Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports
John Moore is a young defenseman that the New York Rangers acquired last season at the NHL trade deadline.
With Moore went center Derrick Brassard and 4th line enforcer Derek Dorsett from the Columbus Blue Jackets to the Rangers in exchange for All-Star forward Marian Gaborik, who wanted out because of feuds with now ex-Rangers head coach John Tortorella.
What the Rangers organization and fans noticed right away about Moore is that he is a very fast skater for a defenseman, a very good passer, and can be solid on the power play when given the opportunity.
Moore was even being compared, by the Rangers organization and others around the league, to defenseman teammate Ryan McDonagh (who is not only becoming the Rangers’ best defenseman but is quickly becoming one of the top defenseman in the NHL) in how similar these two play and even look. And with Rangers’ new head coach Alain Vigneault, Moore should look even better on the offensive side of his game. So I guess it looks as if the Rangers have a McDonagh clone on their hands, and that’s something that every team in the league would kill for.
However, with Moore being only 22 years old and being such a good skater for a defenseman – which is very needed in today’s NHL as the players are getting stronger and faster by the year – one would have to question why the Blue Jackets would give up on him so early?
I mean I know you have to give something to get something, but to trade a 22 year old defenseman, with supposedly enough talent and speed to hang around the NHL for a very long time, for a 31 year old scoring winger one year removed from shoulder surgery that is always injured in Gaborik? It just leaves me to wonder.
A lot of times teams do give up on young players way too early so I guess this could be just another one of those cases. Either that or the Jackets think Moore has holes in his defensive game and teams will start to expose that soon enough so they just dumped him on the Rangers.
Not saying Moore is overrated or a bad player, because it is way too early in his career to even suggest that. He still has a lot of learning to do, but this I believe is just something Rangers’ fans have to ponder during this upcoming season when looking a Moore’s development in 2013-14.
Steven Carollo is a New York Rangers’ and sports writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter, like him on Facebook, connect with him on LinkedIn, and join his Google network.
Related Links:
Why New York Rangers Cannot Depend On Marc Staal In 2013-14
New York Rangers: Can Brad Richards Bounce Back With New Coach?
