New York Rangers prospect gives up on NHL dream and leaves North America
New York Rangers prospect Karl Henriksson has reportedly given up on NHL dream and left North America. Henriksson has signed a deal to play in the SHL.
When the New York Rangers drafted Karl Henriksson in the second round they had very high hopes for him. Henriksson was selected 58th overall in the 2019 NHL Draft from Frolunda of the Swedish Junior League. The crafty center appeared to possess all the skills needed to be an NHL player.
After scoring 13 goals and 49 points in his draft year it seemed like things were trending upwards for the prospect. Four years later Henriksson made the trip to North America joining the Hartford Wolfpack of the AHL. Henriksson played two seasons in the AHL playing in 134 games where he scored 18 goals and 40 total points.
While never given an NHL opportunity some fans felt Henriksson wasn't far from an NHL chance. It now appears that he'll never get the opportunity as he's made the decision to leave North America and sign in the Swedish Hockey League.
There were high hopes for the 2019 second-round pick, but the offensive side of his game never quite clicked. Only 40P in 134 career AHL games.
Despite their recent success this announcement comes as no surprise to many. For years the Rangers have struggled to effectively draft players, while somehow doing an even worse job at development. It will be interesting to see if the Rangers are able to change that going forward, because if they plan on contending for an extended period of time they will eventually need to hit on some draft picks.
| POLL | ||
What is the New York Rangers biggest need for next season? | ||
| Scoring | 65 | 32.3 % |
| Defense | 67 | 33.3 % |
| Coaching | 29 | 14.4 % |
| Other | 40 | 19.9 % |
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