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Wednesday, November 8, 2000
New York Rangers
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First Round Picks: None (first selection No. 38)
1999-2000 Record: 29-41-12 (3), 73 points (Tied for 23rd overall)
What they need
The Rangers begin the Glen Sather regime needing to fill holes and replenish their depth in a
number of areas. Adding some size to their lineup may also be in the "Blueshirts'" plans.
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HOMEGROWN RANGERS
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Rangers draftees who played over 20 games with New York in 1999-00: (All stats with Rangers) |
| Name (drafted) |
GP |
G-A-Pts |
Mike York
(136th in '97) |
82 |
26-24-50 |
Kim Johnsson
(286th in '94) |
76 |
6-15-21 |
Mike Richter
(28th in '85) |
68 |
22-31-8, 2.87 |
Brian Leetch
(9th in '86) |
50 |
7-19-26 |
Manny Malhotra
(7th in '98) |
27 |
0 pts. |
In their system
A rising star in the Ranger fold is defenseman Mike Mottau (182nd overall in '97), who won the
Hobey Baker Award as the top college player in America while patrolling the blueline for Boston College (NCAA-Hockey East). In 42 games for the Eagles this past season, Mottau had six goals, 43 points, and 61 PIM's. He has been
lauded for his puckhandling ability.
Another collegian of note is right wing Patrick Leahy (122nd overall in '98) out of
Miami of Ohio (NCAA-CCHA). In 36 games for the RedHawks in 1999-2000, Leahy had 16 goals, 38 points, and 89
PIM's. In terms of last year's two first round draft picks, right wing Pavel Brendl (4th overall) did not make the Ranger
club as some though he might, but he did have a solid campaign at Calgary (WHL), scoring 59 goals and 111 points in
61 games, while center Jamie Lundmark (9th overall) battled injury, but still had 21 goals and 48 points in 37 games at
Moose Jaw (WHL).
As far as '98 top pick Manny Malhotra's (7th overall) 1999-2000 season went, it was a bit of a tough year. The young center bounced from the NHL (0 pts. in 27 gms. w/ NYR), to the AHL (1-5-6 in 12 gms. at Hartford), and to major junior (2-2-4 in 5 gms. at Guelph-OHL). A '98 draftee who had a slightly better season was defenseman Tomas Kloucek (131st overall), who had 10 points and 113 PIM's in 73 games as part of Hartford's AHL Calder Cup Championship team.
Recent draft history
The 1990's were a tough decade in terms of success at the NHL level for Ranger first rounders. To this point, it can be argued that the only players taken by New York in the opening round who have been consistent performers at the NHL level are Alexei Kovalev (15th overall in '91) and Niklas Sundstrom (8th overall in '93), neither of whom are still with the organization (Kovalev now with PIT and Sundstrom with SJ).
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FIRST-ROUND SELECTIONS (LAST FIVE YEARS)
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| YEAR |
PICK |
PLAYER |
POS. |
'99 TEAM |
'99 G-A-Pts |
| 1999 |
4 |
Pavel Brendl |
RW |
Calgary (WHL) |
59-52-111 |
| 1999 |
9 |
Jamie Lundmark |
C |
Moose Jaw (WHL) |
21-27-48 |
| 1998 |
7 |
Manny Malhotra |
C |
New York (NHL) |
27 GP, 0 pts. |
| 1997 |
19 |
Stefan Cherneski |
RW |
Hartford (AHL) |
DNP-Injury |
| 1996 |
22 |
Jeff Brown |
D |
Charlotte (ECL) |
7-18-25 |
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ALSO SEE
Rangers' first-round history
Team Needs: New York Islanders
Team needs: New Jersey Devils
Team needs: Philadelphia Flyers
Team needs: Pittsburgh Penguins
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