ears. How come this topic is not discussed when Ranger mgmt and scouts are interviewed? I'd love to hear their thoughts, a discussion and some regressive analysis on what went wrong with the Dylan selection (or right with the Kreider and Skjei selections) in the teams approach to 1st round picks.

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On a different note, it is interesting that 18, 19 and even 20 yearolds have such high expectations to "show NHL readiness" or even play at a high level in the NHL, at such a young age. It may not be as physical a sport as football, but in football we note a 21 or 22 y/o rookie as being among the youngest in his draft class. We think a 21 y/o QB is too young to be a starter on a real NFL team. Baseball, the 18 yearolds are not near the majors after the draft.

 

Why are 18 y/o hockey kids (outside of the generational elites) expected to be a factor so soon? Why would the Ranger's even make this a key to their criteria when selecting 7th in the 1st round? It is not a good reason or an optimum drafting philosophy, IMO.

 

Edit: I realize these are different sports. The point is these are still human beings, at the same age, with similar levels of maturity, trying to compete against men. Typical healthy males experience significant growth, development and maturity (mentally and physically) between the ages of 18 and 22. Why should anyone think this should be different for hockey?

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The "disappointment" emotion should be directed towards the Rangers, not Lias at this point.

 

The lesson should be that premium draft choices are rare and top talent should not be passed up for lesser talent due to need. In this case it was not positional need, or a need for toughness, or need for a righty, etc. It was the need/desire to draft someone who was closer to NHL ready. Someone who could get to NY quickly. Regardless, teams should select the best player (w/o red flags) and not drop down into a lower tier of players to fulfill a need. It is that simple. Great players are rare. In hockey, at the top of the 1st round, if a guy has a significantly higher evaluation score, don't outsmart yourself.

 

Agreed completely.

 

Phil, I railed about this during the draft last year and it fell on deaf ears. How come this topic is not discussed when Ranger mgmt and scouts are interviewed? I'd love to hear their thoughts, a discussion and some regressive analysis on what went wrong with the Dylan selection (or right with the Kreider and Skjei selections) in the teams approach to 1st round picks.

 

Because the media don't ask those questions? I can't answer rhetorical questions like this. I'm not one of them. If I were, I'd ask.

 

 

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Agreed completely.

 

Because the media don't ask those questions? I can't answer rhetorical questions like this. I'm not one of them. If I were, I'd ask.

 

Ha, well I like your answer anyway. You wonder the same and would ask more interesting and important questions.

 

Sidenote: There are a few hidden gems in the media who engage in exploring more insightful analysis and interviews. We can use this forum to share sources we come across. For instance, (and to get the ball started) some of the principles at hockeyprospects are tremendous at covering the prospects on a much deeper level than most. Over time, I've found many of their evaluations and observations among the most 'accurate'. Valiquette's company studying goalies and providing statistical analysis, keeps raising their game.

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I don't have any faith the guy can turn this ship around. He can take Slats with him too once and for all.

 

What a ridiculous overreaction. Gorton is the first Rangers GM in a lifetime with the balls to do a proper rebuild. He’ll live or die with what this team looks like in a few years time.

As for Lias, it took some guts to send him down again. It’s clearly not a good look, but it was the right thing to do. It’s another example of Gorton doing this the right way.

I think the pick was probably a whiff, but in fairness that type of player normally takes longer to develop. He could still be a very good NHL player, and playing 1st line/PP minutes in the A is a better way to get him there at the moment.

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What a ridiculous overreaction. Gorton is the first Rangers GM in a lifetime with the balls to do a proper rebuild. He’ll live or die with what this team looks like in a few years time.

As for Lias, it took some guts to send him down again. It’s clearly not a good look, but it was the right thing to do. It’s another example of Gorton doing this the right way.

I think the pick was probably a whiff, but in fairness that type of player normally takes longer to develop. He could still be a very good NHL player, and playing 1st line/PP minutes in the A is a better way to get him there at the moment.

 

Exactly what took guts? The kid did absolutely nothing to earn a spot here. Then you go on to say he was probably a whiff. If you have confidence in Gorton that's wonderful. I haven't seen it yet from him.

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The only reason I am not totally pissed is that Lias isn’t going to be effective on the 4th line. I like that he will get minutes in Hartford to work on his game. The key will be if they can make room for him at some point in the season by moving either Hayes or Zib.
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The only reason I am not totally pissed is that Lias isn’t going to be effective on the 4th line. I like that he will get minutes in Hartford to work on his game. The key will be if they can make room for him at some point in the season by moving either Hayes or Zib.

 

he could be effective on the 4th line, but thats not what they want to groom him for. Wait a bit, see if he can develop, if not, sure, 3rd line C

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Guy could be a perennial 50-60 pt player that can handle PP PK and leadership responsibilities. What can we say against the rest of the 1st round, including Chytil, until they show the same or better? Mittelstadt, maybe, but it takes time to bear out.

 

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Sounds like something you can get in the 2nd round not #7 overall

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"Can" get, if his floor is younger Stepan that's good in my book, Step had the most points as a centerman in a long time for the Rangers, IIRC. Lower tier 1C, good 2C type of player.

 

The pick is what it is, take Buch, if he has that type of season I mentioned as a 3rd round pick, who cares when he was drafted?

 

The rationale is he'll get moore playing time in the AHL, I have my reservations about this being a wasted pick at this point.

 

Final point, consider the young QBs in the NFL (different animal, I know), right now. Bills, Jets, Browns, and Cardinals look like they are trending toward shit seasons with starting rookie QBs. The talent each has is there, and the coaches so far are letting the QBs play because in the NFL there isn't an equivalent to real games if you're redshirted. Lias will face real game situations, albeit at a lower level, as opposed to playing 7-10 mins a night and warming the bench.

 

I'll give management shit if he gets top 6 mins and fails, but the jury is out on this season anyway.

 

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I think it has to noted that the defense of this pick to begin with is that there was little risk and that the rangers were getting a player who at worst was already close to a 3rd line center. Reality is that was never true, so their scouting of him is already proved wrong. Now they are hoping he can develop into what they already thought they had, a third line center. Which when picked at 7 with the likes of middlestadt still there looks awful for them.

 

Regardless at least they drafted the second best forward in the draft this past draft. Yikes

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"Can" get, if his floor is younger Stepan that's good in my book, Step had the most points as a centerman in a long time for the Rangers, IIRC. Lower tier 1C, good 2C type of player.

 

The pick is what it is, take Buch, if he has that type of season I mentioned as a 3rd round pick, who cares when he was drafted?

 

The rationale is he'll get moore playing time in the AHL, I have my reservations about this being a wasted pick at this point.

 

Final point, consider the young QBs in the NFL (different animal, I know), right now. Bills, Jets, Browns, and Cardinals look like they are trending toward shit seasons with starting rookie QBs. The talent each has is there, and the coaches so far are letting the QBs play because in the NFL there isn't an equivalent to real games if you're redshirted. Lias will face real game situations, albeit at a lower level, as opposed to playing 7-10 mins a night and warming the bench.

 

I'll give management shit if he gets top 6 mins and fails, but the jury is out on this season anyway.

 

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Stepan was a 2nd rounder.

 

Of course it matters where he was taken. Getting a first round talent in the third round doesn't absolve you from taking 3rd round talent at #7 overall.

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I also believe that the rangers picked him because they thought he’d play last year and that last year they would still contend. Hard to have faith in a management group that could be so wrong when evaluating what they see every day.

 

This, cancer and world hunger are all clearly AV's fault and has nothing to do with the GM and front office.

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