The Rangers selected 6-1, 190-pound left winger J.T. Miller from the U.S. developmental team with the 15th overall pick in the first round of the draft.
He is going to college next season and probably a long way from the NHL.
Miller scored 11 goals and 26 assists in 48 games for the USA Under-18 team, and added 4-9-13 to lead the team at the World U-18 championships.
Click here for Miller’s bio page on the Rangers’ web site.
Some quotes from Miller moments after being picked, from Blueshirts United.
Here are some remarks from Gordie Clark, from Steve Zipay’s Blue Notes blog:
At 15, Clark, the team’s director of player personnel said, “there was no one (on the board) that had all the qualities that JT had. There could be someone who will score more goals, there could be somebody that’s going to be a faster skater, but if you want to put size with skating with character with grit with work ethic with playmaking ability and scoring ability, no one had all those qualities in their game. He had them all.”
While Miller compares his energetic style to the Pens’ Chris Kunitz, Clark said “he’s like a Dubi (Brandon Dubinsky), Mike Richards. Every shift he expends everything he’s got…He started coming up in a lot of the rankings from April because he was really one of the best players in the tournament in April. …He validated what we had seen all year.”
As for the verbal commitment to North Dakota, Clark said: “I don’t think he’s made a decision yet. That’s something he’s going to have to certainly talk about….We’ll talk about and see what’s going on.”
————————————————-
Here is some Central Scouting info on Miller, and some video.
Here is TSN’s pre-draft scouting report on Miller (and others).
Here is one college hockey blog’s rundown on Miller.
Here is one from the Blue Seat Blog, more recently.
Miller is committed to attend North Dakota.
Prior to making the pick the Rangers honored fallen enforcer Derek Boogaard. His brother, Aaron, was brought to the podium to make the selection, and received a loud standing ovation.
——————————————-
The official announcement from the Rangers:
RANGERS SELECT J.T. MILLER IN 2011 NHL DRAFT
U.S. National Development Team forward chosen 15th overall
New York, June 24, 2011 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has selected forward J.T. Miller with the 15th overall pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.
Miller, 18, led Team USA in scoring with 13 points in six tournament contests en route to capturing the gold medal at the 2011 IIHF U-18 World Junior Championship in Germany. He tied for third among all tournament skaters in points, fourth in assists (nine), sixth in goals (four), and seventh with a plus-eight rating. Miller was selected by tournament coaches as Team USA’s top player during the elite tournament after leading Team USA in points and assists, and finishing second on the team in goals and plus/minus rating.
The East Palestine, Ohio native skated in 48 games with the U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL) last season, registering 11 goals and 26 assists for 37 points, along with 80 penalty minutes. Miller established USHL career-highs in games played, assists, points, and penalty minutes, and ranked third on the team in points, and second in assists and penalty minutes. He also established career-highs with two shorthanded goals and three game-winning goals, and notched a USA U-18 career best, two power play goals. His two shorthanded goals tied for the team lead, while his three game-winning goals tied for fourth on the club.
Internationally, Miller registered three goals and eight assists for 11 points in eight contests at the Four Nations Cup in Sundsvall, Sweden and the Five Nations Tournament in Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic. He notched two goals and three assists for five points in four games at the 2010 Four Nations Cup from November 10-14. In addition, Miller tallied six points (one goal, five assists) in four games at the 2011 Five Nations Tournament from February 7-13. He led all tournament skaters with five assists, and ranked seventh in scoring with six points.
The 6-1, 200-pounder has appeared in 95 career games over two seasons with the U.S. National Development Team (USHL), registering 26 goals and 42 assists for 68 points, along with 159 penalty minutes. Miller entered the 2011 NHL Entry Draft as the third-highest ranked U.S.-born skater and 23rd overall among North American skaters in the final Central Scouting Rankings.
323 Comments
1st???
It’s Miller Time!
like me
Miller’s
an Ohio boy
Did Pierre just say Cherepanov, or did I hear that wrong?
What a huge 10 minutes for me. Tremendous.
anyone know if he played for the Phantoms?
LMAO @ his mom!
Who!?
Carp=lightning fast
He did mention Cherepanov, Orr….
Anyone know anything about this kid? Other than his performance at Worlds?
Like greases lightning, Mickey.
Will update with some info …
here’s a mention of Miller
http://www.vindy.com/news/2010/jan/14/puck-return/
seems like a solid pick…and the intro nearly made me cry :*(
Such a boring draft. I’m tempted to turn it off.
Somebody should remind Pierre that he died, and he can’t play anymore, obviously!!
USA!!!!
Maybe we should let the kid develop a little bit before we jump all over the pick..
I like this kids sister. Not bad!
here’s more on Miller
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=123367
USA! USA! USA!
Didn’t they say Miller is going to College? North Dakota, or some place.
LOL! I still hope we get can get Jurco in the fourth round!
