The New York Rangers did not have a first round selection in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft held in Philadelphia. In fact they didn’t pick until the next-to-last slot in the second round where they took goaltender Brandon Halverson of Sault Ste. Marie in the Ontario Hockey League.
In the third round they got power forward Keegan Iverson, who plays for Portland in the Western Hockey League. The 6’0, 200 lb. center scored 22 goals with 42 points and is known to drop the gloves with 70 penalty minutes.
6’4”, 225 lb. defenseman Ryan Mantha was taken in the fourth round (104th overall). Traded from Sioux Falls to Indiana at mid-season in the United States Hockey League, Mantha is a classic stay-at-home blueliner.
“I’m a steady-eddie d-man,” said Mantha in the media room after the pick. “I try not to be flashy, be a big body and make the first pass up to the forwards and let them take care of the offense.
He is still up in the air regarding where he will lay this fall, however. “Niagara (OHL) had my rights and I’m committed to (the University of) North Dakota, so that’s coming up.
“I didn’t really have a favorite team growing up, but during the Cup (finals) I was rooting for the Rangers so this is an awesome feeling.”
Later in the same round, the Rangers selected Russian goaltender Igor Shesterkin 188th overall.
They had three picks in the fifth round led by Czech left wing Richard Nejezchleb, who arrived in North America two seasons ago to play with Brandon in the WHL where he netted 32 goals in 66 games this past year.
Their second fifth rounder was defenseman Daniel Wolcott from Blainville-Boisbriand of the Quebec League 140th overall and, two picks later, added small offensive defenseman Tyler Nanne, the grandson of Minnesota hockey icon Lou Nanne.
From Edina High School in Minnesota, Nanne played a handful of games for Sioux Falls in the USHL and is committed to Ohio State.
The Rangers did not have any sixth or seventh choices.
