Examining NY Rangers prospect depth and lineup possibilities after the NHL Draft – The Journal News / Lohud.com

The 2020 NHL Draft has concluded, but the New York Rangers' 2021 roster is far from set.

Of the nine draft picks the Blueshirts brought in during the two-day virtual draft, only one will make an immediate impact No. 1 overall pick Alexis Lafrenire. It'll be years before we see any of the others on the NHL stage, if they get there at all.

If the Rangers are going to make any other additions to next season's roster, it will happen after the free agency period opens Friday at noon. It's likely they will, either through free agency or trade, but it could only be a minor move or two. They still have to consider what to do with their own restricted free agents and how much they're willing to pay for them and leave some salary cap space to account for potential performance bonuses from their entry-level players.

As an exercise in identifying where the Rangers stand currently, I've focused on two areas. The first is what their NHL lineup would look like if they hit the ice today, and the second is what the organizational depth looks like beyond the projected NHL lineup. For the latter, I've broken each position into two categories top prospects in terms of upside and which players are most likely to be called on if needed in the coming season.

DRAFT TAKEAWAYS: Rangers add grit and keep RFAs

NHL DRAFT TRACKR: Analysis of every Rangers pick

I should note that I've included all of the RFAs the Rangers extended qualifying offers to. Most will likely be retained, but one or two could be gone.

With that, here is my post-draft, pre-free agency lineup projection:

FORWARDS

First line Chris Kreider (LW) - Mika Zibanejad (C) - Pavel Buchnevich (RW)

Second line Artemi Panarin (LW) - Ryan Strome (C) - Kaapo Kakko (RW)

Third line Alexis Lafrenire (LW) - Filip Chytil (C) - Julien Gauthier (RW)

Fourth line Brendan Lemieux (LW) - Morgan Barron (C) - Brett Howden (RW)

New York Rangers right wing Kaapo Kakko (24) celebrates with center Mika Zibanejad (93) after Kakko scored against the Dallas Stars during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Dallas, Tuesday, March 10, 2020.(Photo: Michael Ainsworth, AP)

DEFENSEMEN

First pair Tony DeAngelo (L) and Jacob Trouba (R)

Second pair Ryan Lindgren (L) and Adam Fox (R)

Third pair Libor Hjek (L) and Brendan Smith (R)

New York Rangers' Tony DeAngelo (77) celebrates with teammate Jacob Trouba after scoring the game winning goal during the overtime period of an NHL hockey game against the Minnesota Wild Monday, Nov. 25, 2019, in New York. The Rangers won 3-2. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)(Photo: Frank Franklin II, AP)

GOALIES

Starter Igor Shesterkin

Backup Alexandar Georgiev

Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers makes a save against the Carolina Hurricanes during the first period in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Qualification Round prior to the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on August 04, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.(Photo: Andre Ringuette, Getty Images)

My thoughts We know the Rangers are looking to add a center, but as it stands now, it would almost certainly be Strome and Chytil on the second and third lines. The fourth line would likely be a training camp battle between Barron and Howden, with the other possibly ending up on a wing.

Of course, I'm sure many of you are wondering about Vitali Kravtsov. It's entirely plausible that he ends up making the NHL roster, especially if he keeps up his strong play in the KHL. But as of this moment, he's still in Russia. We don't know yet if the Rangers plan to bring him back for training camp, or let him continue in the KHL. For sure, though, the 2018 first-round pick is a candidate to crack the top nine probably as the right-winger on the third line.

I'm also sure many of you are clamoring for Lafrenire in the top six. That will happen soon enough, but I believe the Rangers will ease him in. It'll be interesting to see if they try out any of their left-wingers on the right.

As for the defense, general manager Jeff Gorton told us they're giving serious consideration to moving DeAngelo or Fox to the left side. This makes a lot of sense, especially if they don't bring in a top-four caliber lefty. To me, it seems logical to keep the Lindgren-Fox pairing together and give DeAngelo a shot next to Trouba. That would balance the bigger, more physical presences (Trouba and Lindgren) with the mobile puck-movers (DeAngelo and Fox).

Lastly, highly touted prospect K'Andre Miller should have a chance to earn a spot on defense out of training camp. But he won't be handed an NHL role until he moves past Smith and Hjek on the depth chart.

