Rangers Prospect Report: 02.04.19

Three Stars of the Week

Quick Hits

• Morgan Barronwas named ECAC Hockey's Player of the Month for January, and he registered three points (two goals, one assist) in Cornell's two games during the week, including two goals on Feb. 1 at Union. The Rangers' sixth round pick (174th overall) in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft has posted a multi-point game in seven of the last nine games (six goals, nine assists over the span), and he has also registered a point in 10 of the last 11 games (six goals, 11 assists in the last 11 contests). Barron has registered 24 points (11 goals, 13 assists) in 21 games with Cornell this season. He leads Cornell in several categories this season, including points and shots on goal (106). In addition, Barron is tied for the team lead in goals and assists, and he also ranks third in plus/minus rating (plus-10) in 2018-19. He ranks second in the NCAA in shots on goal per game this season (5.05). Barron is averaging 1.14 points per game in 2018-19, which ranks 25th among all players in the NCAA. In addition, Barron ranks seventh in points per game among NCAA players who are either in their freshman or sophomore year (as well as seventh among NCAA players who are younger than 21 years old). He has already established collegiate career-highs in goals and points this season, and he has also tied his collegiate career-high in assists.
• Igor Shesterkinstopped 23 of 24 shots and earned a win on Jan. 29 against Metallurg Magnitogorsk. The Rangers' fourth round pick (118th overall) in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft has posted a 21-3-1 record, along with a 1.20 GAA, a .948 SV%, and 8 SO in 25 KHL appearances with SKA this season. Shesterkin has earned a win in each of his last seven appearances, posting a 0.71 GAA, a .966 SV% (142 saves on 147 shots), and 3 SO over the span, and he has allowed one goal or fewer in six of the seven contests during the stretch. He leads the KHL in SV%, ranks second in GAA, and is tied for fourth in shutouts this season. Since the start of the 2016-17 season, Shesterkin has posted a 76-9-4 record, along with a 1.53 GAA, a .939 SV%, and 23 SO in 92 KHL appearances.
• Riley Hughestallied a point in all three games during the week and he registered four points (one goal, three assists) in the three contests. The Rangers' seventh round pick (216th overall) in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft has tallied 47 points (21 goals, 26 assists) in 46 BCHL games with Victoria in 2018-19. Hughes is tied for third among BCHL rookies in goals and ranks fourth among BCHL rookies in points thus far this season.
• Calle Sjalinrecorded three points (two goals, one assist) and posted a plus-three rating in two games during the past week. The Rangers' fifth round pick (145th overall) in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft tallied two points (one goal, one assist) on Feb. 1 against IK Pantern, as he recorded a shorthanded goal and tallied a power play assist on the game-winning goal, and he recorded the game-winning goal on Jan. 30 against IK Oskarshamn. Sjalin has registered six points (two goals, four assists) and has posted a plus-eight rating in 14 games with Leksands IF in Allsvenskan (Sweden's second-highest pro league) this season. He leads all players younger than 20 years old in Allsvenskan in 2018-19. In addition, he leads defensemen younger than 20 years old in Allsvenskan (min. 10 games played) in points per game this season (0.46), and he is tied for fifth among defensemen younger than 20 years old in the league in goals in 2018-19.
• Joey Keanetallied an assist/point in two of three games during the week. The Rangers' third round pick (88th overall) in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft has registered 33 points (six goals, 27 assists) and a plus-18 rating in 47 OHL games this season, including 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) and a plus-nine rating in 18 games with the London Knights. He ranks ninth among OHL defensemen in power play assists (12), ranks 11th among OHL defensemen in assists, and ranks 10th among OHL defensemen in shots on goal (132) in 2018-19. Keane is one of four OHL defensemen who have registered 33 or more points andhave posted a plus-18 rating or better thus far this season.
• Tyler Wallstopped 26 of 27 shots to earn a win on Feb. 1 at Northeastern, and he was selected as the game's First Star. The Rangers' sixth round pick (174th overall) in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft has earned a win in each of his last three appearances, posting a 0.67 GAA, a .974 SV% (75 saves on 77 shots), and 1 SO over the span, and he has allowed one goal or fewer in each game during the stretch. Wall has posted an 8-6-1 record, along with a 1.90 GAA, a .928 SV%, and 3 SO in 15 appearances with UMass-Lowell this season, and he has allowed one goal or fewer in six of those 15 appearances. Wall ranks sixth in the NCAA in GAA, ranks ninth in the NCAA in SV%, and is tied for eighth in the NCAA in shutouts in 2018-19.
• Tarmo Reunanentallied an assist while skating in a game-high 25:52 of ice time on Feb. 1 against Assat. The Rangers' fourth round pick (98th overall) in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft registered five assists/points and averaged 24:57 of ice time in 10 games in January. Reunanen has logged at least 24:00 of ice time in 15 of the last 18 games, as well as 25:00 or more of ice time in eight of the last 14 games and 26:00 or more of ice time in five of the last 12 contests. In addition, Reunanen has notched 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) in the last 19 games, including six assists/points in the last 10 contests. He has registered 19 points (four goals, 15 assists) and has posted a plus-two rating in 45 games with Lukko in Liiga (Finland's top league) this season. Among defensemen who are younger than 21 years old in Liiga, Reunanen ranks first in goals and points, and he is also tied for first in assists thus far this season.
• Yegor Rykovregistered a goal on Feb. 3 against Lokomotiv, and he logged at least 19:00 of ice time in each of HC Sochi's three games during the week. Rykov has recorded a point in six of his last 14 games (one goal, five assists), and he has tallied eight points (two goals, six assists) in 41 KHL games this season. Among KHL defensemen younger than 22 years old, Rykov is tied for first in points and ranks second in assists in 2018-19. He has averaged 19:26 of ice time per game with HC Sochi this season.
• Patrik Virtaregistered a goal/point in two of three games during the week. The Rangers' seventh round pick (207th overall) in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft has notched a point in four of the last five games (three goals, one assist), including a goal in three of the last four contests. Virta has tallied nine points (five goals, four assists) in 24 SHL games with Orebro this season.
• Nico Grossnotched an assist on Feb. 2 at Peterborough. The Rangers' fourth round pick (101st overall) in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft has recorded 16 points (three goals, 13 assists) and has posted a plus-13 rating in 41 OHL games with Oshawa this season. Gross has established OHL career-highs in assists and points in 2018-19. He is tied for second on Oshawa in plus/minus rating this season.
• Lauri Pajuniemiregistered a point in both games he played during the week (one goal, one assist). The Rangers' fifth round pick (132nd overall) extended his point streak to four games (one goal, three assists over the span), and he has recorded 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 33 games with TPS in Liiga this season. In addition to his current four-game point streak, Pajuniemi has tallied a point in 10 of his last 16 games (three goals, seven assists over the span).
• Tyler Nanneregistered a goal in the University of Minnesota's 4-3 win against Michigan on Feb. 2. The Rangers' fifth round pick (142nd overall) in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft has recorded eight points (three goals, five assists) and has posted a plus-four rating in 27 games this season. Nanne is tied for second on the team in plus/minus rating in 2018-19.

