The New York Rangers are in win-now mode. While their prospect pool isn't quite as deep as years past and their defense has seen better days, new contributors on top of a high-powered offense could be the Rangers' keys to success, writes Tony Ferrari.
The New York Rangers are in win-now mode. While their prospect pool isn't quite as deep as years past and their defense has seen better days, new contributors on top of a high-powered offense could be the Rangers' keys to success, writes Tony Ferrari.
As the NHL off-season ticks on, Tony Ferrari continues to analyze each team’s prospect pool, with the New York Rangers next up.
In this series, Tony Ferrari digs into each team’s strengths and weaknesses, their latest draft class, where their positional depth chart stands, and who could be next in line for a shot at the NHL. Note that a player who no longer holds rookie eligibility in the NHL is considered graduated and no longer considered a prospect for the purposes of these exercises unless mentioned otherwise.
Introduction
The Rangers’ prospect pool has been quite strong in recent years and although Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere haven’t panned out exactly as planned, the 2019 second-overall pick and 2020 first-overall pick are still young enough and talented enough to get their games back to where we all expected them to be. New York is in win-now mode and their prospect pool should be able to help them out as some of the young talent is ready to jump into the NHL lineup.
Brennan Othmann is likely going to be joining the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL this upcoming season after a successful OHL career. The super pest prospect may be closer to the NHL than some would assume as he has already shown that he’s ready and willing to play a physical game while still possessing the offensive skill and creativity that could make him a top-six winger. Othmann is the kind of player that will score on you and then laugh in your face to get under your skin. He needs to toe the line as a pro but he’s done a pretty good job at the junior level.
After playing in Slovak men’s leagues for a couple of years, Adam Sykora joined the Rangers’ AHL affiliate in Hartford to finish last season. He will be back with the club this upcoming season and look to make an impact with his speed, work rate, and feisty approach to the game. Sykora is willing to run around and throw hits when he doesn’t have the puck and his offensive game is built upon the same principles of hard work and high-paced play. Sykora is an excellent playmaker and accurate shooter. He has all of the makings of a top-six forward who does it all for a team.
Will Cuylle had a fantastic year in the AHL, putting up 25 goals and 45 points with a short stint in the NHL to get a taste of the action. A physical presence with a heavy shot, Cuylle seems to have re-found the form he had as a young player in the OHL. He still chases a big hit once in a while and he needs to continue improving his shot choices, but the development of his game has been a big win for the Rangers. Continuing to improve the offensive threat and maintaining the physicality that he developed will get him an extended look in the NHL this season.
Bryce McConnell-Barker had a good year in the OHL, improving his offensive game while still maintaining his understanding of the off-puck game. BMB is excellent away from the puck, being in the right spot to break up and intercept passes in the defensive zone or disrupting transition. His shot is good but McConnell-Barker showed a crispness as a playmaker this past season. His offensive upside may not be as high as some others but he could be a very solid third-line pivot at the NHL level.
Ryder Korczak will be making the jump to the AHL full-time this year, looking to bring his puck handling and finesse passing ability to the next level. Swedish center Karl Henriksson is going to need to take a big step this season after a disappointing rookie year. Lauri Pajuniemi and Bobby Trivigno will look to build off their solid AHL starts and could see a cup of coffee in the NHL this upcoming season.
On the back end, Zac Jones leads the way. He has played in at least ten but no more than 16 games in each of the last three seasons but he has yet to establish himself in the lineup. His AHL play has been impressive. He will be in a competition for a role in the NHL in training camp but it was made more difficult because of some offseason signings. He excelled at breaking the puck out of the zone and creating with the puck on his stick.
Matthew Robertson has developed nicely in Hartford, growing his role offensively while refining his defensive game. The 22-year-old brings a physical presence to the game, looking to thwart opposing offensive chances as soon as they are in the zone. He deals with forechecks well and quickly makes his passes so that he isn’t left in no man’s land with the puck. He should be an effective penalty killer at the next level too.
Dylan Garand is a solid goalie prospect who improved as the year went on. He had five games in which he allowed five or more goals but he also had three shutouts and three other games in which he allowed no goals in relief. Garand isn’t going to be rushed because the Rangers have Igor Shesterkin but they could have a solid backup to alleviate Shesty’s load in a couple of years.
2023 NHL Draft Class
Round 1, 23rd overall - Gabriel Perreault, RW, U.S. NTDP (USHL)
Round 3, 90th overall - Drew Fortescue, LD, U.S. NTDP (USHL)
Round 5, 152nd overall - Rasmus Larsson, LD, Vasteras J20 (Sweden Jr.)
