Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn ImagesFriday is "Ask The Maven" Day and today's question is from Lem Kaplan of New Hyde Park. Take it away Lem:
LAST YEAR VICTOR MANCINI WAS THE SURPRISE YOUNG DEFENSEMAN WHO MADE THE TEAM AFTER CAMP. WHO ARE THE RANGERS BEST DEFENSE PROSPECTS THIS YEAR?
The Maven answers: After the regulars Adam Fox, Slava Gavrikov, Will Borgen, Braden Schneider and Urho Vaakanainen, there are four possibilities, as follows:
1. SCOTT MORROW: This 22-year-old acquisition from Carolina will make the varsity and could be the biggest surprise of the newcomers. The Canes used him in the playoffs but not wisely. "He's shown flashes of brilliance in the AHL," says The Hockey News Yearbook. Morrow is a diamond in the rough.
2. EJ EMERY: The North Dakota (NCHL) product has the muscle but not much offensive hustle. He's way behind what Victor Mancini showed at this time last year. The 19-year-old is three years away from making it to Seventh Avenue.
3. DREW FORTESCUE: A Hockey East ace at Boston College, we have here a rare native New Yorker who was mentioned a bit in the past. He's strong in his own end and has a dossier of playing on champ teams when younger. At age 20, he could be promoted to the varsity as Mancini was last term.
4. SEAN BARNHILL: He's another surprise who learned his hockey in Arizona and eventually made it to Dubuque of the USHL. At 6-6, 205, size is the 18-year-old's asset and not much else at the moment. If he can improve his offense, there might be something there; but not in the immediate future.