Coming Soon: Closer look at the NY Rangers top prospects

By Forever Blueshirts Contributor

·Updated: August 23, 2024

By Randy Sportak

The future is now for the New York Rangers.

Last season’s Presidents’ Trophy winners, who were ousted by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final, fully intend to be in the hunt for the crown in the coming campaign.

That said, the Rangers have managed to focus on the future with a prospects pool light on depth, but they are still boasting skaters destined to make their mark at Madison Square Garden or become trade chips for a Cup run.

Here is a look at the top five prospects in the system right now.

New York Rangers’ top prospects feature an exciting bunch

Gabe Perreault: The 23rd overall pick in the 2023 draft, is headed to Boston College for his second — and most likely final — season in the NCAA ranks. After racking up 60 points in 36 college games as a freshman last season, Perreault will be counted on to take an even bigger leadership role on top of using his outstanding playmaking ability. He is also expected to lead Team USA at the world junior tournament. It will surprise nobody if Perreault signs as soon as his NCAA season ends and joins the Rangers down the stretch.

Brennan Othmann: Othmann is the most likely prospect to make a mark with the Rangers this season. Having netted 21 goals and 49 points as a rookie with the AHL Hartford Wolf Pack, he received a taste of the big league with a three-game stint in January. The 16th overall pick in 2021, Othmann has shown a goal-scorer’s touch, both with his shot and deflection skills. His willingness to mix it up helps, too.

E.J. Emery: The 30th overall pick in this year’s draft will not wow with offensive flair, but that is not why the Rangers jumped at the opportunity to select the 6-foot-3 defenseman. Emery is headed to the University of North Dakota after two full seasons with the U.S. National Development Team, and it will be a perfect spot for him to develop physically as well as his game en route to becoming a solid, shut-down blueliner.

Brett Berard: For any team to succeed, they must find a later-round draftee who bucks the odds and makes his mark. The Rangers may very well have found one in Berard, the 134th pick in 2020. Size is the biggest question mark for the 5-foot-9 forward, but Berard plays with plenty of moxie and tenacity. Last season, his netted 25 goals (second among AHL rookies) and 48 points in 71 games. A summons this season may be in the cards, with a shot at a bigger opportunity in 2025-26.

Adam Sykora: Patience will be key in his development, but in some ways Sykora is already ahead of the curve. The second-round pick (63rd overall) in 2022, Sykora will celebrate his 20th birthday in September, but already has a full AHL season under his belt. Despite being one of the youngest players in the league, the left winger netted eight goals and 23 points in 66 games, while displaying a fearlessness that belies his smaller stature. An NHL stint may not be in the cards this season, but Sykora will be counted on to become a bigger part of the farm team.