Danny Wild-Imagn ImagesDrew Fortescue signing his three-year, entry-level contract in March has allowed the New York Rangers to see what they have in the young defenseman.
After three seasons playing at Boston College, Fortescue decided to make the jump to professional hockey and immediately go from the NCAA to the NHL.
Through seven games, Fortescue has seemed to adapt well to the NHL, impressing Mike Sullivan in the process.
“I've been really impressed with his puck poise, his vision,” Sullivan said of Fortescue. “He keeps the play simple, but he's not just an off-the-glass-and-out guy. He's looking to go tape-to-tape. He has the composure and the confidence to find the middle play, say, on a breakout. He doesn't just play safe hockey. He plays smart hockey. He doesn't play reckless hockey. There's a difference between those three, and I like the fact that he's trying to play smart hockey.”
Through most of his time with the Rangers thus far, Fortescue has been paired alongside Braden Schneider.
Sullivan believes that playing with a steady defenseman like Schneider benefits Fortescue, who is still finding his footing at the professional hockey level.
“Schneids is a bona fide, legit, solid NHL defenseman, who defends well,” Sullivan said. “He has good mobility. The lefty-righty combination is something that we liked. Schneids can help him as a stabilizing partner. Schneids is very predictable, you know where he is going to be, he’s in the right spots, those kinds of things, which I think is important for a young defenseman that is trying to find his way.”
The 20-year-old defenseman has recorded two assists, while averaging 14:58 minutes per game.