Well, No more little rangers for a couple rounds…
he was also drafted in juniors…he has a choice to make…
Didn’t want Armia anyway. He plays at Ass-hat!
Gordy Clarke looks like the mean neighbor that doesn’t return your ball when it goes over the fence, and on his property.
watching this shows we’re starved for anything hockey related on tv
tweet:
Matt_Beleskey Matt Beleskey
retweet by TSNBobMcKenzie
Love the ovation for the scariest man I ever played against “The Boogyman” Derek Boogard!!
Yup..committed to North Dakota
Is this kid any good?
the link says he is a physical player, so that is good. projected maybe 2nd liner in a few years.
Now I wanna watch that movie, Carp.
The team/organization is turning in Team America. Kinda interesting after the Czech/Jagr/Europansies years.
shouldv traded it or more picks
found some stuff on links in the updated thread above.
I guess Aaron Boogaard didn’t pan out as an NHL player….?
well, it could be
a
repeat of the NHL Awards
“Gordy Clarke looks like the mean neighbor that doesn’t return your ball when it goes over the fence, and on his property.”
But at the end of the movie, you’d help him out in a time of need (maybe he fell on his property or something) and he’d say “I got something for you” then come out with a huge bucket of all the balls he’d ever confiscated. Everyone would be happy.
They did mention that Boogy’s brother was drafted by someone in 2004…...
Minny fans didn’t like the French!
Thank you, Carp!
I though miller was a winger
crowd being aassens
with montreal announcement
cheering USA USA
Is this another player thats going to take 5 seasons to develop?
Stop the Presses!
Canadians pick a Frenchman.
ourpick is comparble to mason raymond! yay!!!!!!
not as big aasens as the real Montreal crowds.
wow!
that one link doesn’t make Miller sound all that good.
3rd line winger
don’t we have a ton of those?
interesting that they didn’t interview Miller on the broadcast
Rangers just got younger.
Chicago- next pick!
Let’s Go Black Hawks!!!!!!!
There aren’t really any projected star players in this draft.
jpg- this pick is ok i gues. but we needed a center. couldve traded for more picks. i saw his stats, wasnt great
Rangers just got younger.
Sather’s dead?!?
Let’s. Go. RANGERS.
>>Minny fans didn’t like the French!
Total class!
“interesting that they didn’t interview Miller on the broadcast”
Yeah – what’s up with that?
Yeah, we probably wont hear from this kid for another four or five years
I’d much rather Miller at an entry level contract than Richards at $7MM per season.
How ridiculous is it that the Flyers have Schenn & Coutourier? Blech…
Why wasn’t Miller interviewed by Curses? Whiskey Tango Firetruck?
TSN skipping the interview with the Rangers pick, for the third of fourth year in a row.
>>ourpick is comparble to mason raymond! yay!!!!!!
My reaction exactly!
Did our pick get interviewed by TSN?
Orr – that’s the story with all but the top 4 picks.
we may never see this kid. prob get traded for some old veteran d men at deadline
yes, i was surprised that we didn’t pick a center.
makes me wonder if there will be deals
in the future for centers
Lol, Olga
Schenn, and Coutourier, but no Carter, and Richards. I like it.
WOW! Nice trade!
Wow. Setoguchi.
TRADE!
wow big trade. wake up slatipuss!
It’ll be a good while before J.T. is in N.Y.
Trade everybody.
Season over.
Well, Minny-SJ made a trade…
crap
i would have liked setoguchi
geez the wild table looks
REAL
excited by the trade
wow now thats a deal
trade miller!11
Sather asleep the wheel.
Gotta give Pierre credit. He freakin’ knows something about every player on Earth.
Setoguchi must be thrilled to go from SJ to Minny…..(not)
TRADE SATHER!
2 years ago the Rangers took another USNTDP player that was relatively unknown and thats turned out pretty well so far.
good trade for Minny. Sharks will flame out in round 2 or 3 again
comparable to malhotra. there ya go olga!!! haha
Well, Hawks took the guy that maybe NYR should have taken…
prince albert for olga
McNeil’s a big ‘un
Yeah Stepan is gonna be a star for years to come.
Pierre is a walking hockey en-psycho-pedia
thats like the equivalent of the Rangers trading Anisimov, Kreider and a 1st rounder. Pretty sure that would not go well at all…
I’ll take McNiell, good stats.
oh man, hockey player wearing sandals?? man up!!
I’m not going to pretend to know jack-carcillo about Miller, but doesn’t it seem he’s more of the type of players the Rangers already have in numbers?
Hawks got Mcneill. good pick
Another trade is coming
Pierre remembers whats important. He has a pornographic memory…
Pierre busy shaving his dome instead of interviewing JT (what do these initials stand for Carp?) Miller…
I agree, Carp – isn’t McNeill a center? He’s big, we can see that!
They blew it!
