31 Teams in 31 Days - New York Rangers

While the Rangers' prospect group is considered one of the better ones in the NHL, their presence in the OHL is not currently very strong.

1. Joey Keane - London Knights
If you read this site regularly and follow me on social media, you know how big of a fan I am of Joey Keane. I think he's the prototypical defender for today's NHL game. That said, I don't think he had the best year from a developmental stand point. The trade to London really killed his ice time and offensive responsibility and I thought he actually struggled with London, especially in the playoffs. It seemed like he was never incredibly comfortable with the role (at least 5 on 5) that London asked him to play and some bad habits crept into his game. This included some sloppy decision making with the puck. At his best, Keane can be a dominant puck mover because of his skating ability. But picking better times to extend rushes deep, and picking the right time to skate the puck out of the zone versus making a clean exit pass are things he will need to work on. His shot is also something that I think he needs to improve on, especially if he wants to be a consistent powerplay QB at the next level. Defensively, I am less worried. He plays with intensity. He uses his mobility well to control gaps. He can really prevent teams from establishing possession with how quick he is to dump ins. At the AHL level next year, he's going to have to battle players for consistent ice time, especially from an offensive point of view (with a guy like Adam Fox and veteran Darren Raddysh in the fold). I still have hope that he develops into a quality #4-5 defender in the same vein as a Calvin de Haan. 

2. Nico Gross - Oshawa Generals
I think there were some steps forward in Gross' game this year, even if the lack of offensive production probably alarms Rangers' fans. I think this was by design. I found him to be less willing to take risks with the puck this past year. Previously, he could be forced into turnovers by trying to skate the puck through the neutral zone. But he was less aggressive offensively, instead opting to make quicker exit passes or passing off upon crossing his own blueline. Defensively, he remains a very physical player, and one of the more physical defenders in the OHL. He really relishes in the opportunity to plant an attacker on their ass. And I found him to be way more patient this year, chasing the play less, using his mobility as an advantage. But, there are still some limitations to his game that will need correcting if he wants to earn an NHL contract next year. In the defensive end, he needs to take better routes to dump ins. He has that great mobility. And he has that physical advantage. But attacking forwards routinely get behind him on the forecheck to establish possession in the offensive end. And he can be prone to turnovers from that same forecheck if he does manage to get possession. Of course, the Rangers (and the Generals) will be looking for Gross to take a step forward as an offensive player too. Hopefully he can find the confidence to become more aggressive again in using his mobility to his advantage. I am still skeptical of him developing into an NHL player, but he'll have another year in the OHL to prove me wrong.