Rangers recall Dylan McIlrath

In some surprising news, the Rangers have recalled defenseman Dylan McIlrath. McIlrath is everything the Rangers need at the moment: a right handed physical defenseman.  This is a move that a lot of people wanted, but we at BSB speculated might be a bit of a rush move since most reports are that McIlrath may not be ready at the moment.

The move signals a few things. First is that a style change is coming, as AV has recognized the vanilla nature of this team and a need for serious grit and toughness on the blue line. McIlrath has made major strides this year, and while many expected he would get his cuppa this season, no one expected it would be this soon. This is the first step for AV in adjusting his philosophy to the team that exists around him.

The biggest concern with recalling McIlrath is his skating ability and his defensive presence. He had a very unimpressive training camp, but has improved steadily while in Hartford. If he can continue his development on the big stage, then this is a solid move. If not, then it could be a sign of desperation. Regardless, McIlrath was getting his shot at some point this season. It just so happened to be sooner than we expected.