Rangers Call Up Both 2017 First Rounders To Close Out The Season
For the New York Rangers, the future starts now. No pressure kids.
The Blueshirts have faired pretty well in recent first-round history when they’ve actually had picks in their pocket. They snagged Kreider at 19, Miller at 15 & Skjei at 28 from 2009-12. Dylan McIlrath was the other pick during that time frame (ahead of Fowler, Schwartz & Tarasenko) but you can’t win ‘em all. Since then, they hadn’t had a selection to make until grabbing Lias Andersson at #7 & Filip Chytil at #21 this past June. Both teenagers will have all eyes on them tonight at MSG in hopes they can help get this organization back to their winning ways sooner than later.
Filip Chytil is certainly the more dynamic player of the two. The Rangers passed on guys like Eeli Tolvanen to reach for the big, flashy offensive talent and the kid hasn’t disappointed. After making the opening night roster, AV gave him less than 13 minutes worth of leash which had fans wondering why they even bothered – but he’s been one of the best U20 scorers in the AHL with 31 points in 45 games along with a solid 4-point showing in the WJC. Chytil has always been among the youngest at every level he’s played and, if he were born less than 2 weeks later, he’d be among the top-10 prospects for the upcoming NHL draft.
He’s succeeded despite his age but the Blueshirts are banking on the 18 year-old exploding once he catches up to his peers on a level playing field. As for immediate expectations, truth is it’s hard to hang with the best competition the world has to offer as a teen – but the game is less physical nowadays & allows for exceptions more than ever. It’s gonna take a bit for Chytil to fill out & hit his peak but there’s no reason he can’t contribute some highlight reel offense right now. Playing with Zucc & Hayes tonight could give us a glimpse of the entertaining skillset this kid has.
I’m much more eager to see Lias Andersson though. While Chytil could be a lightning rod, he’s most likely gonna take some time. Andersson was billed as one of the more complete, NHL-ready prospects of the draft last year. He didn’t have the high ceiling many of the kids selected around him had at the time but his floor was among the highest. The Swede is nothing like his draftmate Chytil. Very little “flash” to his game – but if the Rangers were right about him, Andersson projects to be a Bergeron-type (I did NOT say he’s Patrice Bergeron so relax). A potential 50-60 point talent they can deploy in absolutely any situation who won’t make mistakes and isn’t above doing whatever it takes anywhere on the ice to lead his team to victory.
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He’s not a big kid but he’s aggressive on the forecheck, in puck battles and in front of the net. Extremely smart & finds a lot of his offense from simply being in the right place at the right time. You can’t teach that. You also can’t teach his attitude and leadership capabilities. As captain of Sweden in the WJC he led his team with 6 goals in 7 games despite a separated shoulder & made headlines after throwing his silver medal into the stands. The Rangers need a lot of things, but perhaps nothing more than someone who legitimately throws anything but winning away. I even love his attitude from years ago. “I try to work hard in the offensive and defensive zones and push the guys on the bench. I want to be a leader. I want to run the power play, play big minutes, make space for my teammates and score some goals.” THIS is someone who could be ready to make an impact right away.
You don’t have to look too far to see a similar path to Andersson’s. Mika Zibanejad was taken 6th overall in 2011 & debuted with the Sens for 9 games as an 18 year-old. Pre-draft scouts may have had him pegged as a more skilled scorer, but Zib was touted as one of the most complete players available just like Andersson was. And if you need a reminder as to when Zibanejad started making a name for himself, look no further than when he wore the A for Team Sweden in the WJC a few years back. Mika buried 4 goals in 6 games including the gold medal OT winner. It did take Zib a couple seasons before he took off as a pro, but if Lias gets his feet wet now before turning in a rookie year like similarly-aged Pierre Luc Dubois is putting up in Columbus (15G/24A while regularly centering their 3rd line) we’d be off to a real good start.
Like I said at the beginning – no pressure. Just prove you belong. Neither have to be great.
Yet.