Welcome back.

It’s time to kick off Daily Faceoff’s second annual NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown, looking at the best all 32 teams have to offer. We’re highlighting the top 10 prospects for every franchise, their biggest strengths and weaknesses and so much more.

The criteria for being labeled a “prospect” are simple: players generally have to have played in 50 or fewer NHL games or spent more time outside of the NHL than in it last year. Skaters over 23 years old are not included, with goaltenders needing to be 25 or under.

Today, we’re looking at the New York Rangers.

There are few prospects I’ve watched more closely than Gabe Perreault.

Between his exploits with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, his dominance with Boston College or his countless other appearances donning his country’s colors, I’ve been so fascinated with him for a long time. He can clearly score; he’s a dynamic offensive threat, and he’s only getting better with each passing month.

So when the Rangers landed him 23rd overall last year, it felt like one of the biggest steals of the first round. And so far, he has looked excellent, and is truly in the upper echelon of hockey prospects right now.

But the Rangers’ pipeline goes so much deeper than that. I think Brennan Othmann is going to be a solid NHLer one day soon. EJ Emery was one of my favorite prospects in the 2024 NHL Draft. And then you’ve got a good mix of tenacity and skill all throughout the system. The Rangers might not have one of the better prospect pools in the NHL, but given they’re one of the best teams in the league, I love what they’ve managed to do on the draft floor.

The Rangers have a little bit of everything, from top-six threats, to depth options and even some solid goaltending. Who knows how many of them will be impact NHLers, especially as they keep focusing on the now, but it’s an excellent spot for the team to be in.

Biggest Strengths

This group is punishing. Matt Rempe is the obvious tough guy in the system, but they’ve got bruisers who can score, too. Othmann is the most notable, having built a reputation of looking to hit everyone in sight, and then immediately generate a high-danger scoring chance. Brett Berard and Adam Sykora love to demolish opponents, and Matthew Robertson and EJ Emery both have great size on the back end. This is a team that’s building towards becoming one of the tougher groups to play against in the NHL, and the fanbase won’t complain about that.

Biggest Weakness

For as much as I like the defenders on this list, they’re missing a true puck-moving, offensive threat. Emery scored zero goals in his draft year, and I don’t expect him to pot more than a few in any given year moving forward. Drew Fortescue was similar in his draft season, while Robertson has never been one to fire many pucks on target. With Adam Fox leading the charge in the NHL, it’s not too big of a deal, but having some extra help in the system wouldn’t hurt.

Fast Facts:
NHL GM: Chris Drury
Dir. of Amateur Scouting: John Lilley
Dir. of Player Development: Jed Ortmeyer
AHL Affiliate: Hartford Wolf Pack
ECHL Affiliate: Bloomington Bison

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

1. Gabe Perreault, RW, 19 (Boston College, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 23rd overall, first round in 2023

Perreault is going to be an absolute force in the NCAA this year. For the past three years, his chemistry with USA Hockey National Team Development Program, turned Boston College teammates Will Smith and Ryan Leonard, has been undeniable. After smashing the single-season USNTDP scoring record, he followed it up with 60 points in 36 games with Boston College and another 10 points in seven games at the World Juniors. Perreault was named to various all-star teams at the end of the college season, but his play at the World Juniors was some of the most impressive action I’ve seen him play in. Smith is headed to the NHL, and will be replaced by top 2025 NHL Draft prospect James Hagens, so the hot play should continue. Perreault is such a force with the puck, and I’m excited to see him play a big role at the World Juniors. And, yes, his skating has improved.

2. Brennan Othmann, LW, 21 (Hartford, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 16th overall, first round in 2021

I’m excited for the day when Othmann becomes a full-time NHLer. We got to see his first taste of NHL duty, playing three games without a point, but still making his presence known. Othmann had a solid 21-goal, 49-point rookie season, showing he could handle a pro workload early after taking the Peterborough Petes to the Memorial Cup in 2023. Othmann plays a hard-hitting, in-your-face game and he scores at a big enough rate that I can see him becoming a top-six NHLer one day. I love players who move like him, battle like him and score like him.

3. EJ Emery, RHD, 18 (University of North Dakota, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 30th overall, first round in 2024

*E.J. Emery (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)*

Emery was one of my favorite prospects in the 2024 NHL Draft, and I feel like he’ll end up being one of the best value picks. He’s big, shoots right and is so strong defensively – sound good? Emery skates well for a 6-foot-3 defender and does a tremendous job of cutting off angles, even on the bigger ice in international tournaments. In terms of pure defensive play, I don’t know if there’s a better option in this draft, and someone I could see a team trading up or down to get just because he has the makings of a rocksteady, top-four option. The North Dakota commit isn’t too active on the scoresheet, but you can pair him with someone who is and he’ll be the rock that keeps things calm.

