As Rod Stewart sings in “Maggie May,” his 1971 hit song, “It’s late September and I really should be back at school.” With the seasons changing from summer to fall, hockey is back both at the professional level and in the collegiate ranks of the NCAA. The New York Rangers are in the midst of their second training camp under coach Peter Laviolette, though several of key their prospects are on campuses preparing to chase the national championship.
Two of general manager Chris Drury’s picks in the 2023 NHL Draft are sophomores at Boston College. First-round pick Gabe Perreault and defenseman Drew Fortescue, a third-round selection, played prominent roles for the Eagles last season, when BC finished 34-6-1 but lost to Denver University in the NCAA Championship Game.
Perreault was named a CCM/ACHA Second Team All-America and Hockey East Second-Team All-Star and New England All-Star after his freshman season. The 19-year-old forward finished second in Division I in assists with 41 and tied for fourth in points with 60. He posted a plus-24 rating and had at least one point in 30 of the 36 games he played. Perreault also had 10 points in seven games to help the United States win the gold medal at the 2024 World Junior Championship.
Perreault is not big (5-foot-11, 165 pounds) but he’s expected to add size and strength as he matures. USA Hockey executive, and former Rangers goalie, John Vanbiesbrouck told Forever Blueshirts recently that he’s unconcerned about Perreault’s size.
“People may say they’re not so sure about him. I’m pretty sure about him,” Vanbiesbrouck said.
Part of the reason for that lack of concern is because of Perreault’s hockey IQ. Many hockey people point to Perreault, the son of longtime NHL center Yanic Perreault, as being a step or two ahead of most other players in how well he reads plays and anticipates opportunities.
There’s a good chance he’ll sign his entry-level contract after his sophomore season with BC. But for now Perreault is focused on trying to capture an NCAA title and helping the United States win the 2025 WJC.
“Just focused on having another big year at school … hopefully win the national championship and then when that times I’ll probably discuss it with my family, my agent, obviously the Rangers see where they think I’m at, see where I think I’m at and make a decision from there,” Perreault said at Rangers development camp in July.
Fortsecue skated in 40 games for Boston College during his freshman season in 2023-24, posting a plus-13 rating and blocking 31 shots. He scored four goals and had four assists for eight points, numbers that could improve dramatically if he is given more power-play time during his sophomore season.
Fortescue joined Perreault in helping the United States win the gold medal at the 2024 WJC, finishing with one goal and three assists for four points in seven games. He was often tasked with shutting down the opposition’s top offensive players while skating on the top defensive pair for the U.S. Fortescue is expected to fill the same role again in the 2025 tournament, when the U.S. will be favored to repeat as champions. Similar to Perreault, Fortescue will have to make a decision in the spring about whether to turn pro or continue his development at the collegiate level.
Boston College was picked to finish first in Hockey East in 2024-25 by the league’s coaches, receiving nine first-place votes in the Preseason Coaches’ Poll released by the league office.
The Eagles are coming off a season in which they won their 18th Hockey East regular-season title and 12th Hockey East Tournament Championship. In the U.S. College Hockey Online Division I Men’s Preseason Poll released Sept. 23, BC was ranked second, receiving six first-place votes. BC begins its season with two games at Michigan State on Oct. 11-12. Its Hockey East schedule begins Nov. 8 against Maine.
E.J. Emery among other Rangers prospects chasing NCAA title this season
Two other teams with Rangers prospects who could be in the mix for the NCAA Frozen Four are out west competing in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. New York’s most recent top pick, EJ Emery, will become a trailblazer when he plays for the University of North Dakota this fall. The 18-year-old defenseman from Surrey, British Columbia, a dual citizen of Canada and the United States, will become North Dakota’s first Black player since Akil Adams during the 1993-94 season.
Emery said being selected by the Rangers in the draft this year was one of the best outcomes he could have hoped for. He, and many scouts, say his game is similar to that of K’Andre Miller, the current Rangers defenseman and a fellow alumnus of the U.S. National Team Development Program.
