LHH Mock Draft: With the 15th Pick, the Rangers select...
by Metzfan22 on Jun 6, 2011 10:38 PM EDT
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PrintMatt Puempel, 6'0'', 190 lbs., Right Wing (Peterborough Petes, OHL)
ISS:29
CSS;28 (NA)
I cannot believe how difficult a pick this was. I literally had three names typed in and erased before I settled for good on Puempel. The talent level from the mid-first to the end of the second round is very close this year, so if a team falls in love with a prospect, we could see some surprises. The Rangers, in need of a puck-moving defenseman after passing on Cam Fowler last June, will consider Nathan Beaulieu and Joe Morrow. But the Rangers actually have some depth on the blueline, with Staal, Girardi, Del Zotto, McDonough, Sauer, McIlrath all expected to play important roles within the next few years. The need up front for some scoring punch is much more necessary for the Rangers.
At this point, what sold me on Puempel over Mark Scheifele, Tomas Jurco, and Zack Phillips was the combination of his ceiling and readiness. Having only watched these four players on a really limited basis, Puempel, with 67 goals and 133 points in 114 games the past two seasons, is the most NHL-ready of the four on the ice, assuming his hip injury fully heals. Puempel is a bit like Brett Connolly from last year's draft in that if his injury is successfully handled, they could have a perennial 30-goal scorer at the NHL level. Jurco's inconsistency is the only thing holding him back from being the pick here, and I could easily see the Rangers trading down and grabbing Jurco. But with Puempel, they will take the chance that his hip will fully heal and they will add a winger whose only purpose on the ice, at all times, is to put the puck in the net. Compared to Patrick Sharp, Puempel's scoring touch is exciting and will be welcome for the Rangers after one more year of junior hockey with the Peterborough Petes this upcoming season, to prove that he is 100% healthy.
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You want scoring at that pick, Puempel is who you get, so I can't disagree with you there. But the "bad defensively" report on him is troubling.
The Rags have decent defensive depth, but not a lot of puckmoving ability. Del Zotto disappeared this year offensively, and Sauer/Gilroy/McDonagh/McIlrath are from puckmovers. I think they “need” another puckmover, but can’t argue with the pick because they do need offense too.
I would have picked Beaulieu or Mayfield, but definitely can’t argue with Puempel.
They just traded for Tim Erixon, who may not be at the level of MDZ as a puck mover, but he’s reportedly NHL-ready and a good 2-way defenseman. They’re really unlikely to take a defenseman now, there’s a lot of organizational depth at this point.
Given how your draft has gone, I’d probably take either Niklas Jensen (top 5 talent, bottom 1st work ethic) or Scheifele, but Puempel’s solid enough.
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by George E. Ays on Jun 7, 2011 9:14 AM EDT up reply actions
Ahhh yes I forgot about Erixon. He is another blueliner expected to play an important role soon.
Yeah, I had Scheifele and Jurco under consideration for this pick also. I think at this point, 15th overall, the Rangers can take a risk and go for ceiling. Scheifele is probably the safest pick of the three, and in real life, they would probably go with him, but I really like Puempel (I had him 13th to Calgary in my mock draft from a week or so ago). I see him developing into a Patrick Sharp-type scoring winger, assuming his hip ends up 100%.
I agree, I think the Rangers are in position to swing for the fences, draft reputation be damned. I think Jensen’s got more upside than Puempel, but the idea is the same.
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by George E. Ays on Jun 7, 2011 11:38 AM EDT up reply actions
So did Jay Feaster
::rimshot::
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by Dominik on Jun 8, 2011 1:57 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
You can teach defense though, Bossy was terribly bad defensively in his draft year, as well as inconsistency from night to night.
by CanadianIsleslifer on Jun 7, 2011 10:51 AM EDT up reply actions
I surely do nbot envy you for picking on behalf of the Rangers.
I wouldn’t want to try to get inside Sather’s head. God knows what he is looking for in this draft. I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes after G John Gibson. However the puck moving defense makes sense. Erixson could be that guy. Then again this is much like taking McIlrath when you have Wade Redden Jyri Niemi Stu Bickel. We all know that Sather would never do something like that.
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