Rangers Prospect Report: 03.25.19

Three Stars of the Week

• Morgan Barrontallied a goal in the ECAC Hockey Semifinals on Mar. 22 against Brown and helped Cornell advance to the ECAC Hockey Championship against Clarkson. Barron, who had already been named to the All-Ivy League First Team and had been named a finalist as ECAC Hockey's Best Defensive Forward in 2018-19, was also named to the ECAC Hockey's First All-Star Team for this season. The Rangers' sixth round pick (174th overall) in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft has recorded 33 points (14 goals, 19 assists) and has posted a plus-nine rating in 34 games this season. Barron has registered a point 18 of the last 24 games, and he has recorded 26 points (nine goals, 17 assists) over the span. Barron has tallied a point in 23 of 34 games in 2018-19 (Cornell has posted a 16-5-2 record in games which he has recorded a point and a 4-5-2 record in games which he has not tallied a point this season). He leads Cornell in several categories this season, including goals, points, power play goals (seven), and shots on goal (149). Barron is also tied for the team lead in game-winning goals (four) and is tied for second on Cornell in assists in 2018-19. He ranks third in the NCAA in shots on goal per game this season (4.38). Barron is tied for 13th among NCAA freshmen and sophomores in points per game this season (0.97). Cornell plays Northeastern in the first round of the East Regional of the NCAA Tournament on Mar. 30.
• Nils Lundkvistrecorded four points (one goal, three assists) and posted a plus-two rating in two playoff games with Lulea's junior team in SuperElit during the past week. He registered three points (one goal, two assists), recording one point at even strength, one point on the power play, and one point while shorthanded on Mar. 23. Although Lulea's junior team was eliminated by MODO, Lundkvist is currently tied for first among defensemen in SuperElit in points in the playoffs this year. He has registered nine points (one goal, eight assists) and has posted a plus-six rating in 11 career SuperElit playoff games; Lundkvist's eight career playoff assists are tied for the third-most by a defenseman younger than 19 years old in league history, and his nine career playoff points are tied for the sixth-most by a defenseman younger than 19 years old in league history. The Rangers' first round pick (28th overall) in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft finished the 2018-19 regular season in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) with 10 points (three goals, seven assists) and a plus-seven rating in 41 games. Lundkvist led SHL defensemen younger than 20 years old in assists and points this season (in addition, the 18-year-old also recorded more assists and points than any other SHL defenseman younger than 20 years old in 2018-19). Over the last 30 seasons in the SHL (since 1989-90), Lundkvist is one of 14 defensemen younger than 19 years old who have recorded at least 10 points in a season, and his 10 points in 2018-19 were tied for the 10th-most by an SHL defenseman younger than 19 years old over the span.

Quick Hits

Here is how Miller, who finished the 2018-19 season with 26 games played, compares to other defensemen recently selected in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft through their first 26 career games in the NCAA:
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- Joey Keanehelped London take a two-games-to-none lead in its first round series against Windsor during the past week, and he registered two assists and posted a plus-one rating over the first two games of the series. The Rangers' third round pick (88th overall) in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft finished the 2018-19 regular season with 39 points (eight goals, 31 assists), a plus-11 rating, and 103 penalty minutes in 66 OHL games with Barrie and London. Keane ranked eighth in the OHL in penalty minutes this season, and he was one of only five OHL players who recorded 39 or more points and 100 or more penalty minutes in 2018-19. He also ranked 10th among OHL defensemen in shots on goal (181) and ranked 14th among OHL defensemen in power play assists (14) this season. - Jake Elmertallied an assist and posted a plus-two rating over two playoffs games during the week, helping Lethbridge take a two-games-to-none lead over the Calgary Hitmen in the first round of the 2019 WHL Playoffs. Elmer, who agreed to terms on an entry-level contract with the Rangers on Mar. 15, established WHL career-highs in several categories during the regular season in 2018-19, including goals (39), assists (42), points (81), plus/minus rating (plus-26), shorthanded goals (seven), shots on goal (253), and game-winning goals (eight), and he finished the regular season with a WHL career-high 18-game point streak (19 goals, 16 assists over the span). Elmer led the WHL in shorthanded goals, tied for ninth in game-winning goals, tied for 12th in goals, tied for 13th in points, and ranked 15th in shots on goal this season. In addition, Elmer received three of the Hurricanes' team awards in 2018-19: Three Stars Award, Fan Favorite Award, and Community Relations Award. - Riley Hughestallied seven points (one goal, six assists) in four playoff games during the past week and posted a three-assist game in both Game 3 and Game 5 of Victoria's second round series against Powell River in the 2019 British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) Playoffs. The Rangers' seventh round pick (216th overall) in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft has recorded 14 points (one goal, 13 assists) in 10 games thus far in the playoffs. Hughes leads the BCHL in assists and ranks fourth in the BCHL in points in the playoffs this year; he also leads BCHL rookies in points. He registered 58 points (24 goals, 34 assists) in 53 regular season BCHL games in 2018-19; he ranked fourth among BCHL rookies in goals and assists, and tied for fourth among BCHL rookies in points during the regular season. - Yegor Rykovcontinues to lead all KHL defensemen 22 years old or younger in assists (three) and points (three) in the 2019 Gagarin Cup Playoffs despite not playing in a game since Mar. 7. Rykov registered three assists/points in six playoff games with HC Sochi this year and averaged 21:36 of ice time per game in the playoffs. He also recorded nine points (three goals, six assists) during the regular season with HC Sochi; Rykov tied for second among KHL defensemen younger than 22 years old in points during the regular season in 2018-19.

Emerging From the Pack

• Steven Fogartyregistered two goals and tied for the game-high with five shots on goal on Mar. 24 at Charlotte. The Rangers' third round pick (72nd overall) in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft has tallied a point in 12 of the last 17 games, and he has recorded 20 points (eight goals, 12 assists) over the span. Fogarty has registered 48 points (19 goals, 29 assists) in 58 games with the Wolf Pack this season, and he has established AHL career-highs in several categories in 2018-19, including goals, assists, points, power play goals (four), and shorthanded goals (three). He leads Hartford in shorthanded goals, is tied for second in assists, ranks third in points, and ranks fourth in goals this season.
• Ryan Gropptallied an assist on Mar. 24 at Charlotte. He has recorded a point in five of the last six games (two goals, four assists) and in seven of the last nine games (five goals, four assists), and he has registered 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) over the last 21 games.

Quotebook

"We played on a line together last year, (and) I can notice a change (this year). He's definitely got a lot faster (and) bigger, and his shot has gotten a lot better; he's more confident in his shot." - Cornell forward Cam Donaldson on teammate Morgan Barron