"There's been a lot of talk from people (me included) that the New York Rangers prospect development is terrible and will forever impact their ability to develop young players. Years of failed prospect after failed prospect have made it incredibly difficult to argue otherwise. While I would never argue the Rangers are *good* at developing young talent, I do believe just how bad the Rangers prospect development is has been grossly overblown."
"The argument certainly must start with Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere. The second and first overall picks in their respective drafts, Kakko and Lafreniere have not popped in the NHL like they were expected based on their pre-NHL scouting reports and draft statuses. Kakko is now a member of the Seattle Kraken after a tumultuous tenure with the Rangers, while Lafreniere did earn a large contract with the Rangers after an awesome 2024 postseason, only to regress afterwards."
"These two players are where the majority of my frustration with Rangers prospect development lies. Kakko grossly needed time in the AHL to learn how to utilize his body and adapt to the smaller rinks, while Lafreniere needed positivity and ice time. Neither benefited from the overhype created by both the Rangers and social media. Neither were afforded the opportunities they needed. And neither developed the way they were expected."
Widespread criticism frames New York Rangers prospect development as terrible after many failed prospects. Two high-profile misses, Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere, exemplify the problem. Kakko required AHL time to learn to use his body and to adjust to smaller rinks. Lafreniere required positivity and consistent ice time following a strong 2024 postseason before regressing. Both players suffered from overhype generated by the organization and social media and were not consistently given necessary developmental opportunities. The core problem appears rooted more in drafting choices and opportunity management than in an irredeemable development system.
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