Burns is great skater and great offensively, but weak in his own zone as a dman. runs around too much
I agree with you, Carp. Hopefully Clarke knows what he’s doing. I wont knock the deal just yet.
But, I will call him a bust, for now :P
As long as Sather doesn’t call Miller a “project”. That’s the kiss of death for his draft picks.
Carp, are you saying Miller is a “bust”? :P lol
for the masquerade party Pierre painted his head blue and went as a ballpoint pen.
“I’m not going to pretend to know jack-carcillo about Miller, but doesn’t it seem he’s more of the type of players the Rangers already have in numbers?”
We like those guys and they contribute so another can’t really hurt. Its not like there was a 1st line guarantee available, right?
mcneil was the pick big center who could be physical and score. rangers blew it
LOL! The kid has no idea who Messier is! Bwaha!
Dammit Sather – make a trade w/ Fee-nix in the commercial break!
I’ve heard people comparing McNeil to EC. That scares me.
Ask him if he knows Forsberg’s number. I’ll bet he does…
I don’t anticipate any Ranger moves. Looks like Brad Richards is coming for entirely too much money.
Who do the Rangers have on the point for the PP for next season? Oh yeah, no one…..
What disgrace this franchise is. In a strong draft year, these fools draft projects like Jessiman,Mcilrath and when you should look to draft a project or a solid center like Mcniel who can develop into a good player, they draft a third line player who has limited offensive upside and is rated 59th or worse by many draft evaluators . They should just trade their first round picks away because they have no clue.
“mcneil was the pick big center who could be physical and score. rangers blew it”
Curious, because I know nothing about these guys. McNeill is listed as a 6’1, 204 center. Miller is listed as a 6’1, 198 center (and one spot ahead on the TSN rankings). Is there really a tangible difference there where you can call it the wrong pick or is this simply “I liked A more than B”?
for the masquerade party Pierre put a huge band-aid on his head and went as Dick Hertz.
eric,
I know it’s your personality, but, let’s see what happens with this kid before we start saying that we blew it.
I bet he knows who Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber is, but not Messier! LOL!
DJ Nuss is an awesome commercial.
are’
(I’m just reading the reports here http://www.tsn.ca/draftcentre/feature/?id=44970. Based on the writeups, especially the weaknesses, Miller looks far more appealing than McNeill.)
mcneil is more nhl ready miller could be years away if you ever see him
McNeil = Jessiman 2.0
Troy Brouwer traded by hawks to Wash caps for their 1st rounder, #26
the Rangers lack offense and Miller is supposed to be goal scorer so we shall see
eric,
It’s stupid for us to pretend that we know more about these kids than Gordie Clark and the Rangers organization do.
http://rangers.nhl.com/club/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=9480&navid=DL|NYR|home
Czech – Lundquist – 859th round, 10564th or so overall. Nuff said.
Lots of updated info above.
haha, I beat the announcement
Chicago Trade!
Brouwer for Wash 1st.
Who are they looking at?
Barry, they have Bryan McCabe. The Caber.
wild,
TSN announced the trade before you did.
Oleo
How could you say he is a goal scorer when his write ups all say he is a third line winger with limited offensive upside.
Setoguchi – japanese for “you just signed me now you trade me?”
we blew it. :)
Stan Fischler says all 3 local teams did well. Kiss of death!
Headzo
Even a blind folded monkey in a cage finds a banana once in a while.
lmao carp. mccabe!! yea!
Sather does it again..this kid will languish in hartford
We’d be lucky if that’s the case, Orr!
True czech, true…
the Sharks gave up way too much. I’ve seen that kid Coyle play, and he is a future topnotch centerman. big mistake giving him up along with a #1 pick and Seto
So the next ranger pick is sometime saturday…somethings wrong in msg land
and please Glen, don’t sign Brad Richards
Whyzerman?
i just dont like hearing hes 4-5 years away when 3 picks later mcneil could be playing this year or next
toughest player in the draft goes to Leaves
Jason Biggs!
If half of what they’re saying about this kid is true a lot of teams screwed up by passing on him.
I think JT is gonna work out just fine. He said being drafted by NYR is “breathingtaking.” Just like Dr Ben Pfeffer. Right Carp?
Congrats, Jason Biggs. Now don’t stick your pecker in any Canadian Pies.
just remember we passed on fowler who is nhl ready and played well for mcilrath. he better pan out. i dont want any more situations like that
no hat? Burke is cheap
J.T., as Dr. Pfeffer said, sometimes you say a thing like that just to be nice.
During the press conference, Clark will tell us that there were two or three teams that were going to take him if we didn’t crap. Just like with Mcilbust last year. Here is a first round pick that the Canadian hockey program didn’t even invite to the wjc tryout camp. Which means that they don’t even view him as one of the 20 best dmen in Canadian junior hockey .
Brian Burke just looks like
I remember Don Biggs playing in Binghamton. Good scorer, but thought to be on the small side for NHL.
