MONTREAL — Perhaps it simply labored out this fashion, however the Rangers used half of their six picks in rounds 2-6 of the 2022 NHL Draft at Bell Centre on Friday on facilities — which is coincidentally the place the membership wants to handle on the present roster.
With an overflowing pool of prospects on protection, the Rangers took just one defensemen this yr and opted to pad out the group’s ahead group with three facilities, in addition to a wing. There may be nonetheless a query mark hovering over the Rangers’ second-line heart job, which is trying much less and fewer prone to be crammed by both longtime lineup staple Ryan Strome or trade-deadline acquisition Andrew Copp.
“There’s at all times a premium on facilities, it’s most likely one of many hardest positions to play clearly,” mentioned John Lilley, the Rangers’ Director of Participant Personnel and Director of Newbie Scouting. “So we focused just a few centermen alongside the best way and the best way the checklist fell, these are the gamers we chosen. So we’re excited to get all these gamers within the pipeline and get them to improvement camp.”
It's unclear which of the Rangers’ alternatives on Friday will take part in improvement camp, which is able to start Monday on the MSG Coaching Middle in Tarrytown.
The Rangers made their first decide of the draft within the second spherical at No. 63, taking Slovakian left wing Adam Sykora. Whereas he didn’t anticipate to be drafted by the Rangers, Sykora was thrilled to be taken within the second spherical.
Requested to call the participant he fashions his sport after, Sykora with out hesitation mentioned the Bruins’ Brad Marchand.
“He’s like a rat and he isn’t frightened of [taller] gamers,” he mentioned with a smile. “I attempt to play that method.”
Sykora mentioned he tries to play a bodily sport, convey power to the ice and land numerous hits. His father, Roman Sykora, performed for Tri Metropolis within the Western Hockey League. The 17-year-old most lately competed for Group Slovakia on the World Championship, scoring two targets and dishing an help in six video games.
“What a particular child,” Slovakia males’s nationwide crew head coach Craig Ramsey mentioned. “I used to be so completely satisfied I took him as a 17-year-old [to World Championships]. He didn’t play the primary two video games after which he stepped in and simply performed so exhausting. When he scored his first aim, the entire bench went loopy as a result of he’s such an important child. He sat on the bench the primary sport he performed.
“There was energy performs and penalty-killing and he didn’t play for some time and I gave him just a little hug and I mentioned, ‘I’ll get you on the market, don’t fear.’ And he’s prepared and he simply mentioned, ‘You don’t have to fret about me coach.’ After which he banged the boards and yelled at his teammates.He’s at all times smiling and he’s at all times making different folks completely satisfied and he cheers for everyone.”
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The Rangers then took Bryce McConnell-Barker, a Canadian heart out of the Ontario Hockey League, within the third spherical at No. 97 — one of many two picks on this draft acquired within the Alexandar Georgiev commerce with the Avalanche. The 18-year-old McConnell-Barker is coming off a 49-point season within the OHL with the Soo Greyhounds, which included a aim and 4 assists in 10 playoff video games.
“I’d say I’m a two-way centerman,” mentioned McConnell-Barker, who added that he fashions his sport after the Bruins’ Patrice Bergeron and the Lightning’s Ondrej Palat. “I’d say I’m actually good defensively in my very own zone and I may produce and put up factors and rating targets and make good performs after I have to. I additionally assume I work actually exhausting and the actually large factor about me is that I give it my all.”
Minnesota native Noah Laba, additionally a middle, fell to the Rangers within the fourth spherical at No. 111. The Rangers acquired the decide from the Golden Knights as a part of the Brett Howden deal, but it surely initially belonged to the Jets. Laba, who was not in attendance on Friday, is dedicated to Colorado Faculty for the 2022-23 NCAA season after back-to-back campaigns with the United Hockey League’s Lincoln Stars.
The Rangers wrapped up the second draft of the Chris Drury regime by choosing defenseman Vittorio Mancini, left wing Maxim Barbashev and heart Zakary Karpa, whose father, Dave Karpa, performed two seasons with the Rangers from 2001-03.
“I believed we added to a great prospect pool,” Lilley mentioned. “Bought some depth, obtained some centermen, some greater gamers with excessive compete. I feel throughout, we added some good items and we sit up for improvement camp.”
Rangers draft picks
Adam Sykora
Place: Left wing
Drafted: 2nd spherical, 63rd general
Peak: 5-foot-11
Weight: 174 kilos
Membership: Slovakia nationwide crew
What to know: Sykora turned heads with Group Slovakia on the World Championship. He’s thought-about an undersized pest who additionally has velocity. Regardless of having expertise at heart, Sykora is primarily seen as a left wing.
Bryce McConnell-Barker
Place: Middle
Drafted: third spherical, 97th general
Peak: 6-foot-1
Weight: 194-pounds
Membership: Soo Greyhounds (OHL)
What to know: McConnell-Barker is a lefty shot who's a two-way participant and a succesful aim scorer.
Noah Laba
Place: Middle
Drafted: 4th spherical, 111th-overall
Peak: 6-foot-1
Weight: 181 kilos
Membership: Lincoln Stars (USHL)
What to know: Laba, who compiled 24 targets and 34 assists in 96 video games for the Stars, is dedicated to Colgate. He was additionally named to the 2020-21 USHL All-Educational Group.
Vittorio Mancini
Place: Proper defenseman
Drafted: fifth spherical, 159th general
Peak: 6-foot-4
Weight: 215
Membership: College of Nebraska-Omaha
What to know: Mancini is a big-bodied blueliner who could make an affect throughout even-strength play.
Maxim Barbashev
Place: Left wing
Drafted: fifth spherical, 161st general
Peak: 6-foot-1
Weight: 183 kilos
Membership: Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
What to know: Barbashev brings a bodily presence to the ice, with an emphasis on touchdown hits and profitable battles in entrance of the online for place.
Zakary Karpa
Place: Middle
Drafted: sixth spherical, 191st general
Peak: 6-foot-2
Weight: 190 kilos
Membership: Harvard
What to know: Karpa excels in skating and is a powerful defensive heart who has an offensive upside.
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