dylan mcilrath oscar lindberg

McIlrath

While the preseason is all about getting into game shape, finding line combinations and putting a competitive roster together it’s also about asset management. The Rangers have several selection dilemmas coming up and it will be another test for new general manager, Jeff Gorton.

Several Ranger prospects are in danger of being waiver claims and as a club with a relatively shallow prospect pool (thanks to graduations, a strong, young roster and asset stripping trades) the Rangers cannot afford to lose players for nothing. There isn’t the organisational depth to accommodate several losses.

A player such as Oscar Lindberg looks increasingly assured of a roster spot so ‘managing’ Lindberg will be more about putting him in a position to succeed. Lindberg has made a good start to the preseason and with several teams around the league reportedly interested in him (according to the always well informed Elliotte Friedman) the Rangers need him to make the team.

More of a concern is the increasing dilemma of Dylan McIlrath. McIlrath is doing nothing wrong but that might not be enough. A prospect such as Matt Bodie has jumped into the mix with a strong season in the AHL and has backed it up with an impressive preseason showing. Bodie could have an influence on players such as McIlrath even though he’s not subject to waivers.

Only signed this summer, Raphael Diaz might be on the outside looking in given his underwhelming start and he’s also subject to waivers. If the Rangers decide to run with a combination of defensemen that doesn’t include Diaz and/or McIlrath then Gorton needs to move them. It’s not always about getting a huge return (not every cast-off fetches a Ryan McDonagh) but its about getting something to work with, whether cap space, pick or minor league asset.

What seems like nothing more than a minor selection headache (depth defenseman) during a time of the season (the preseason) where angst should be at a minimum has actually become a very important scenario for the Rangers which needs to be carefully managed. Moving Diaz’s 700k would bring welcome Cap relief if he’s not going to be involved. The same goes for veteran Chris Summers and McIlrath. Losing McIlrath for nothing would be a setback.

Assume for a moment Diaz, McIlrath and Chris Summers are all deemed surplus to requirements, Jeff Gorton needs to get picks or assets back. He needs to ensure the organisation re-tools and is well stocked moving forward. Even though something as meagre as a 7th round pick for a player of McIlraths’s draft pedigree would not seem much you then remember Henrik Lundqvist’s draft position. Even a minor return can become a significant result down the line.

Jeff Gorton has had a fine start to his tenure but the preseason is an increasingly important time of year for the Rangers and how Gorton handles several tricky situations over the next few weeks will be another measure of his roster management skills. Good depth usually means success in the Cap era NHL; its Gorton’s job to make sure the Rangers have it.

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