Geez, is Miller the only draftee who wasn’t interviewed by TSN?
eric
you don’t sacrifice talent for readiness…
Carp – LOL!
This Biggs kid just looks like he’s going to be an awesome player.
“Hostile.”
Do the Fowler people love Del Zotto? Because the statistical similarities are striking.
burke can’t stop smiling!
we missed on biggs IMHO!
Lame trade
brian burke is hilarious
I like Burke saying he wants his players hostile and truculent.
Barry, we don’t use that word here. And he’s not.
Carp, TSN always does this to us. We never hear from the draft picks. Bastard TSN guys!
all these teams trading down
shows what a lot
think of this year’s crop
I’m not going to trash a rangers pick the first night out. But I have no such qualms about saying Sather can’t draft worth a carcillo.
FIRE SATHER!
They asked JT for an interview but he slapped Pierre on the head like Benny Hill instead.
get this eklund saying
malkin perhaps to leafs
what a putz
Carp
Would have been happy with him also. He will be like something between Getzlaf and Lucic something the Rangers clearly have no use for.
Sorry :)
Sather thought it was Riss Miller. he already offered him a million bucks.
love all the folks still whining about mcilrath!!
eric
i loved Burke’s poker face as well.
he doesn’t need
no stinkin’ sunglasses and baseball cap
to say NOTHING with his face!!
how does pierre have time to watch all these kids when he calls games all week
Was on the phone with my Dad. What’d I miss?
No wonder that *J*ihad *T*eimuraz Miller can really throw the puck; he is Palestinian, means born in Palestine.
Did I mention it’s Palestine, Ohio? Except this, there is nothing much to discuss – I have no reason to think, that I know better draftees and Ranger’s needs then Gordy Clark. We were #15 in line and picked #15 from the list of best. What else do you expect under circumstances, a miracle of picking up the 1st? It’s not a Christmas yet, just a Draft. We will see – it’s always educated gambling with a human factor.
Maybe sather is trying to get dolan to fire him with all these dreadful picks.. so far its not working.
Yeah, I’m cool not getting that Rocco kid.
Malkin to the Pens?
After yesterday, I wouldn’t be surprised.
Remember when everyone hear was pissed when we passed on Angelo Esposito?? Where the hell is he?? Prust sayin’!
“is a strong bull of a lad who can impact a game in a number of ways. He plays a hard-driving style and can overpower defenders in the corners, winning puck battles and heading straight to net. His playmaking ability is underrated and he unleashes a heavy shot while barreling down the wing.”
they compare him to Kesler and Drury. let;s hope he is like the former.
Pumpel and Semens go well together. Too bad they’re not on the same team.
Boring performans in general, except classy, touching act for Boogard memory.
This kid sounds like a geek!
I bet if Sather got rid of all his scouts in 2000 when he took over, and every year just picked the highest Central Scouting player left when his pick came up- the Rangers would have been far better off.
He makes Ranger drafting worse, not better.
FIRE SATHER.
Wow – Rocco’s a real Holy Roller. The Rangers could use his heart and some divine intervention! I wonder if this is keeping some teams from grabbing him..
“Maybe sather is trying to get dolan to fire him with all these dreadful picks.. so far its not working.”
I dont think Dolan knows he owns a hockey team.
Clark compares Miller to Dublowsky, and Mike Richards.
“I bet if Sather got rid of all his scouts in 2000 when he took over, and every year just picked the highest Central Scouting player left when his pick came up- the Rangers would have been far better off.”
Seriously. Every time I see Marc Staal on the ice time I think about what Kenndal McArdle could be providing us on offense.
the city of minnesota? really?
i take back what i said about grimaldi, glad we DID NOT pick him!
Oh, mom, that’s not an appropriate dress.
btw, thought landeskog had the most “appealing” female entourage by far!
And every time someone mentions Jessiman, I think how good Parise would have looked in blue.
Or Seabrook
or Getzlaf
Or Perry
or Richards
or Kesler
wick, did you get my email?
Where’s Pierre? Waxing his lid?
Mitch Beck just reminded me that the last time the Rangers picked 15th was 1991. They got AK-27.
Besides Staal, when was the Rangers last good 1st round pick?
Hawks will take Jensen
Pierre must be rubbing one out after talking aboot all these kids.
Campbell going to the Panthers
Voice.
Olga, more half the guys you listed were ranked below Jessiman.
I had a buddy who lived across the street growing up. his dad’s name was Dick Hertz
hawks goin allout . goodbye Campbell big contract
How’s Bobby Sanguinetti doing?
campbell headed to florida
Sorry, Carp!!
Bobby Sangs is with the Canes, and they like him.
I’m still not going to say he’s officially a bust. For NYR he is, but now overall.