“I would say I’m really good at being a lockdown guy, someone who can shut down plays, get the puck up the ice and make plays.” Emery said at the draft. “I model my game after K’Andre Miller, so I’m not complaining about wearing this jersey.”
When discussing his choice to commit to North Dakota, Emery stated, “The coaches and the fans, and obviously the team, made me feel at home and I know they’re going to look out for me. I felt safe there. It’s the best option.”
Emery had 16 assists in 61 games with the USNTDP to go with an excellent plus-34 rating last season. At the U-18 World Championships, he added another six assists in seven games and was plus-15.
When speaking with The Rink Live, USNTDP U18 coach Nick Fohr had this to say about Emery: “E.J. played his best hockey at the end of the year, and when you look at how he played at the U18 World Championships, that’s the type of play you’re going to get from E.J. Emery in his future. He’s such a smart kid, he’s long, he skates really well and his ability to recover is off the charts, and that’s such a valuable trait in a defenseman. I challenged him to be the best defender in the draft this year, and it’s tough to say because I haven’t seen every kid obviously, but I would argue he’s right up there at the top and he’s gonna make some team really happy.”
Rangers director of player personnel and amateur scouting John Lilley said the team thought Emery’s defensive game was the best in the draft class.
“He ends plays and, to me, he’s an elite defender,” Lilley said. “He’s a guy we had high on our list, and we’re excited to get him. EJ is very a talented young man. He’s raw, very athletic, just starting to come into his own.”
North Dakota was 26-12-2 last season. The Fighting Hawks were picked second in the NCHC Preseason Media Poll, receiving four first-place votes and 241 points, while coming in No. 5 in the USCHO.com Division I Men’s Preseason Poll.
They will host Augustana University in an exhibition game on Oct. 5, and will take on Providence College in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game on Oct. 12. North Dakota is the reigning Penrose Cup champion after finishing first in the NCHC during the regular season with a 15-8-1 record. The Fighting Hawks bring back a pair of Preseason All-NCHC players in senior forward Cameron Berg and sophomore defenseman Jake Livanavage.
Colorado College was third in this year’s NCHC Preseason Poll, its highest spot in the conference’s 12-year history. The Tigers finished fourth in the NCHC last season, their best showing in the conference, and return First-Team All-NCHC selections in junior forward Noah Laba, a fourth-round selection by the Rangers in the 2022 draft.
An argument can be made that Laba should be ranked as the top center prospect in the Rangers organization following a breakout sophomore season with Colorado College, when he scored 20 goals and added 17 assists for 37 points in 36 games. The 6-foot-2, 192-pounder was regularly featured on the top line for the Tigers, and had 362 face-off wins in 634 draws taken for a 57 percent winning percentage.
Laba earned Second-Team All-America honors last season and was named the NCHC Defensive Player of the Year as well as the winner of the Three Stars Award. Despite a strong push by the Rangers to sign Laba to an entry-level contract this spring, the 20-year-old elected to return to college for his junior season.
“They wanted me there and in a way, obviously I want to move on and be there too. But I just felt like my time here at CC wasn’t done, there’s more for me to do, more for me and the team to accomplish,” Laba said. “That went into the decision. I’m really happy with it and (the Rangers) obviously fully supported my decision.”
Expectations will be high for the Tigers, who had their best season since 2010-11 with 21 wins, though they fell just short of qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. But that isn’t something Laba is worried about.
“I think we gotta look at it as not pressure but an opportunity. We’re not worried about what happened last year or the year before. It’s a whole other team and we’re going to treat it as such and we’re going to prepare for each game like we have the past few years,” Laba said. “We’re going to work for the result. Obviously, it’s the process that matters so just sticking to that is important.”
Colorado College will play an exhibition against Briercrest College on Oct. 5 before Northern Michigan comes to Ed Robson Arena on Oct. 11-12. The Tigers were ranked No. 11 in the USCHO.com Division I Men’s Preseason Poll.
Several other Rangers prospects to play in NCAA this season
Another big body — listed 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds — Ty Henricks was selected by the Rangers in the sixth round of the 2023 draft. The native of Mission Viejo, California, is committed to Western Michigan University, which was voted No. 6 in the NCHC preseason poll. Henricks scored 17 goals and added 15 assists for 32 points in 60 games for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL last season. He added one goal in eight playoff games.
