NY Rangers 2024 prospect rankings: Part 2, Nos. 1-5

Now that we've revealed the prospects ranked Nos. 6-10 in the New York Rangers ' system, it's time to turn our attention to the coveted top five. These are the young players who garnered the highest levels of respect and admiration among the scouts, coaches, executives and other various sources we informally polled this summer, with the end goal of producing a list that blends skill, production, upside and likelihood to impact the NHL roster.

The consensus around the hockey world is that the Blueshirts' pipeline ranks in the middle of the pack. Almost all the key players from the rebuild years have either graduated or flamed out, and the recent infusion of talent hasn't been enough to keep pace with the league's best prospect pools. That's largely due to multiple years of dealing away picks for trade-deadline rentals, with team president Chris Drury's win-now moves coming at the cost of draft capital.

Rangers 2024 prospect rankings: Part 1, Nos. 6-10

After using 35 total picks in a four-year span from 2018-21, the Rangers only made 15 in the last three drafts combined. None of those selections came higher than No. 23 overall, with the franchise's recent success pushing their picks into the later portion of each round. That's left the system somewhat depleted, with the biggest voids coming at center and on defense.

It's the price teams often pay for winning, but that doesn't mean New York is void of intriguing young talents. The top-three prospects in these rankings, in particular, form a tier that most scouts believe will become valuable lineup regulars in the coming seasons. There's a bit of a drop-off from there, with Nos. 4-7 forming a Tier 2 of sorts − likely role players who still have to prove they can overcome perceived shortcomings. After that, there were nine or 10 players who came up in conversations about who should round out the top 10. Count forwards Jaroslav Chmelař, Adam Edström, Noah Laba and Dylan Roobroeck, defensemen Rasmus Larsson and Victor Mancini and goalie Hugo Ollas among those who just missed this year's cut, but they fall into a similar category with the prospects we ranked 8-10 (Bryce McConnell-Barker, Raoul Boilard and Matt Rempe) − clear strengths and things to like, but also holes in their game that call their staying power into question.

The beauty of this list is that it's subjective, with ample room for prospects to change their outlook and prove us wrong. But in the process of putting the rankings together, we did our best to pull the curtain back and find out where each player stands in his development. The result is the analysis you're about to read.

Let's countdown the top five...

5. Adam Sýkora

Position: Left wing

Size: 5-foot-11, 192 pounds

Draft spot: 2022 second round (63rd overall)

2023-24 team: Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL)

2023-24 stats: 23 points (8G and 15A) with a minus-two rating in 66 games

Analysis – It’s not a matter of if the enthusiastic Slovak will get an NHL opportunity; it’s a matter of when.

Sýkora brings the speed, forecheck and defense teams crave in their bottom six, which is why scouts widely believe he’ll carve out a niche. Coaches love the way he attacks the hustle elements of the game, with interim Hartford coach Steve Smith affectionately calling him “the energy bunny.”

“I don’t think he has a mean bone in his body,” Smith added, “but he sure plays hard every chance he gets.”

As a 19-year-old last season, Sýkora was among the youngest players in the AHL, but he wasn’t shy about mixing it up with older opponents. The Wolf Pack used him in all situations, with penalty killing a specific area where he’s expected to contribute whenever he arrives at the next level. He’ll go into the corners, protect the high-danger areas and fearlessly block shots, all with a smile on his face. It helps that he’s added about 20 pounds of muscle since being drafted two years ago, all while consistently testing as one of the fastest skaters in New York’s system.

A limited offensive toolbox kept Sýkora from landing higher on this list. He’s not a great playmaker or puck-handler and has been open about needing to improve a modest left-handed shot. His best chance at collecting points comes when he chases greasy goals in the net-front area – and the good news is he’s brave and determined enough to get there.

Those shortcomings may prevent him from ever cracking the top six, but there certainly should be a place for him to buzz around in future lineup projections. He could speed up his ETA with a strong first half with Hartford, but the likely target date looks to be the 2025-26 season.

“He came into a new country, new cultures, and he got better as the year went on,” said Rangers director of player development Jed Ortmeyer. “He was captain of the World Junior team for his country. He’s just a kid that is happy to come to the rink every day with a smile on his face and infectious energy, and it spreads throughout the room. We’re really just excited to have him around and keep working with him.”

4. Brett Berard

Position: Left and right wing

Size: 5-foot-9, 174 pounds

Draft spot: 2020 fifth round (134th overall)

2023-24 team: Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL)

2023-24 stats: 48 points (25G and 23A) with a minus-23 rating in 71 games

Analysis – Few prospects on this list did more to boost their stock last season than Berard.

The East Greenwich, RI native entered his first professional campaign facing questions about his size (or lack thereof) and injury history, but he answered them emphatically by leading Hartford in both goals and games played. He filled out his frame to withstand the pounding required to score at the AHL level and showed “no fear” in attacking the high-danger areas, as Smith described it. Multiple scouts referred to him as the Wolf Pack's most effective rookie.