Rangers definitely should have traded up to get Larsson (NJ), or Hamilton (Boston). If the new four-divisional format goes into effect in a couple years, as it looks like it will because they’re saying it is an adjustment for the anticipation of two teams folding in the near future, Hamiliton will give the Rangers fits, and Larsson is Larsson, a player who will have a big impact in putting Jersey back on the hockey map. Don’t like the Rangers pick at all – a bottom-feeding, no-impact dud who will not make it. Ugly!
The more recent ones still need to pan out, Barry.
It is pure speculation on my part Delaware, I don’t KNOW off hand who was rated highest when NY was picking.
But the point is, who was rated highest at the time of the Jessiman pick? That who the Rangers would have gotten. No matter WHO it was it would have been an improvement. And was Staal the highest rated player at the time Rangers picked? If So, they would have got him anyway.
Tragically, Cherapanov would have been picked by NY anyway.
Steve Whyzerman!
With Campbell gone(for the most part), I’d say its a safe bet that Sharp isn’t going anywhere
carp
yes sir and response sent!!
thanks
Please! Send Campbell to FLA! That is one BIG contract to remove from the Hawks Cap.
Olga, I’m telling you that everything you’ve said is contradictory. You said “just take the highest rated” and I picked off a guy ranked above Staal (a failure on the level of Jessiman). Then you brought up Jessiman himself with 5 examples of better players, but 3 of them were rated below him anyway. You’re harping on all the wrong things.
The next Jessiman? Could be.
Pierre just brought up Slava Kozlov. I always liked him as a player (I enjoyed the entire Russian Five), and he owns some pretty respectable Red Wings records: most Stanley Cup overtime goals, most Stanley Cup game-winning goals, and most game-winning goals in a playoff season.
The Hawks are getting Rusty Olesh though. He has a pretty pricey contract.
Why would the Hawks trade Campbell after trading Byfuglien last season? And why on earth would Campbell want to go to a team that my be extinct in a year??
Del- do you have a site that lists the draft ratings for each year? Maybe if I had that info I wouldn’t have shot my mouth off so quickly.
Still updating the thread above with quotes and such.
I wonder why Campbell would rather go to the drug capital of the the country, over Columbus, who also has a better team.
Interesting.
Beck, would you rather have Campbell, or Sharp?? Shouldn’t take you long to figure that one out.
Sunrise is the drug capital of the country?
dont know much about him but after so many “experts” have been praising the Rangers scouting personnel, how great they have been doing for the team the last few years. I will give him a chance.
North Dakota is a powerhouse in the WCHA, I will get a chance to see him so that won’t be bad. I am always amused by the people who probably never even laced up a pair of skates, berate these young kids and the Rangers right after the pick. All the experts say its a crapshoot, and we have guys with the proven track records in drafting and evaluating talent but we have these geniuses sitting at their computers lobbing grenades.
nah its not even that amusing. I just heard all the same junk on the radio here in Colorado.
“Del- do you have a site that lists the draft ratings for each year? Maybe if I had that info I wouldn’t have shot my mouth off so quickly.”
Just googled. In the Jessiman case, here … http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/hockey/news/2003/06/17/draftrankings_naskaters/
Byfuglien
That’s what I’ve read, Carp.
It was a top 50 list, and Florida was number one!
now that’s a word we use, BB.
They couldn’t afford Byfuglien, thanks to Campbell, Hossa, etc.
Also lost Ladd, because of it.
This Vancouver guy toed the smug line beautifully. Nailed it.
beaulieu was by far the most well spoken player interviewed by a long shot IMHO!
Oh, but not Sunrise. You can’t even get pizza in Sunrise, much less weed.
did you guys see this tweet from paul bissonette…
BizNasty2point0 Paul Bissonnette
by NHL
#NHL congrats Connor Murphy. Yotes first round pick. Your already under my wing. Fake ID is being made as we speak. #McLovin or #muhammad?
LOL! Mclovin!
Miami. I was offered a chance for a job there, but said no. If I’m moving for the second time in a year, I’m going back to NY
Overall boring draft.
Wish it were July 1st tomorrow!
orr
did you like the landeskog entourage or the one with phillips?
I didn’t pay much attention to the prospects entourage. Only saw one Finnish sister. Pretty cute.
“Wish it were July 1st tomorrow!”
I think I’d rather July 2nd. July 1st is going to be really rough.
BizNasty is a funny dude.
July 1 will be brutal. Brad Richards becomes Drury 2.0!
wow, you guys are just brutal on the whole richards situation!!
No offense but eff the draft right now….GO NEW YORK! Finally!
Im sure TR isn’t happy. I remember him wanting Namesnikov (sp?) and he went to Tampa!
Not surprised that Campbell got traded…
Lol Bizzy!
uhhhhhhh…....still a huge hole in the middle…....and all these teams clearing cap space….....taking a run at Richards…......so if don’t get Richards who is going to center 1st line??? and when all these kids come to fruition, Hank will be about 38?????????
