Playing for the Contract

It is the one area that Prospect Park does not talk about during the season but it is in fact the silent truth. That "truth" is the goal of each prospect otherwise known as a contract with the Rangers.

For some like Ryan Hillier of the Halifax Mooseheads it is almost a given that Hillier will be offered a contract by the Rangers. The 2006 3rd round pick is having perhaps his best season of his junior career and Sunday was just another example of just how far he has come.

On Sunday Hillier's 18th goal of the season was also the game winner as the Mooseheads shut out the Baie-Comeau Drakkar 4-0 in QMJHL action. Hillier also added an assist to give Hillier an impressive 18-17-35 +11 in just 28 games.

Hillier is making a very strong case to be added to Team Canada with his solid 2 way play.

Another player who is trying to earn a contract is David Skokan of the Rimouski Oceanic. The 2007 7th Round Pick of the Rangers is more of a long shot to earn a contract from the Rangers but Skokan is doing his best to try to get one.

For starters, Skokan is currently on a 8 game scoring streak after netting his 7th goal of the season as his Oceanic shut out the Quebec Remparts 4-0. It was a very solid all around game for Skokan as Skokan was 6-6 on faceoffs, a +1 for the game, and had 3 "good" hits.

Skokan is now 7-14-21 for the season and is showing more offense than anyone really expected from this mainly defensive minded player.

Billy Ryan of Maine was the Ranger's 3rd round pick in the 2004 Entry draft. Ryan is a senior this season as he too is trying to earn a contract from the Rangers.

In Ryan's case the Rangers are going to have a hard time trying to figure out what his potential really is. Ryan has struggled with injuries which hindered his ability to work on his game during the off-season.

When Ryan was finally able to have a strong off-season, he had the bad luck on being a senior on a rebuilding Maine team. It has been frustrating for a player who was one of the three that were predicted to have a break out season.

Ryan had 2 assists in Maine's 5-5 overtime tie with Vermont. Ryan was also a +3 and for the season is now 2-4-6 on the season.

Bobby Sanguinetti is the lucky one as the 2006 first round pick already is signed by the Rangers so his goal is to follow Marc Staal and make the jump directly to the NHL from the OHL. His numbers for the year make a strong case but not on Sunday as Sanguinetti was held scoreless as his Brampton Battalion lost to John Tavares and the Oshawa Generals 3-1.

Danny Hobbs of the Ohio Junior Bluejackets has quite a while before he really has to worry about his Ranger contract. The second 2007 7th round draft pick will spend this season in the USHL and then is heading to play for UMass-Amherst which will cover him for the next 4 years after it.

Today Hobbs was scoreless as his Junior Bluejackets lost in overtime to Lyon Messier's Lincoln Stars 4-3.