The Rangers will allow Henricks to develop at his own pace, since they hold his NHL signing rights until Aug. 15, 2029.
Western Michigan finished 21-16-1 in 2023-24 and is No. 17 in the USCHO.com Division I Men’s Preseason Poll. The Broncos play an exhibition against the USNTDP on Oct. 5 before Ferris State comes to Lawson Arena on Oct. 11.
One player who could be signed to his entry-level contract at the completion of his college season is versatile forward Brody Lamb of the University of Minnesota. Lamb has skated on both wings and at center, and he’s played up and down the lineup. He appeared in all 39 games during his sophomore year for the Golden Gophers last season, setting career highs in goals (12), assists (15), and points (27).
Minnesota was 23-11-5 and lost to Boston University in the Sioux Falls Regional Final. The Golden Gophers were chosen to finish second in the Big Ten Conference Preseason Poll.
Minnesota is sixth in the USCHO.com Division I Men’s Preseason Poll and will begin its season on Oct. 5 against St. Cloud State.
Hank Kempf, a 6-foot-2 left-shot defensemen is heading into his senior season at Cornell University, after being named as an alternate captain for the Big Red. A seventh-round selection in the 2021 draft, Kempf is known more for his shutdown defense than for producing offense; he has two goals and 16 assists for 18 points in 98 NCAA games during his three seasons with Cornell. Kempf blocked a team-high 59 shots last season, registering at least one block in 26 games.
Off the ice, Kempf was a finalist for the 2024 Hockey Humanitarian Award for his work within the Cornell and Ithaca, New York, communities. He was also a finalist for the ECAC Hockey’s Defensive Defenseman Award.
The Rangers hold his signing rights through next summer, though it’s very possible the 22-year-old goes unsigned.
Cornell finished 22-7-6 in 2023-24, won the ECAC conference tournament and defeated Maine in the NCAA Tournament before losing to Denver, the eventual NCAA champion, 2-1 in double overtime in the Springfield Regional final. The team received two first-place votes in the USCHO.com Division I Men’s Preseason Poll to come in at No. 9 and were voted to the top spot in the ECAC Hockey Men’s Preseason Poll. League coaches have predicted Cornell to lead the conference this season, receiving 10 of 12 first-place votes. The Big Red have a scrimmage against Princeton scheduled for Oct. 19, with an exhibition against the University of Toronto on Oct. 26 before North Dakota visits Lynah Rink on Nov. 1-2.
Also in the ECAC is 2022 sixth-round pick Zakary Karpa, who was captain at Harvard University as a junior last season, scoring four goals and adding four assists for eight points in 31 games. One of the strengths of his game is at the face-off dot, where Karpa won 299 of 576 face-offs for a 51.9 winning percentage. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound left-shot center could provide solid AHL depth for Hartford if he’s signed once his collegiate career comes to an end.
Harvard was 7-19-6 last season. The Crimson will play an exhibition game against the USNTDP on Oct. 18 and a scrimmage against Boston University on Oct. 19. ECAC play begins against Dartmouth on Nov. 1.
Rounding out the Rangers’ NCAA prospects is defenseman Rasmus Larsson of Northern Michigan, which competes in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. The Wildcats were 12-16-6 last season and are picked to place ninth in the CCHA by the coaches and eighth by the media in the preseason conference polls.
Chosen in the fifth round of the 2023 draft, Larsson is a 6-foot-3 left-shot blueliner who has been described as a sturdy, puck-moving defenseman with an accurate shot and plenty of natural athleticism. He scored four goals and had 13 assists for 17 points in 59 regular-season games for the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL last season. He was second in assists and points, and third in goals among defensemen on the team. His eight penalty minutes were the fewest among Green Bay skaters to have appeared in at least 20 games.
Northern Michigan plays an exhibition against Michigan Tech on Oct. 5 before visiting Colorado College on Oct. 11 and 12.
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