I don’t know aboot Dreary, but I’d expect Richards to turn out more like Blowmez.
I seriously hope I’m wrong!
NY. I LOVE YOU.
Pretty good draft day for Chicago. Too bad Campbell didn’t waive his NTC last year. They might have been able to keep Buff, Niemi, etc.
Let’s Go Black Hawks!
Looking for a Chicago-Boston Final in 2012.
if florida and phoenix need to reach cap floor….........I know a few empty suit big contracts they could take on…........
great another middle of the pack pick that will have a ceiling of 2nd line player and will fit perfectly with our mid round picks who have the celing to be 2nd line players maybe he’ll struggle to score consistently in the NHL like the 12 forwards we have now that currently struggly to score consistently in the NHL. This should keep up earning 6th and 7th seeds in the conf every year so that we can get beat out in the first round and pick in the middle of the draft for a middle of the pack player with a celing of 2nd line player that will fit with our other mid round picks who have the celing to be 2nd line NHL players and struggle to score consistently in the NHL.
This kid is a bust ;)
“I don’t know aboot Dreary, but I’d expect Richards to turn out more like Blowmez.”
Yup. “WHY ISN’T THIS GUY WHO HAS NEVER SCORED 30 GOALS IN A SEASON NOT SCORING ATLEAST 30 GOALS FOR US NOW THAT WE’RE PAYING HIM $50MM OVER 7 SEASONS?!?!?!?” shouted everyone.
Worst player ever. That’s who we drafted today ;p
We don’t need Richard scoring 30 goals for us… It’d be nice, but if he can score 25+ goals and chip-in 60-70 assists to go with those goals, most of the people will be pretty happy
29 goals cccp. if he can get 29, im sure one of our crappy draft picks can get 1 and equal 30
Except for the probable price and length of contract CCCP.
Miller could turn out to be a decent pick but looks like he’s 4 years away. McNeil would have been helping out at center for the Blueshirts in a year. We lost ground talent-wise to most of the eastern teams today. That’s a fact. FIRE SATHER!
well, whatever miller turns out to be, we got erixon too. so wegot another 1st rounder. not bad and we can always trade. you know sather will trade him if he dnt work out and we’ll ge somethng decent back.
“We don’t need Richard scoring 30 goals for us… It’d be nice, but if he can score 25+ goals and chip-in 60-70 assists to go with those goals, most of the people will be pretty happy.”
If I’m paying $7MM+, I want the guy who we know can score, not the guy we know can put up points if playing along side guys who can score. Because lets say Gaborik gets hurt again, who is Richards setting up for those 60-70 assists?
How exactly do any of us know that McNeill (with two L’s) would have been helping us at center next year?
Yeah, Richards game isn’t goal scoring. He needs to help Butt-Chin, Dublowsky, etc.
I’d be thrilled if we signed him to a three year deal. If it’s eight years, I’ll be bummed out.
Thank you, Latona. For the being the sane voice of reason on this.
And how exactly do we know that Miller is four years away?
WE DON’T. THE ONLY TIME WE WILL KNOW ANYTHING IS IN THE FOLLOWING YEARS. ONLY TIME CAN TELL; THAT’S THE POINT OF THE DRAFT!
Apparently everyone has a Delorean but the sane fans! Damn it all!!
Since he’s going to College, it’s pretty safe to say he’ll stay there for two or three years. So, I’d say he’s three or four years away, easily.
Rangers fans just don’t have patience. They want the guy that looks NHL ready. We don’t have much room, so I prefer getting a guy who can develop on the side for some time.
Now, if this were NHL12, I’d have Miller on the team, on the 4th line, but this isn’t a video game :P
people keep forgeting that getting Richards will solve not one but “TREE” problems… play-making center, PPQ and a guy who can win faceoffs. So..7 mill for a 3-in-1 player ain’t that bad.
as far as who will Richards setting up for 60+ assists? Wolski, Callahan, AA, Dubi, MZA, Stepan…all of these can score and Richards can make them better.
“Yeah, Richards game isn’t goal scoring. He needs to help Butt-Chin, Dublowsky, etc.”
Right, probably mostly Gaborik and whoever else gets on the 1st line. Which I think was the idea with Gomez when he signed. So this time we’d have plowed like $14MM into trying to make Gaborik a 50 goal scorer, no? I just don’t see how that’s good usage of cap space.
(Like you said, on a 3 year deal, I guess its hard to argue. But the odds of that are about the same as you putting the following 8 letters in order: D-U-B-I-N-S-K-Y.)
Apparently Kotalik is involved in the Rig-Ear Flames/Sabs trade. Bwaha! Hey, do they want Dreary too? Get the old gang back together!
say “YEY” for gay! Avery must be very proud.
JT Miller is a Penguins fan!
BUST! LOSER! Can somebody please derker DERRRR!
