August 15th is not just Jimmy Vesey Day

Vesey

Our New York Rangers have recently signed Josh Jooris to a one-year deal, which is just one in a series of signings to revamp our bottom-six. While being a hard working player with nice hands in the NHL, Jooris was also an extremely popular player during his time with Providence College. The NCAA has become a great producer of prospects for NHL teams, most notably for the Rangers, who have a plethora of talent that went through the NCAA.

One snag that has been bothering a few GMs is the fact that a drafted player can sign with any team, not just the team that drafted him, after spending four years in college. Once again, the NYR are a beneficiary of that rule with the not lazy but super talented center Kevin Hayes. This year’s prize on August 15th is Jimmy Vesey, a former 3rd rounder of the Nashville Predators who seems poised to be a quality goal scorer.

While it would be grand for him to join the Rangers, rumor has it that they are not on his short list, which includes Boston, Buffalo, Toronto, and the Cretins across the river. Even with the chances of landing him appearing to be slim, the Rangers have had a nice summer, adding talent to the prospect pool in Hartford. A successful Wolf Pack team is an added bonus for prospect development, and the Rangers have plenty of contract slots available to make the Pack into a competitive team.

The extra contract slots –as well as the peculiar prospect development camp roster that only had seven defensemen– makes me feel that they are looking in Europe or the NCAA to add to the prospect pool. This comes back to Jimmy Vesey. Vesey isn’t the only NCAA player seemingly poised to become a free agent on August 15th,, and I can’t help but feel that the Rangers will look at other lower profile players. A good friend of mine by the twitter handle @Baskincase helped make a list of the players, I suggest you guys and gals give him a follow as he is one of my most trusted source of info and scouting regarding the NCAA.

Ben Gallacher , D (24 years old by October) – Gallacher played for UMass-Amherst and is a former Florida Panther draft pick. The left handed defenseman isn’t really a top choice because it doesn’t look like he improved over the last few seasons in the NCAA. Gallacher is a defenseman that can move the puck somewhat well but really plays a gritty, board working game. The issue with that is at 5’11, 192 lbs, and with poor statistical showing it may not be worth giving an NHL deal. Florida also hired one of the more successful analytic bloggers to be part of their management team, specializing in prospect analysis, and I am a bit wary of signing a guy that they may not seem to want.

Jimmy Mullin, RW (24) – Mullin is someone that I can only see getting an AHL deal at best. While a hard worker he has really fallen off –statistically speaking– after a nice rookie year. The 4th rounder by Tampa will be lucky to get a chance.

Tanner Lane, LW (24)– Lane hasn’t been able to produce at all in the NCAA and doesn’t seem to have an NHL future. That said he is an “Atlanta Thrasher” draft pick and I miss them.

Eddie Wittchow, D (24)- The captain of Wisconsin’s team is a 6’3 defensive defenseman. While a hard worker and plays a really solid defensive game, clearing the crease and winning board battles, Wittchow has almost no offense to his game. Unlike the last three players however, the former Panther 6th rounder has practiced with an ECHL team so he may be garnering at least some interest. He too likely gets an AHL deal at best and if so it’s always nice to have hard working defensively responsible guys helping the AHL team.

John Draeger, D (22)- Draeger is a right handed defensive defenseman who, when healthy, can log a lot of top minutes. The former 3rd rounder by Minnesota can skate well and while that can bode well for a future offensive game, it doesn’t seem likely based on his history in the NCAA. That said he uses his skating exceptionally well to help shut down the opposition. The MSU player seems like a player the Rangers may invite to Traverse City because they really do need more defensemen on that roster.

Thomas Di Pauli, C/LW (22)- This guy is my favorite out of all available NCAA guys sans Vesey. The 5’11 Italian born forward and former Capitals draft pick is perfect for NYC. He plays a hard working gritty game for Notre Dame, and while not a great skater is good enough to be one of those tenacious energy forwards that help force offense to happen off turnovers. Di Pauli doesn’t have the greatest hands but has consistently gotten better in the NCAA, hitting a career high 32 points in 37 games last season.

If you look at ’15 compared to ’16 Di Pauli is shooting at a much higher clip which may mean there is more offense somewhere there

Di Pauli was originally used only as a defensive forward, so his last two years of offensive output may be coming from more playing time. In my opinion this is a good sign to maybe take a risk on him. With the Rangers signing a lot of guys for the 4th line role who play a similar style to Di Pauli, developing him to avoid getting into contract wars for more expensive 4th liners –Tanner Glass– seems like a good idea.

John Gilmour, D (23) – The left handed Providence College defenseman and former 7th round pick by the Calgary Flames has slowly but surely improved his all around game to become a decent target out of the NCAA. Gilmour is a very poised defenseman who is also very strong on the puck. He uses his skating to help settle plays down and is a nice passer. He can help with the breakout from the defensive zone, something the Rangers sorely need. Another feature of Gilmour that may be of interest is his hard but very accurate shot from the point.

Quentin Shore, C/RW (22) – While the 6th rounder of the Ottawa Senators hasn’t lit up the NCAA, he has been consistently a modest point producing two way center for the University of Denver. Shore is a defensive center, and while I am usually not a fan of drafting these guys, the Rangers can use more prospects at the moment. He is not an incredible skater but isn’t bad, he doesn’t have Shannahan’s shot but it is also not weak or inaccurate either. All in all he is just a player that gets his defensive job done and chips in offensively with great net front play every other game or so. As I said with Di Pauli, I’d rather develop 4th liners from the NCAA than pay for them on the free agent market. Shore is also the brother of Nick who is LA’s new 4th line center, and Drew who was a highly touted prospect for Florida but couldn’t put it all together.

All in all signing Di Pauli and Gilmour would be a pretty nice coup if the team never really had a chance with Vesey.