4. Brett Berard, LW, 21 (Hartford, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 134th overall, fifth round in 2020

Berard hasn’t let his small 5-foot-9 frame slow him down. He had a fantastic first season with Hartford, scoring 25 goals and 48 points in 71 games as one of the more impressive rookies in the AHL. He had a strong run at Providence College, but it truly felt like he was gunning for more of an energy role in the NHL. The fact he produced as well as he did has to be promising for the Rangers. I love how aggressive he gets and he’s not afraid of anyone, which is a good thing if you’re going to be a bottom-six player who relies on a non-stop motor to make noise. High octane, all the time. I love it.

5. Adam Sýkora, LW, 19 (Hartford, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 63rd overall, second round in 2022

Sýkora made the move to North America this past season, putting up a respectable eight goals and 23 points in 66 games. He has quite a bit of pro experience between playing in Slovakia and in the AHL, which makes him quite unique at his age. Next season will be all about elevating his game offensively, given that instead of dominating against his own age group, he has often found himself playing deeper in lineups and developing quite the punishing physical game. I don’t expect Sýkora to be much of a producer in the NHL, but his work ethic is fantastic and he rarely loses 1-on-1 battles along the boards. He makes his teammates better because they feed off his energy.

6. Dylan Garand, G, 22 (Hartford, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 103rd overall, fourth round in 2020

*Dylan Garand (Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY Sports)*

Garand has two years under his belt in the AHL, showing some improvement with the Wolf Pack in 2023-24. He had a 16-17-5 record with two shutouts and a .898 save percentage and then proceeded to play some of his best hockey during the playoffs for the second consecutive season. At 6-foot-1, Garand isn’t big, but he’s so competitive and is quite mobile in his crease. Garand allows too many high shots for my liking, though, partly due to his smaller frame. He needs to find a way to be a bit more consistent, but when he’s really on his game, Garand can absolutely dominate out there. We’ll see if Garand becomes a backup one day, but there’s still some room to work with.

7. Drew Fortescue, LHD, 19 (Boston College, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 90th overall, third round in 2023

Given where he was selected, I think Fortescue could end up giving the Rangers some good value. He has very little offensive ability, although I do think he showed a bit more of that in 2023-24 than we’ve seen in the past. Fortescue is fantastic in transition and makes smart, quick decisions with the puck, but isn’t spectacular in anything, specifically. Still, his rounded play will make him a solid long-term option for the Rangers as long as he keeps growing with BC, but he’s still a long-term project.

8. Matthew Robertson, LHD, 23 (Hartford, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 49th overall, second round in 2019

Robertson’s development path has been a long one, and after three years in the AHL, you have to wonder if he’s ever going to make the step up to the NHL. There has never really been a clear path forward for Robertson, who has had to deal with quite a bit of defensive depth in front of him to get to this point. But at 6-foot-4, he has good size and moves well, too, enough so that I still see some bottom-pairing potential. I’m not sure Robertson is rounded enough to be an everyday player, so this year will be big for seeing whether or not Robertson is worth continuing to invest resources in.

9. Bryce McConnell-Barker, C, 20 (Hartford, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 97th overall, third round in 2022

*Bryce McConnell-Barker (Natalie Shaver/OHL Images)*

BMB was a consistent, yet unspectacular producer in the OHL, with his best output being his 30-goal, 77-point season in 2022-23 as Soo’s captain. It felt like any time I watched him play, he was quiet on the scoresheet, but good off of it – especially defensively. And that feels like it’ll be his bread and butter at the next level, giving a full 200-foot commitment no matter what. McConnell-Barker showed some of that during his four AHL playoff games, playing limited minutes against Providence and Hershey. I think BMC’s lack of high-end production won’t help him at the next level, but he’s strong and plays a detailed, measured game that makes him a popular player with coaches.

10. Matt Rempe, RW, 22 (New York Rangers)

Acquired: Drafted 165th overall, sixth round in 2020

Given the massive impact Rempe made on social media with his arrival, it’s somewhat hard to believe he only played 17 NHL games last year. He quickly made himself a fan favorite, taking on anyone willing to drop the gloves with him at any time. At 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, and almost always sporting a black eye, Rempe is an absolute menace out there, and there will be a point where his allure starts to die down and players are less willing to drop the gloves with him. But the Rangers seemed to play better with Rempe’s energy in the lineup. As long as he continues to be one of the more terrifying players in the league, he’ll stay in the lineup. I do hope he learns to do a bit more with the puck so that his size doesn’t completely go to waste, though.

Other prospects: Jaroslav Chmelar, RW (21), Kalle Vaisanen, LW (21), Ryder Korczak, C (21), Dylan Roobroeck, C (20), Adam Edstrom, C (23), Karl Henriksson, C (23), Nathan Aspinall, LW (18), Raoul Boilard, C (18), Rico Gredig, LW (19), Ty Henricks, LW (19), Zakary Karpa, C (22), Noah Laba, C (20), Brody Lamb, LW (20), Rasmus Larsson, LHD (20), Hank Kempf, LHD (22), Victor Mancini, RHD (22), Hugo Ollas, G (22), Talyn Boyko, G (21)