When the New York Rangers convene their annual prospects development camp this week, each of their past three first-round draft picks will be in attendance.
Forwards Brennan Othmann (2021) and Gabe Perreault (2023) will join defenseman EJ Emery, whom the Rangers selected No. 30 overall in the first round of this year’s draft Friday at Sphere in Las Vegas.
Othmann is the most senior of the Rangers recent first-round draft picks. The 21-year-old forward was second with 21 goals for the Hartford Wolf Pack in the American Hockey League this past season, his first in professional hockey. His 49 points in 67 games were second most for the Wolf Pack and fourth among all AHL rookies.
The Rangers hope that Othmann stands out in this development camp and will be ready to contend for a spot on the NHL roster when training camp commences in September. He did play three games in January for the Rangers and was scoreless.
Perreault is coming off a fantastic Freshman year at Boston College, when he had 60 points (19 goals, 41 assists) in 36 games. His 1.67 points-per-game average was third best in NCAA men’s hockey, and a tick below Boston University center Macklin Celebrini (1.68), who was just selected No. 1 overall in the 2024 NHL Draft by the San Jose Sharks. Perreault was also second in the nation with 41 assists, five behind his BC teammate Will Smith, the Sharks first-round pick in 2023.
The 19-year-old forward impressed at the 2024 World Junior Championships, as well, when he helped the United States win the gold medal. Perreault was tied for third on the U.S. team and tied for sixth overall with 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in seven games.
Emery is a stay-at-home defenseman who had 16 assists (no goals) in 61 games with the U.S. National Team Development Program in 2023-24. He’s a tall, rangy and very athletic defenseman who models his game after Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller.
John Lilley, New York’s director of player personnel and amateur scouting, said that Emery must get stronger and has much to work on, emphasizing that New York will not rush the 18-year-old in his development.
Lilley also added, “his defensive game, we thought as a staff, was one of the best in the entire draft.”
Emery will play at North Dakota University beginning this Fall.
Related: Rangers make Matt Rempe-like pick in 5th round of 2024 NHL Draft
Rangers will hold prospects development camp this week
Emery will be joined at the camp by each of New York’s three other selections from this year’s draft, forwards Raoul Boilard (fourth round), Nathan Aspinall (fifth round) and Rico Gredig (sixth orund).
In all, 29 players will participate in the camp, which includes on-ice sessions Tuesday and Wednesday. There will be 18 forwards, nine defensemen and two goalies.
Brett Berard, a fifth-round pick in 2020 who led the Wolf Pack with 25 goals this past season, is among the small group of attendees, like Othmann, knocking on the door for an opportunity with the NHL team. Adam Sykora, a 19-year-old forward who was a second-round pick in 2022 and played his first pro season in 2023-24 with Hartford, is also one to keep an eye on.
Considering the success that towering forwards Matt Rempe (6-foot-8) and Adam Edstrom (6-foot-7) had this past season, all eyes will be on Aspinall (6-foot-6) and Dylan Roobroeck (6-foot-7) at this camp.
Interestingly, each goalie at development camp – Hugo Ollas and Talyn Boyko — is 6-foot-7.
On defense, Victor Mancini turned pro and impressed late in the season and during the Calder Cup Playoffs after signing an ATO with the Wolf Pack. The 22-year-old, a fifth round pick in 2022, previously starred at University of Nebraska-Omaha, and will be watched closely at this camp considering he’s older than most of the other players.
Drew Fortescue, a defenseman and 2023 third-round pick, will also be watched closely. Like Perreault, he’s a regular at Boston College and helped the U.S. win the 2024 WJC.
