It is the end of January and for the New York Rangers prospects the jockeying for league playoffs is in full swing. It is also the time of the year when the decision as to whether or not to offer a Rangers entry-level contract is made.
With the changes to how the rights to draft picks is about to change, two prospects will either be signed or not.
Raoul Boilard whose team did not play on Friday will see his rights expire on June 1st. Odds are good that he already knows what decision the Rangers have made.
And most likely the Rangers will not offer him the NHL Entry-Level contract. His offense simply has disappeared since he was drafted.
Boilard’s skill as a faceoffs center is excellent but to play in the NHL, you need to do more than just win faceoffs. In our book he played his way out of a contract.
Brody Lamb’s rights expire on August 15th and like Boilard, Lamb most likely already knows what the Rangers will do. Minnesota will need upsets to get to the NCAAs and sorry that is not happening.
Lamb could earn himself an AHL contract to see if maybe he is better suited for the pro game. Rangers badly needs snipers and if Lamb can develop some consistency then maybe he gets a better deal down the road.
Strangely only six Rangers prospects were in action on Friday as the schedule worked out this way. But is also shows what giving away draft picks does to your prospect pipeline.
The Rangers should have as manay as 18-20 draft picks play each weekend but they only have 15 total.
NCAA
Sean Barnhill was scoreless as his second-ranked Michigan State Spartans defeated Brody Lamb’s Minnesota Golden Gophers 3-1 in Big Ten play. Barnhill was credited with just one shot as he remains 0-4-4 on the season.
Brody Lamb had the only assist on Minnesota’s only goal. It has been a very frustrating senior season for the Rangers 2021 fourth round pick.
He is the leading scorer on Minnesota at 10-12-22 but his team at 8-15-1 needs a miracle to make the NCAA tournament.
Ty Henricks was scoreless as his third-ranked Western Michigan Broncos edged sixth-ranked Minnesota-Duluth in NCHC play. The sophomore left wing was credited with one shot and a -1 with an interference minor.
Henricks is 1-7-8 in his last eight games as Western has an eight game winning streak. Once left for dead, the defending NCAA champions are third in the NCHC race.
Even better for them is they are setting themselves up for a shot at the NCHC title and the top seed in the NCHC playoffs. They end their regular season with a home series against current leader E. J. Emery’s North Dakota.
Drew Fortescue was scoreless as his 14th-ranked Boston College Eagles defeated New Hampshire in Hockey East play. Fortescue was credited with three shots and a -1.
Boston College is going to need a strong finish if they have any hope of an NCAA invite. The question then becomes if no invite then does Fortescue turn pro?
Think like his school, Fortescue needs a strong finish to show he is pro ready. Right now it is hard to see him as anything but AHL material as he is good defensively but where is his offense?
OHL Play
Nathan Aspinall was scoreless as his Flint Firebirds defeated the Windsor Spitfires 4-2 in a battle for first place in the OHL’s West Division. The two teams had been tied for first place in the Western Conference as well.
Aspinall was limited to just one shot with a minor penalty for slashing. He still leads the OHL in scoring with an overall mark of 24-38-62 but his lead has shrank to just two points.
Artem Gonchar had an assist but his Sudbury Wolves fell to the Branford Bulldogs 56-4 in overtime. Gonchar earned his assist on Sudbury’s third goal which came in the second period.
His assist improved his season totals to 10-23-33 in 42 games. That puts him second among the Ranger prospects in scoring.
Did Not Play
Rasmus Larsson was a healthy scratch for Robert Morris on Friday. It was the third straight scratch for the Rangers 2023 fifth round pick.