LEFT WING

Top prospects 1. Lafrenire (NHL); 2. William Cuylle (OHL); 3. Brett Berard (NCAA)

Current depth chart 1. Phil Di Giuseppe (NHL/AHL); 2. Tim Gettinger (AHL); 3. Patrick Newell (AHL)

My thoughts With the Rangers qualifying Di Giuseppe on Wednesday, there's a decent chance he sticks on the NHL roster as the 13th forward. Each of the top three long-term prospects was taken in this year's draft, although you could debate between Berard and 2019 fifth-round pick Leevi Aaltonen at No. 3.

Alexis Lafreniere #11 of Team White is presented with the winners trophy following the final whistle of the 2020 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game against Team Red at FirstOntario Centre on January 16, 2020 in Hamilton, Canada.(Photo: Vaughn Ridley, Getty Images)

CENTER

Top prospects 1. Barron (NHL/AHL); 2. Karl Henriksson (SHL); 3. Oliver Trnstrm (Allsvenskan)

Current depth chart 1. Justin Richards (AHL); 2. Patrick Khoderenko (AHL); 3. Austin Rueschhoff (AHL)

My thoughts It remains to be seen if the Rangers prefer Barron in the middle or on the wing, but it makes sense to at least give him a chance here. If he ends up on the wing, Henriksson, a second-round pick in 2019, becomes the organization's top guy. As for the AHL guys who are next-in-line, the leading candidates are the trio of undrafted centers the Rangers signed out of college last winter.

Cornell's Morgan Barron, center, makes his way down the ice during their game against Colgate at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019.(Photo: Heather Ainsworth, AP)

RIGHT WING

Top prospects 1. Kravtsov (KHL); 2. Gauthier (NHL); 3. Lauri Pajuniemi (Liiga)

Organizational depth 1. Kravtsov; 2. Ty Ronning (AHL); 3. Jake Elmer (AHL)

My thoughts Kravtsov is both the top prospect and the first guy the Rangers would want to recall. Beyond him, they would probably use Barron, Howden or Di Giuseppe as a RW option in the event of an injury.

Rangers prospect Vitali Kravtsov and other Rangers prospects practice at the Rangers training facility in Greenburgh Sept. 5, 2019. (Photo: Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News)

LEFT DEFENSE

Top prospects 1. Miller (AHL/NHL); 2. Zac Jones (NCAA); 3. Matthew Robertson (WHL)

Organizational depth 1. Miller (AHL/NHL); 2. Tarmo Reunanen (AHL/NHL); 3. Brandon Crawley (AHL)

My thoughts The Rangers feel good about their depth here; now it's just a matter of development. Miller and Reunanen will have a chance to compete for NHL roles in camp, while the top three prospects at this position are the strongest group of any in the organization. They also have Yegor Rykov, Jacob Ragnarsson and Simon Kjellberg.

K'Andre Miller on the ice during the first day of New York Rangers development camp June 24, 2019 at Chelsea Piers in Stamford, Conn. (Photo: Tania Savayan/The Journal News)

RIGHT DEFENSE

Top prospects 1. Nils Lundkvist (SHL); 2. Braden Schneider (WHL); 3. Hunter Skinner (OHL)

Organizational depth 1. Darren Raddysh (AHL); 2. Lundkvist (SHL); 3. One of the lefties

My thoughts Having prospects the caliber of Lundkvist and Schneider behind Trouba, Fox and DeAngelo could eventually create a logjam, but it's a good problem to have. As for the immediate depth, it's probably either Raddysh or move one of the lefties over. By the time the SHL season finishes, though, Lundkvist could sign.

June 25, 2018: The New York Rangers host a development camp for their prospects at the MSG Training Center in Tarrytown, NY. Pictured is Nils Lundkvist.(Photo: Cam Camarena/MSG Photos)

GOALIES

Top prospects 1. Shesterkin (NHL); 2. Tyler Wall (AHL); 3. Dylan Garand (WHL)

Current depth chart 1. Adam Huska (AHL); 2. Wall (AHL); 3. Oolf Lindbom (Allsvenskan)

My thoughts It seems silly to list Shesterkin as a prospect, but he's still eligible for the Calder Trophy next season. As for the depth behind him and Georgiev, it'll be interesting to see how playing time is divided in Hartford between Huska and Wall. For now, in the event of an emergency, the Rangers would probably recall Huska first because he's more experienced.

June 25, 2019: The New York Rangers host their prospects at development camp at Chelsea Piers in Stamford, CT. Pictured is Tyler Wall.(Photo: Jared Silber/MSG Photos)

Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.

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