New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has acquired defenseman Tim Erixon and a fifth-round draft pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft from Calgary in exchange for forward Roman Horak and two second round draft picks in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. The Rangers also announced today that the club has signed Erixon to an entry level deal.Calgary had to make the deal as Erixon was about to re-enter the draft and had told the team that he was not about to agree to play in Abbotsford next season. The Rangers, well, I guess they decided Hobey Gilroy isn't good enough to come back and aren't sold on Michael Del Zotto's future after a season and a half of horrible hockey. Can't disagree on either count.
Now, you know you are old when the kids of the players you cheered for are entering the league. I could cope with Stastny but Erixon ... Jan was a personal favourite (along with Beezer). Now Tim is a far different player than his dad but you can be sure that the kid will have a good grasp on the game. Tim has said that he patterns his game after Nick Lidstrom but from what I've seen he has a lot of qualities that Brian Rafalski displayed during his now-concluded career, just in a bigger body. He sees the ice well, can carry the puck, has a decent shot and is capable in his own end.The cost, in my opinion, was high. Roman Horak is a legitimate NHL prospect averaged better than a point per game on a middling WHL team and is adept in the faceoff circle. Scoring and draws are two major deficiencies on the Rangers right about now. However, Jess from The Prospect Park pointed out a few weeks back that the Rangers didn't invite Ethan Werek or Horak to the Whale after their junior seasons ended and now both have been traded. Jess saw Horak a bit this year and wrote that the kid needs to fill out a bit and may spend next year in Europe. But the two second round picks is what gets me, considering the talent they have found in that round in recent years: Dubi, Sauer, Arty, Step, Werek and Christian Thomas - a far better haul the first round selections. The fifth rounder that they received from Calgary is all but worthless - in the last 20 years they have developed just three players from there: Dale Purinton, Tomas Kloucek and Nigel Dawes (the jury is still out on Scott Stajcer, Horak and Jason Wilson).
Many have immediately awarded this as a win for the Rangers (especially Flames fans) but I am not that quick to jump for joy. Erixon has played with men, he has been proven competent and he should get an immediate shot on Broadway. If it motivates MDZ to act like a professional and make him a decent hockey player or it sets him on the road out of town, I am all for it. But if this kid thinks that he deserves a spot (and acts like that) then the Rangers could have pissed away a useful player who was needed and two picks that could have eventually contributed for another arrogant child with a dubious future.
15 comments:
I too was pretty confused why they traded away an offensive prospect for another defensive one. With Del Zotto, Erixon, Gilroy, Valentenko, Kundratek, McIlrath, and possible others all competeing for 1 or 2 roster spots over the next few seasons, it must be assumed there will be some trades happening, perhaps as soon as the draft. And with Erixon, Thomas, Borque, Stastny trade-rumors etc, maybe the Rangers are trying to build a team of second-generation NHLers haha
Horak looked like a good prospect, kind of surprised they traded him away for another defenseman.
Gilroy is soft and DelZero is slow and not all that talented in my opinion. If Erixon plays his size and is fast, or at least mobile, it should be an upgrade. Plus legacy kids often times turn out to be great (Parise, Borque) like they have something to prove. So I say trade Gilroy and DelZero while they have a little value and get another solid forward.
The chances that either those two picks in a bad draft or roman Horak turn into a more effective player than Erixon, a prospect ranked #15 on future watch, are slim and none. Dude, you know nothing. Do you do research before you write this stuff or just sniff glue and pound away at the keys? That's why your just some jerkoff on the Internet.
when i read your articles i like to eat baked asparagus with sprinkled cheese on it
"legacy kids often times turn out to be great"
Hit or miss man, Chris Bourque was a bust - let's hope his brother does better. And of course Jan's boy.
Scottyisanidiot - you do realize that Patrick Stefan and Alex Daigle and Pavel Brendl were very highly ranked on future watch too ... don't believe all that you read. I'm not saying that Erixon is bad by any means - BY ANY MEANS - but Horak has had proven success in the North American game in a tough junior circuit, so letting him go shouldn't be taken lightly.
Great, and Erixon has had success in and excelled playing in a Mens league that's leaps and bounds over the WHL.
If you are seriously bitching about losing Roman Horak over a player who would have been a top 10 pick in this entry draft then you need to get your head checked. The two players aren't even comparable in terms of potential and Horak was barely on our depth chart anymore.
Hey, you never like to lose prospects, but you have to give up something to get something better and I think Sather did just that. You never know which prospect is going to turn into a superstar or superchump, but like Scotty's nemesis said, Erixon would have been a Top 15 draft pick. Then again, wasn't DelZero picked in Top 15?
Having seen both the Swedish Elite League and the WHL, I feel safe in saying it is not leaps and bounds - it is tougher but not by as big of a margin as you would think. Yes the players are bigger and stronger but there is more room and the play is slower. A young, puck moving defenseman has plenty of time to decide what he will do ... but we will see. As Anon pointed out, "you have to give up something to get something" - let's hope the hype works out.
You're comparing a boy playing amongst boys, and a boy playing amongst men and excelling.
The WHL is not considered pro hockey, you do know that right? The SEL is. If you think the two things are remotely close then you stupider than you already make yourself out to be.
What this pretty much boils down to is you trying to find something to piss on Sather about in this deal. Sorry, not working. Roman Horak is a B-level prospect at best, who projects to be a third line center. Two picks in a shit draft, the chances that either become what Erixon is now between slim and none.
Give it a rest you nonce.
Scottyisanidiot, why such anger? Dude, have an opinion and disagree with Scotty even, but don't be such a dick about it.
Yeah, SEL play guaranteed Zuccarello's success in the NHL, right? I mean, Zuccs absolutely dominated the NHL last year, leading it in scoring the way he did the SEL, right?
Scotty can be shortsighted, but to act like stellar play in the Swedish Elite League will automatically transfer to acceptable or better NHL play is pretty simpleminded on your part, Mr. Idiot....
Mike, good job comparing a forward to defense, makes sense
please, shoot yourself in the head and do us all a favor. enough stupid people in this world as it is.
dear Anonymous--what does your point have to do with mine in the slightest? The person who calls himself Idiot claims that Erixon will be successful in the NHL based on his success in the SEL; his position is irrelevant within that statement, and it's illogical to boot--and Zuccarello's struggles this year underscore that point, you shitbag.
Lastly, you can fuck off, you stupid lowlife. Only a true cowardly piece of shit goes anonymous when advising fellow humans to dispatch themselves.
I'm with mike, on both counts.
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