Dylan McIlrath overcame a dislocated knee cap in 2012
He’s not Vladimir Tarasenko and he’s not Cam Fowler. To this point, Dylan McIlrath’s professional career pales in comparison to those other 2010 first-round picks selected just after him. But to his credit, McIlrath is finally on the cusp of being an NHLer.
When McIlrath was selected 10th overall, he was a feared pugilist and open ice hitter with a grand total of 24 WHL points in his draft year and 19 fighting majors to his name. The Rangers drafted him for being a tough guy, with the dancing vision of a future Chris Pronger-like player no doubt dancing through their heads.
The pick was a mistake by the Rangers’ front office. But the team’s decision wasn’t without some logic. At the time, Michael Del Zotto was coming off a terrific rookie season and looked like the power play quarterback of the future, so taking Fowler could have been a little redundant.
And up front, the Blueshirts were committed to stars Marian Gaborik, Chris Drury and Vinny Prospal and had Artem Anisimov, Ryan Callahan and Brandon Dubinsky just breaking into the league. They weren’t hurting for talented forwards in the prospect pool either, with the promising Evgeny Grachev, Derek Stepan, Chris Kreider and Carl Hagelin still in the pipeline and SHL MVP Mats Zuccarello signing prior to the draft. Even if there’s no such thing as having too many talented young forwards, you can see why a scorer wasn’t at the top of the shopping list either.
You could certainly say the Blueshirts were far too slow to embrace change and realize that McIlrath’s best attributes were already worth less than they’d been in previous years, especially before the lockout. But there was at least an explanation.
Still, the talented prospects taken after McIlrath that have blossomed into stars is jaw-dropping. Tarasenko, Fowler, Jaden Schwartz and Justin Faulk are already elite players, with Nick Bjugstad, Kevin Hayes, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Brock Nelson, Ryan Spooner and Tyler Toffoli well on their way.
As those players emerged and McIlrath’s progress stalled, almost everyone gave up on McIlrath (including yours truly) with just a few stubborn souls insisting he still had an NHL future, led by Blueshirt Banter’s MSG’s Adam Herman.
McIlrath never complained about his lack of opportunity or lashed out at critics, he just kept working. It hasn’t been easy either – McIlrath had to overcome a string of injuries including a dislocated knee cap in 2012.
But finally it looks as though McIlrath’s time has come. If doesn’t win a job in New York, then he’s surely proven enough to earn a waiver claim at the very least.
He’s tremendously improved his once plodding stride and puck skills, and he’s developed a heavy shot. And most importantly, the changes in his defensive game where he’s no longer solely a physical presence are significant.
McIlrath was extremely close to becoming another Hugh Jessiman – an unbelievable swing and miss in a loaded draft. He may top out as a sixth or seventh D-man, but that he’s about to make it at all says a lot about his own efforts.
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