The Rasmus Dahlin sweepstakes caused a stir on Saturday night as hockey fans crossed their fingers in hope that their favorite team would land the number one pick and thus, the opportunity to draft a generational defenseman.
Rangers fans knew that the Blueshirts only stood a marginal chance of capturing the top overall pick, but the finalized lottery seeding actually sent the Rangers down a peg to ninth overall.
Now that the image of Dahlin pulling on a Rangers sweater has drifted away like a balloon caught in the wind, it's time to speculate who might still be around for general manager Jeff Gorton to select at no. 9.
There's always the possibility that Gorton trades up into a higher position. The Rangers possess seven picks within the first three rounds – including three first-rounders. Each of the Rangers' additional first-round picks will fall between 26th and 31st, depending on how the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning finish the playoffs.
For this column, let's explore a scenario where Gorton holds firm and intends on sticking at number nine. Here are five prospects that could be in the Rangers' sights:
ADAM BOQVIST – D, 5-FOOT-11, 170 LBS., BRYNAS IF (SHL)
The Rangers have made a habit of accumulating highly-skilled, puck-moving defensemen in recent seasons. Boqvist fits right in with the Blueshirts' shift to an athletic blue line and has garnered comparisons to all-world defenseman Erik Karlsson.
If the Rangers do intend on trading up, it may be worth it to ensure that Boqvist lands on Broadway. While he is not NHL-ready, the potential of this 17-year-old, right-handed Swede is alluring. He packs a heavy shot and oozes high-end instincts with outstanding mobility.
BARRETT HAYTON – C, 6-FOOT-1, 190 LBS., SAULT STE. MARIE (OHL)
Though the Rangers are considerably deep at center, 17-year-old Hayton is blossoming into a complete, two-way center. Excellent hands, playmaking upside and the ability to be a factor on the power play and penalty kill points to him being the total package.
Hayton wins tough draws, has been a near point-per-game player against top opposition and plays smart on both ends of the rink. He's a can't-miss NHL talent.
OLIVER WAHLSTROM – RW, 6-FOOT-1, 205 LBS., U.S. UNDER-18 NATIONAL TEAM DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
If the Rangers are looking for a dynamite goal-getter, Wahlstrom fits the bill. This 17-year-old excels in one-on-one situations and creating his own space. He's the kind of player who gets fans off their seats with his rapid release and sniping acumen.
Wahlstrom combines his shooting prowess with a power forward's game and high IQ play in the offensive zone. He checks a lot of the boxes that GMs look for in a franchise forward.
JOEL FARABEE – LW, 5-FOOT-11, 165 LBS., U.S. UNDER-18 NATIONAL TEAM DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
The Rangers have always placed an emphasis on drafting youngsters with solid character traits and leadership potential. As captain of the USNTDP under-18 team, Farabee is a consummate lead-by-example personality. The Cicero, N.Y. native is a dogged competitor across three zones and teammates follow his work ethic.
Farabee has a reputation for shining at crunch time and is a sneaky shorthanded goal-getter. He possesses a fast pair of legs and a quick release. His lack of size may scare off some GMs – but he's got the speed, smarts and compete level to succeed.
SERRON NOEL – RW, 6-FOOT-5, 205 LBS., OSHAWA (OHL)
Taking this big-bodied right wing at ninth overall seems like a bit of a reach. Then again, many experts had Lias Andersson going far later than at seventh overall, where the Rangers selected him at last year's draft. Gorton identified Andersson as the right fit and the hard-working Swede skated in seven NHL games this past season.
Noel excels at protecting the puck with his massive reach and compliments this with soft hands. While he's worked diligently at improving his skating, he's not quite NHL-ready in this department. At age 17, there's plenty of time for him to turn his weaknesses into strengths.
Follow Sean on Twitter -- @HartnettHockey
