Vancouver nonsense! The Rangers aren’t trading their pick at #2
I can’t believe I even have to write this. I am not even sure how clear I can make it but…
THE NEW YORK RANGERS ARE NOT TRADING THEIR PICK AT #2 OVERALL!
RUMOR ORIGIN: VANCOUVER
Yesterday afternoon I logged onto Twitter (I know, that was my first mistake) and saw tweets about what it would take for the Rangers to part with the #2 pick overall. First, I chuckled and then I kept scrolling to see even another blogger discussing it.
Who started this nonsense?
Well the “rumor” originated from a writer for the Athletic in Vancouver.
“The Canucks have checked in with the New Jersey Devils to see what it would cost to move up from 10th overall to the No. 1 pick and to find out if that’s even possible. But they’ve also reached out to the New York Rangers to get a feel for what it would take if Kaapo Kakko is New Jersey’s choice and Hughes falls to the second slot in the draft. The Devils haven’t given any indication they would go that way, but there are definitely NHL teams that right now have Kakko ranked ahead of Hughes.”
Jason Botchford, Athletic
Here was my response to my social media following:
Let’s Get This Straight
It barely took a full week before we decided the fact that Vancouver made a call (and were likely promptly rejected) superseded Gorton and Quinn’s comments on winning the lottery.
It doesn’t make any sense
The bottom line is that the Athletic story uses unnamed sources to fill out the article. Those “NHL sources” say it will have to be an Eric Lindros like package, but fails to even mention that Quebec was forced to move him because he refused to play there.
It continues to mention that the package would need to start with 3 first round draft picks. Can you tell me how that helps either the Devils or the Rangers? The Rangers are very young and are talking about using some of their picks this year to bring in NHL quality players.
At the end of the day, that article in the Athletic was nothing more than a conversation at the office water cooler discussing a far fetched hypothetical. The basis for that entire article and the subsequent rumor chatter that spread like virus on the internet was because the Canucks inquired about moving up. I hear the Canucks also called Jeff Bezos about buying Amazon. (insert sarcastic tone on the last sentence).
Jeff Gorton is keeping that pick. Jeff Gorton is not going to squander the highest draft pick the Rangers have ever had. Jeff Gorton is going to draft a franchise player in either Kaapo Kakko or Jack Hughes should the Devils decide they want the more NHL ready player.
JEFF GORTON IS NOT TRADING THE PICK. END OF STORY!
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