Mikko Lehtonen Leaves KHL; Option for Rangers? Nope — Signed with Leafs

When determining success, I look for success.

I dont measure success based on failure. I'd let all these prospects fade off if the organization could develop better players that would lead to more overall success for the Rangers.

 

The success basket consists of Jesper Fast.

Nobody is disputing what Hartford used to be, but why are you completely disregarding that there's an entirely new group of people managing it now?

When determining success, I look for success.

I dont measure success based on failure. I'd let all these prospects fade off if the organization could develop better players that would lead to more overall success for the Rangers.

 

The success basket consists of Jesper Fast.

Maybe the lack of success is also reflective of the lack of talent that has passed through Hartford over the years. They haven't focused on regularly acquiring AHL veterans let alone prospects to pile up there. Hartford was in great shape almost 15 years ago when it had an actual prospect pool. It's almost like years of competitiveness from the Rangers, neglect by Schoenfeld, and incompetence from coaching staffs led by Gernander and McCambridge led to this.

regarding Hartford, i base it on how well it helps players to develop to meet their full potential as NHL players.

 

Hartford is a complete failure. From the city, the facilities, the lack of development. I dont care if guys spend 5 years there to develop - but no one has developed there. They need to make it desirable. They need to get their prospects there to grow and learn together.

 

Today's top teams are developing players in the AHL. Boston, Toronto, TB, Washington defense, Nashville, same with the young teams coming up Colorado, Carolina.

Who has the Colorado Eagles churned out of late? No one. The Milwaukee Admirals? Fabbro went straight from college to the NHL. The Hershey Bears? The only defenseman on Washington that came from there is Siegenthaler. Did you pick names out of a hat?

to be fair...Caly, Dubi, JT Miller, Lindgren, etc all came from Hartford. Josh probably has bad taste from the dark ages when Lundmark was our best prospect

Callahan (07), Fast (15) is my list of guys since 1904 that can be considered developed in Hartford that met/exceeded their full potential with the Rangers. I don't consider Shesterkin or Zucc prospects when they played there.

Who has the Colorado Eagles churned out of late? No one. The Milwaukee Admirals? Fabbro went straight from college to the NHL. The Hershey Bears? The only defenseman on Washington that came from there is Siegenthaler. Did you pick names out of a hat?

OK, but that conveniently ignores Boston, Toronto, and Tampa, all of whom are doing exactly what he said they are. They're NHL factories, which is what the AHL was designed to be.

OK, but that conveniently ignores Boston, Toronto, and Tampa, all of whom are doing exactly what he said they are. They're NHL factories, which is what the AHL was designed to be.

I don't disagree with the notion that having a good system is necessary. There are four prime examples of success, though. That means that there are 27 that are below that standard. Drafting and scouting are components of the success of those teams. Look at how good Tampa historically is at bringing in undrafted free agents. All of those teams aren't afraid of drafting talent and letting it develop.

For years there wasn't an emphasis on development in Hartford. No one considered Gernander a development coach. Combine him with the overall lack of talent that was funneled through Hartford and it's no wonder there's been limited success. Subtract Gernander and insert more AHL veterans like those that populated the team from 2005-2012 and maybe some of the more "talented" types like Grachev, Thomas, etc. stand more of a chance of developing. But the environment that existed wasn't conducive to that. Knoblauch and Murphy are significant improvements over Gernander and McCambridge. Drury and Davidson have both emphasized how important establishing a culture in the AHL is and that partly stems from getting a strong veteran presence. The fact that Vincent LoVerde just re-signed is huge. Hell, I hope they keep Matt Beleskey in some capacity. They need that experience there.

Anyone lamenting about this season showing limited success from Hartford mustn't be familiar with old Hartford. Shesterkin carried the team while he was there, but that completely disregards that the team actually had a discernible system for once that it executed fairly well. The current roster doesn't contain much offensive talent aside from Kravtsov, who didn't quite figure out how to simplify his game until later in the season, and Lettieri, whose skillset consists of just shooting the puck hard and often. They haven't seen the reinforcements from recent draft years because most of those picks are either too young for the AHL or are still in foreign leagues. You don't build a culture overnight. Hartford is in a better spot than it was last year.

You really like banging this out of date drum. New management. New coaching. New schemes. Better players. But oh no we lost Robin Kovacs four years ago.

Andersson left for home

Kravstov went home

Didn't we just lose Meskenin and Lindqvist prior to this season?

I'm sure there are more.

If you're measuring by how many people leave the team and come back, you're doing it wrong lol.

 

There are many measurements of development. Steps forward in development should ultimately lead to a winning culture.

Are they pumping out prospects for the Rangers? If anything they mishandle and misjudge talents.

Would be really nice to have a Marchessault on the roster these days. Would really shore up the top 6.

Need. LD? Ryan Graves would be cool...

With players leaving the organization from Hartford and all of a sudden "getting it" and making legit contributions to NHL contenders has me questioning if Hartford is doing a good enough job. Now Hajek and Rykov are in the years where the Rangers need to make a decision on them. Scared they blossom elsewhere.

Andersson left for home

Kravstov went home

Didn't we just lose Meskenin and Lindqvist prior to this season?

 

I'm sure there are more.

Andersson has caused his own downward spiral. Didn't want to play in the AHL because he thought he was better than that despite digging himself into a hole with sleeping pills and late-night game sessions. That's Hartford's fault?

Kravtsov pouted because he didn't make the team. Fled back to Russia because he was homesick until he realized he was returning to a Traktor team under new management where he found no success. He came back to Hartford and eventually worked his way onto the top line and powerplay, something he failed to do in his first stint in Hartford. Seems like Knoblauch and Murphy broke through there.

Lindqvist fled after 16 games under old management. Meskanen barely bothered to stick around under new management fearing the same outcome.

Are they pumping out prospects for the Rangers? If anything they mishandle and misjudge talents.

 

Would be really nice to have a Marchessault on the roster these days. Would really shore up the top 6.

Need. LD? Ryan Graves would be cool...

 

With players leaving the organization from Hartford and all of a sudden "getting it" and making legit contributions to NHL contenders has me questioning if Hartford is doing a good enough job. Now Hajek and Rykov are in the years where the Rangers need to make a decision on them. Scared they blossom elsewhere.

Marchessault wasn't even under contract with the Rangers at the time. He was signed to an AHL deal with Hartford. He then passed through Columbus and Tampa's systems until finding success in Florida. In total it took him six professional seasons to ever accomplish anything. He didn't want to stick around in Hartford. He didn't want to stick around in Springfield. He didn't even want to stick around in Syracuse despite Tampa's success with undrafted free agents.

They swapped Ryan Graves because at the time he had no immediate spot ahead of him. They preferred Brady Skjei, who was better at the time, over him. They did what often happens across all organizations and swapped him for what they hoped to be an equivalent in Chris Bigras who had better pedigree. Turns out they were wrong. I'm not crying over the stay-at-home defenseman who gets ice time with MacKinnon, Rantanen, Landeskog, and Makar.