Round 6, 178th overall - Dylan Roobroeck, LW, Oshawa (OHL)
Round 6, 183rd overall - Ty Henricks, LW, Muskegon (USHL)
The Rangers nabbed the ultimate play connector of the 2023 draft class in Gabe Perreault. While he isn’t a line driver on his own, he is an excellent complimentary player who can play a variety of roles from a transition bumper to an offensive zone finisher. Perreault’s biggest weakness is his skating but he understands how to ramp up the pace with his instinctual passing. He has a very good shot that he can use from a distance or in tight, with a quick release and a number of shooting variations based on puck position. There is a lot Perreault can do to make a line better.
Perreault’s NTDP teammate was the Rangers' next pick, snagging Drew Fortescue. The blueliner is good at many things but doesn’t really have a standout trait. His defensive game is solid, understanding how to keep opponents to the outside and he is a capable breakout passer who is mobile enough to skate with the puck when needed. The New York native grew up an Islanders fan but his allegiances are with the boys in Madison Square Garden now.
Rasmus Larsson was drafted as a 19-year-old after a big season in the Swedish junior league, where he put up 34 points from the back end, including 16 goals. The 6-foot-3 defender is heading to Northern Michigan University for the 2024-25 season, which will give him ample time to develop. The Rangers are hoping the offensive explosion and projectable frame are worthwhile investments.
The Rangers invested in size and physicality when they drafted Dylan Roobroeck in the sixth round. He is a good passer and can find teammates in transition or in the offensive zone effectively, but he lacks the skating ability or pace to keep up at the OHL level at times, so there are concerns about his game as the speed and pace ramp up at the pro level. Swinging on a 6-foot-7 winger this late in the draft is an approach many teams have.
Their last pick, Ty Henricks, is along the same lines as the Roobroeck pick. A late swing on a big player who plays with an edge. Henricks’ tools are a step ahead of Roobroeck’s, and he is almost a full year younger. It will be interesting to see how these two late-round bruisers pan out.
Strengths
The Rangers have plenty of scoring wingers that bring a nice blend of physicality and offensive ability. Othmann and Sykora on the same team could cause headaches for opposing defenders because they have the ability to run around the offensive zone, creating scoring chances as well as getting under their skin. Cuylle will punish players all over the ice, using his big frame to impose his will. Newly drafted Gabe Perreault has the highest offensive upside of the group and could be a fixture in the top six, taking advantage of the attention that players like Othmann or Sykora draw. The Rangers’ pipeline isn’t as strong as it was when the retool began, but they are still reaping the benefits.
Weaknesses
The Rangers have players at just about every position, but their defensive depth on the right side isn’t nearly as strong as the left. Ty Emberson is a solid prospect, but he hasn’t really pushed for an NHL job, and at 23 years old, he may be near the end of the run as a prospect. Victor Mancini is a solid NCAA defender but isn’t pushing for an NHL job in the next couple of years, either. They need to look at adding a right-shot defender to their prospect pool going forward because they have ample depth on the left side.
Next Man Up: Brennan Othmann, LW
With the Rangers looking to contend for a title, the roster is already almost set, but a great performance in training camp could mean that there is a shake-up. Othmann has all of the makings of a player that can make the jump from junior to the NHL, playing initially in a depth role and earning his ice in the bottom six and slowly working his way up the lineup if given the opportunity. Othmann’s attitude and adoration for annoying his opponents could add a new element to the Rangers’ lineup. If he can play well in camp, outplay the veterans who seem to have roster spots already, and toe the line without crossing it, Othmann could be one of the most intriguing rookies in the NHL next year.
Prospect Depth Chart Notables
LW: Brennan Othmann, Adam Sykora, Will Cuylle, Brett Berard, Bobby Trivigno
C: Ryder Korczak, Karl Henriksson, Bryce McConnell-Barker, Adam Edstrom
RW: Gabriel Perreault, Lauri Pajuniemi, Leevi Aaltonen, Brody Lamb
LD: Zac Jones, Matthew Robertson, Drew Fortescue
RD: Ty Emberson, Victor Mancini
G: Dylan Garand, Talyn Boyko, Hugo Ollas, Olof Lindbom
For a deeper dive into the prospect pool with player rankings, check out the Yearbook, Prospects Unlimited and Future Watch editions of The Hockey News.