nhl draft

Meet Dylan McIlrath, the Rangers’ First-Round Pick

With the tenth pick in the draft Friday night, the Rangers took bruising defenseman Dylan McIlrath, a player that ESPN.com’s Lindsay Berra called “the meanest, most physical player in his draft class.” He’s considered something of a stretch for the tenth overall pick: Central Scouting had him at seventeen, and Puck Daddy’s Ryan Lambert wrote that, “Any time I literally laugh out loud at a pick, as I did when they took Dylan McIlrath at No. 10, you’re having a bad go of things.” But though the Rangers certainly need to address their offensive woes — they selected five forwards after taking McIlrath, including the son of former NHL-er Steve Thomas — they also need to add toughness on the blue line. (ESPN.com’s Gare Joyce called it “a great if daring pick.”) One other draft weekend note: The Rangers have finally given up on Bobby Sanguinetti, the Jersey-born defenseman they selected in the first round in 2006 and traded this weekend to Carolina for the 157th overall pick and a 2011 second rounder.

Meet Dylan McIlrath, the Rangers’ First-Round Pick