Rangers Prospect Review: Ryan McDonagh
Right before this year's free agency Glen Sather shipped Scott Gomez to the Canandians for Chris Higgins; a deal which also saw the Rangers acquire Canadian prospect Ryan McDonagh. Right after the trade hit the fan it was pretty apparent that McDonagh's name was lost in the fuss of the Rangers moving Gomez, but let's put an end to that now.
McDonagh--the 12thoverall pick in 2007-- was the Canadians top D prospect at the time of the trade. He currently plays with Stepan at the University of Wisconsin; he will be a junior this upcoming season. McDonagh is highly regarded to be a great two way defenseman who can put the puck in the net and clear the crease. Hockey's Future is very high on him saying this in their analysis of him:
McDonagh's key asset is his speed, which has been described by the club's director of player development and acquisition, Trevor Timmins, as "dimensional." Added to this is his ability to play an all-ice game. He's responsible in his own end and has the size to be a physical force. He combines that with an ability to contribute on the offensive end of the rink, making the smart pass and keying the rush.
Check after the jump for more.
Hockey's Future is usually a very good litmus test to how good a prospect is. McDonagh is given an 8.0 and a B as his grade. Click here to see what that grade translates to. Hockey's Future also says that in the future McDonagh will be very good, saying:
If not a No. 1 blueliner, he would be considered a 1A, with the talent to easily stake a long-term claim on the first defensive pairing.
Speaking of Hockey's Future they ranked him 18th on the top 50 NHL prospects. They had this to say about him:
McDonagh is the Canadiens top prospect. A first-round draft selection in 2007, McDonagh is a big, powerful blueliner who can provide an offensive punch. Expected to be more of a defensive blueliner when he turns pro, McDonagh is an excellent skater, with good positioning and gap control. The St. Paul, Minnesota native has good instincts and is developing more physical play. He recently completed his sophomore season at the University of Wisconsin, and competed in the 2009 U20 WJCs. Expected to become a first pairing blueliner over the next few years, McDonagh is weighing his options as to whether he will return to Wisconsin for his junior year.
Now as you all know we here at the Banter have our own source for prospects and prospect information. Our good friend Jess from the Prospect Park has been giving us analysis for these prospect reviews. And it should be no surprise that Jess is also very high on McDonagh. Jess had this to say about the new Ranger prospect:
Solid 2 way defender who can play any style you ask of him, is comfortable playing any style of game you want but what stands out is his penalty killing skills. If there was a PK QB that is a great way to describe him. McDonagh is a natural leader who is willing to drop the gloves even at the college level to protect a teammate. His offense is underrated as we project Ryan to be a clutch scorer at the NHL level.
As stated previously McDounagh will be returning to Wisconsin for his junior year. This will be a key development year for him and he will now be on everyone's radar. I know we will be keeping a close eye on him and I think you all will be too.