I would have a lot more patience as a Ranger fan if I saw some semblance of REAL improvement even since the lockout let alone since 1997 when we last looked like a playoff contender.
I’m tired of waiting to see if Sather, Dolan & Co. ever get us into REAL contention as a Cup Contender. It’s not one thing, it’s not this draft, it’s not last season, it’s same ol’, same ol’ story EVERY year.
The saviors name changes every year- Gretzky, Fleury, Nedved, Messier part 2, Lindros, Holik,
cont.
Jagr, Kovalev part 2, Prucha, Shanahan, Gomez, Drury, Gaborik, Richards, and so on, ad nauseum.
There was only ONE savior since the lockout who actually made a difference… his name is Jaromir Jagr.
But we got rid of the real deal and went after new saviors like Kotalik, Higgins, Gomez, Drury, Redden…
cmon Olga!! Jagr was great in NY!
Scouts call Miller a project say Mcneil has hockey sense and skill that cannot be taught who would you want
You can’t put Jagr in the same category as Kovalek 2, Gomez, Drury, Messier 2, etc.
Jags was great in NY. He had good numbers, and he showed up for the playoffs. Can’t say the same for the rest.
Yes! Jagr was the best hope we had. The closest we could get. Out in the second round.
But they went out and got Gomez and Drury, neither one which could play with Jagr and then dropped Jagr like a hot rock. And down again we went.
I’m not saying ALL those players were necessarily bad. Sather &Co. could never put it all together to get the Rangers anywhere in the playoffs.
Stan, most guys that have “hockey sense, and skill” can still end up as busts.
You all should have some faith in Gordy Clarke. He knows a hell of a lot more than everyone here.
I don’t know why you included Prucha.
The rest, I understand. Although, Shanny was doing great, until Knuble fugged his career.
I have some faith in Clarke, I just don’t want Slatipuss managing the team anymore.
Straka was a great Ranger too… We often forget about him.
Yeah, Nylander too.
I mentioned Prucha because at the end of his first season, the feeling was that we finally had something. If he can get 30 as a rookie, imagine when he improved…
But they ruined him and shipped him off to Phoenix. We even coined a word for it.
Prucha-ed.
Yeah, he definitely turned into a disappointment.
I miss the little guy!
I can’t wait to see Kotalik score a few game winners against us next season, for Buffalo. You know it’ll happen.
I guess I better quit for tonight. I’m just bumming myself out. Probably you guys too,
Nite all.
@TSNFatBobMcKenzie: When, or if, deal is done, hearing Paul Byron, Chris Butler and 2nd is what BUF will send to CGY for Regher/Kotalik. Not yet official
CCCP,
I absolutely loved Straka. Wished we would have kept him around as a 4th liner for cheap for as long as possible. What a great, team-committed guy. He won TSN’s Toughest Player of the Year or something like that for blocking Chara’s shot for the second time after the first one broke his hand, and also for blocking three shots on the same PK against the Devils. Loved him. Absolutely loved him.
That was definitely the best Rangers line in recent years. Jags, Straks, Nylander. Loved that fuggin line.
Yeah Straka was always among my favorite players… Torts would’ve loved him!
Not all Euro pansies are created equal. Some are just Euro!
Amen!
That was an awesome line. Not only did they produce, they were entertaining as well.
Nylander was a bit frustrating at times though. He always passed up on scoring opportunities.
Hope he’s not too much like Dubi.
Im so glad Jagr is going to play in the NHL again…
Me too. It would suck so bad, if he re-signs with OMSK.
And I agree with you, Chris. I was thinking the same. I’d like him to be as talented, but not as annoying.
That fugger better re-sign, pronto!
Last?
What could have been…. Manitoba Mooses. (Sigh.)
The Rangers just drafted the next Huge Jessiman. This Miller guy will never get to Broadway. What the puck was the brain trust thinking about which some choice talent still on the board? McNeill was still available. What a GD crime!
So, the Rangers picked up a potential 3rd liner who’s 4 years away from competing at the NHL level. And, you wonder why I don’t get excited over the draft.
I am one of the more cynical NYR fans, and I still do not believe Gordy Clark is ANY kind of super scout. But with that said, no one can say this kid is not gonna be a good pick. I seem to recall a lot of this silly banter when Kreider was picked. It is impossible to determine how an 18 year old kid will develop in 3-4 years. NFL players get drafted when they are 21. OV and Sid? Sure, they are no doubters. But if you look through the history of the draft, EVERY TEAM IN THE NHL has swung and missed with similar ratios.
And I remember when Jessiman was drafted ESPN showed the highlights of him driving some poor guy right into the third row. The boards were crazy with this monster that would help a whimpy NYR team. That team in 2003 was softer than a roll of toilet paper.