Emerging From The Pack

• Ville Meskanentallied a point in each of Hartford's two games during the week (one goal, one assist). He has registered nine points (three goals, six assists) over the last 14 games and 28 points (10 goals, 18 assists) in 47 games with Hartford in his first season in the AHL in 2018-19. Meskanen, who has skated in all of the Wolf Pack's games this season, ranks third on Hartford in assists and points in 2018-19.*
• Ryan Lindgrentallied an assist and registered two shots on goal on Feb. 1 at Springfield. He has recorded six assists/points and has posted a plus-four rating in 41 games with the Wolf Pack during his rookie season in the AHL in 2018-19. Lindgren is tied for fourth on Hartford - and is tied for second among team defensemen - in plus/minus rating this season.
• Vinni Lettieri*notched an assist on Feb. 1 at Springfield, and he recorded 10 shots on goal in Hartford's two games during the week. Lettieri has recorded 26 points (12 goals, 14 assists) and 99 shots on goal in 28 AHL games with the Wolf Pack this season, and he ranks second on the Wolf Pack in points per game in 2018-19 (0.93). He has notched a point in 12 of the last 18 games and has recorded 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) over the span.

Quotebook

"He's a prototypical power forward with great hockey sense and compete level. He's developing a more consistent game, and in time, he will develop into a great prospect for the Rangers." - Cornell Head Coach Mike Schafer on Morgan Barron
"He has an internal fire, the engine that burns really bright, and it shows whether you meet him or you watch him on the ice." - Rangers Director of European Scouting Nickolai Bobrov on Nils Lundkvist