After a stagnant start to Day 2, the New York Rangers jumped into the second round by trading the seventh pick in the 2017 draft, Lias Andersson, to the Los Angeles Kings for the 60th pick. The Rangers selected left winger William Cuylle of the Windsor Spitfires.
Here are the rest of the Rangers selections from Rounds 3-7:
- Round 3, Pick 92: Oliver Tarnstrom, C
- Round 4, Pick 103: Dylan Garand, G
- Round 5, Pick 127: Evan Vierling, C
- Round 5, Pick 134: Brett Berard, LW
- Round 6, Pick 165: Matt Rempe, C
- Round 7, Pick 197: Hugo Ollas, G
So what do all these draft picks bring to the table? Let’s recap the day and get to know the newest members of the Rangers.
Pick 60: Will Cuylle, LW
Will Cuylle is an intriguing prospect, one whom the Rangers moved up to ensure he would don a Blueshirt. At 6-foot-3 and 204 pounds, Cuylle brings size and an edge to the rink on a nightly basis.
Cuylle has a ton of offensive upside, registering 26 goals in 2018-19 and 22 goals in 2019-20 while playing for Windsor. Rumored to be modeling his game against Tom Wilson, Cuylle could protect the skilled forwards in New York’s lineup.
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He is a true 18-year-old who will need some time to develop, but if he can hone his physicality and skillset, he will be a force for the Rangers.
Pick 92: Oliver Tarnstrom, C
It took until the third round, but the Rangers finally addressed their overwhelming need for center help by drafting Oliver Tarnstrom. Tarnstrom played in the Swedish U20 SuperElit League last season, tallying 11 goals, 23 assists, and 34 points in 43 games.
At 6-foot-1, Tarnstrom has great skating ability with and without the puck, an important attribute for a successful two-way center in the NHL. A clean skater with the ability to see the ice well, Tarnstrom could develop into a reliable center for New York.
Tarnstrom will likely remain in Sweden for the foreseeable future, so patience in his development will be key. The Rangers have had success dipping into the Swedish prospect well in the past, and they hope that success continues here with Tarnstrom.
Pick 103: Dylan Garand, G
The Rangers yet again made a rather shocking selection in the fourth round, taking Kamloops Blazers goalie Dylan Garand. The 18-year-old netminder will have the rare chance to work with Benoit Allaire, an opportunity that has led to success for many NHL goaltenders.
In the WHL, Garand won 28 of his 42 starts, posting a 2.21 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage to go along with 4 shutouts. Garand has a great glove hand paired with solid positioning, and he still has time to develop his lateral game.
Ranked sixth among North American goalies by NHL Central Scouting, the Rangers have added another solid goaltending prospect to their always deep pool of masked men.
Pick 127: Evan Vierling, C
After swapping two of their three seventh-round picks for the 127th selection, the Rangers took center Evan Vierling. Vierling was the 66th-ranked North American skater according to NHL Central Scouting, providing the Rangers with good value in the fifth round.
The 6-foot forward split the 2019-20 campaign with the Flint Firebirds and Barrie Colts in the OHL, tallying 44 points in 43 games. In his final 28 games with the Colts, Vierling scored 12 times, adding 22 assists for 34 points.
The NHL Network referred to him as ‘The Poor Man’s Ryan Nugent-Hopkins,’ as Vierling has a great two-way game and a high offensive upside. Every team looks to add great value late in drafts, and the Rangers may have found a diamond in the rough in Vierling.
Pick 134: Brett Berard, LW
Brett Berard is undersized at 5-foot-9, but the USNTDP winger was ranked as high as No. 45 by NHL Central Scouting. At his lowest, Berard was ranked as a third-round selection, so once again, the Rangers found a player on the board who had dropped below his pre-draft spot.
Berard was third on the U18 American team scoring with 16 goals and 18 assists and has a ton of offensive skill. He has elusive speed and can finish plays despite not possessing the physical attributes of other forwards in his draft class.
He will play his college hockey at Providence, where the Rangers hope he will continue to develop his offensive game while putting some more muscle onto his current frame.
Pick 165: Matt Rempe, C
The Rangers prioritized size in the early rounds of the draft, getting back to that mentality by selecting Matt Rempe in the sixth-round. Rempe is an absolute behemoth of a hockey player, standing at 6-foot-8 and weighing in at 205 pounds (from ‘Meet 6-foot-8 Seattle Thunderbirds prospect Matt Rempe, who hopes to surprise in the NHL draft,’ Seattle Times, 10/06/2020).
Although the center doesn’t possess any attributes that wowed the scouts that saw him play, Rempe did finish his season with 31 points in 47 games for the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Continuing to add on muscle mass, Rempe could will his way to face-off wins with his brute strength. Despite his longshot outlook to making the NHL roster, his physical prowess opened eyes in the Rangers’ scouting department.
Pick 197: Hugo Ollas, G
In the seventh-round, the Rangers paid homage to the recently bought out Henrik Lundqvist by drafting Swedish goaltender Hugo Ollas. Ollas was the second consecutive 6-foot-8 selection for the Blueshirts, who landed the seventh-ranked European goaltender with their final pick.
Ollas does not have flashy numbers in the Swedish SuperElit, as he has a 2.43 GAA and .885 SV%. With his phenomenal size, Ollas already takes up the majority of the net, but like most 18-year-olds, he still has to grow into his body.
For the Rangers, this pick is a stretch, but if Ollas could hone his play and mature physically than maybe they could have another Swedish netminder rise to stardom from the last round of the draft.
The Rangers had one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL before the 2020 draft, but after a phenomenal first-round paired with a strong fifth, their cupboard is officially stockpiled.
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Seven prospects joined the Rangers on Day 2 with hopes of cracking the big club in the future, as New York looks to solidify contention for years to come.