Point is, this is a complete crapshoot. If Clark/Sather’s theory is to sign Richards, and take a chance on a kid that is gonna grow into a role 3-5 years down the road (perhaps brilliantly predicting the kid’s development 2 years before anyone else a la Krieder), then they did a great job.
How many people questioned the wisdom of the Montoya pick?
...and another thing:
While we are bashing the NYR for picking a guy that no one here has any knowledge of (or any knowledge of the guys picked before or after) let’s remember that we got our first rounder two-three weeks ago: Tim Erixon.
So in my opinion (no more or less educated than anyone else’s), the NYR did pretty damned well in this draft.
Now let’s move on to July 1 (aka Brad Richard’s Day).
http://theprospectpark.blogspot.com/
Here is a take from someone who legitimately follows prospects…
Good morning, boneheads!
Very well done, cw! Totally agree. Nobody on this blog truly knows whether Milker will turn into a bust or a solid, maybe even star player. Certain things are better left to be handled by professionals. And Gordie has done enough over his career to qualify as one.
Miller, dang you iPhone.
ilb,
I think you just came up with the kid’s nickname if he does indeed suck.
Wasn’t me, cw…iphone’s autocorrect should get a credit.
JT stands for “Jessiman Two”
Or Jonathan Toews…
I trust Clark. I don’t have a problem with the pick at all. If this was a top 3 pick, I think we would have have more to talk about. Draft busts aren’t made in a day…
Let’s focus on the job at hand…signing our RFAs
and getting B-Money Richard$...
Ps: pierre mcguire is a doofus..
We took the top performing US-born forward available this year.
No one knows if any draft pick will ever pan out. The top 4 have the highest likelihood of being good but after that it’s a crapshoot. Even very high picks from teams other than the Rangers can be busts, and frequently are over the years (Patrik Stefan, Rick DiPietro, Alexandre Daigle, Stanislav Chistov, Alexander Svitov, any of the Euro forwards Edmonton has drafted over the years other than Hemsky, Alexandre Volchkov, many of the players Columbus has taken over the years, and so on, I’m probably missing a few names)
Thank you, NYR!
That’s what I’ve been saying all along!
Amen NYR and Latona (in amening NYR himself).
Did Olga fire himself last night?
I don’t know what all this indignity and mystery over the Miller pick is about. First of all, the Rangers had been rumored to be hot on him ever since May. I remember thinking it was peculiar, since I believe he’s projected to be a wing. Also count me as one who really wanted McNeill. But they didn’t get him. They got a player who they believe will be better, and when you’re drafting at 10 or higher, that’s really who you’ve got to go for. They see Miller, who is described as a hard-nosed banging winger, as fitting in with the motto of the Rangers these days, and I’ve got to agree. If he turns out to be another Dubinsky or Callahan, I think everyone here will be more than thrilled. After all, wasn’t someone just arguing that it would be great to have ‘a team of 18 Callahans?’
As for him being four years out of the NHL, I would say that’s a very safe assessment. The kid has been playing against the top 16 to 18 year-olds in the world. Now it’s time for him to try his mettle against older players. There’s always a chance he joins North Dakota and blows them out of the water. But chances are pretty good he’ll have a year much like Chris Kreider did with BC: Solid, but in need of further development. I see two years in the NCAA for this kind, two years on the US WJC team and then a half-to-full season in Hartford.
Again, he’s not a ‘wow’ prospect. And he’s not a high-risk-high-reward player either. He’s a solid all-around pick who will more than likely make the NHL who the Rangers see as having a better upside than a guy like McNeill or the other darling here, Biggs. Frankly, I agree. McNeill might be closer to the NHL, but I don’t think he has the offensive upside of Miller and could very well end up a third or fourth-line grinder. Biggs, well, I never really understood the fascination with him. The name Dane Byers always seems to surface for me when I here about how great of a power forward he is(and the ridiculous Lucic references).
Any tennis aficionados out there? Didn’t David Nalbandian used to wear a ridiculous shirt with holes in the back?
new post
Gordie Clark got involved in Rangers scouting in 2002.
Some names to throw in the hat,
2003- Nigel Dawes
2003- Obvious bust with Huge Specimen
2004- Korpikoski, Dubinsky (2nd round), Callahan(4th round and future captain)
2005- Marc Staal, Mike Sauer
2006- Anisimov, Sanguinetti (never really had a fair chance)
2007- Cherapanov, Carl Hagelin (now signed)
2008- MDZ, Stepan, Grachev
2009- Kreider, Werek, Borque
2010- McIlrath (Beuke 2.0?) C. Thomas
Ok so no Crosby’s or Stamkos’... but he did help bring us a franchise D-man in Staal, The future Captain in Callahan, Dubinsky, Stepan, MDZ, Krieder, Artie
That’s not a terrible body of work. Are the picks going to 100% work out? No. No team hits it right every time.
But i’ll give the benefit of the doubt to guys who do this for a living, and looking at Clark’s history… he’s done more good than bad.