Skating has always been a strength for the 22-year-old, but he’s at his best when he uses that speed to push the pace and play the pesky style that earned him recognition on Team USA’s gold-medal-winning squad at the 2021 World Juniors. When the hustle comes, goals follow – not when he’s hanging around the perimeter or over-handling the puck.

“My speed as a player on the ice, I think that definitely took a stride forward,” Berard said at development camp in July. “It’s something that always has been a strength of mine, but something that really became a strength of mine this year. Having Dawn (Braid), our skating coach, come in and work with us in Hartford once a month, that was a huge help to me, too.”

The formula worked in his first AHL season, with Berard catching fire after the holidays to post his highest goal-scoring total since before he started playing juniors in 2018. Scouts are impressed with his left-handed shot, noting a quick release that still seems to be improving. And he's efficient at getting inside and establishing shooting positions, using his smallish stature to stay compact and gain leverage at tough angles.

"He's slippery," said one scout.

There's work to do on the defensive side, but he was thrown into the fire last season while also earning PK time and netting a pair of shorthanded goals. The effort was there, showing a relentless presence in both forechecking and backchecking situations.

He’ll need to continue earning trust in his own end if he’s going to solidify the bottom-six role most envision for him, but the Rangers are bullish on the progress he’s made.

“He put in a ton of work in in the summer (of 2023),” Ortmeyer said. “He got a taste the year before coming into Hartford and understanding what it was going to be like, and it really motivated him. He came prepared for camp. He had a great season.”

To prepare for the next step, Berard spent the summer living and training with Seattle Kraken star and former Calder Trophy winner Matty Beniers. He’s a longshot to make the Rangers’ roster out of training camp, but he’s undoubtedly put himself on the map as a young player whose opportunity could be coming soon.

3. EJ Emery

Position: Right-handed defenseman

Size: 6-foot-3, 185 pounds

Draft spot: 2024 first round (30th overall)

2023-24 team: U.S. National Team Development Program (under-18)

2023-24 stats: 16 points (0G and 16A) with a plus-34 rating in 61 games

Analysis – For a player the Rangers were able to snag with the third-to-last pick in the first round of this year’s draft, it’s hard to find many dissenting opinions. Vague injury concerns apparently caused the talented USNTDP product to fall on some draft boards, but I’m told there’s nothing to worry about here. He was a full participant in development camp a few days later and has the type of upside worth taking a swing on.

Multiple sources, including USNTDP under-17 head coach Nick Fohr, said they view Emery as a right-handed version of Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller.

“I coached both of those guys,” Fohr said. “K’Andre has a bigger frame to him and is a little bit more put together, especially now. … But EJ has similar assets and similar attributes as far as his ability to skate, how long he is, how well he plays the rush and can kill penalties and can transition pucks. So, from a visual perspective, that's really the simplest, easiest way to look at it.”

A lack of scoring may have been another contributing factor in the Surrey, British Columba native’s slippage, but Fohr was quick to point out a similar narrative surrounding Miller in his 2018 draft year. He stressed Emery “wasn’t (put) in situations to be offensive” with the program while noting that he produced six assists in seven games while playing a more aggressive role for Team USA’s U-18 squad at the World Championships.

“He was in situations to defend (with USNTDP). He was in situations to support his teammates and be solid and predictable – to help bring his teammates along and help their development,” Fohr added. “I always look at the NHL guys that are doing the scouting and say, ‘Listen, you go ahead and read into the points all you want. Go ahead. Just make sure you take into account what we're asking him to do.’”

Emery failed to register a goal in 95 total games last season and has a lot of work to do on a shot that scouts rate as below average, but he’s shown dependable passing skills in transition situations.

“He's very good at closing plays out and getting pucks back, then moving pucks to forwards and letting them go do their thing,” Fohr said. “His points are going to come in that support type of role.”

Closing plays out and protecting his own end were Emery's primary responsibilities, with two scouts calling him the best shutdown defensemen from USNTDP’s 2024 draft class. He was tasked with matching up against opponent’s top forwards and decisively won the majority of those battles.

The physical tools stand out, particularly his reach and high-end mobility. Skating is an asset scouts rave about, with long strides that eat up large chunks of ice and allow him to make up ground quickly on the rare occasions he does get beat. But those who have watched Emery closely say he has an advanced feel for defending and playing within the framework of a system, as well.

He’ll need to add some meat to his wiry frame, which will be one of the objectives as the 18-year-old enters his freshman season at the University of North Dakota, but multiple sources believe he could ascend quickly. One estimated he’ll be an NHL option within two or three years, but Emery isn’t ready to put a timetable on anything beyond this season.

“I'm just going to go into college and try having the best year I can,” he said in July. “(I’ll) worry about that in the future.”

2. Brennan Othmann

Position: Left and right wing

Size: 6-foot-0, 192 pounds

Draft spot: 2021 first round (15th overall)

2023-24 teams: Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL) and New York Rangers (NHL)

2023-24 stats: 0 points in 3 NHL games; 49 points (21G and 28A) with a minus-24 rating in 67 AHL games

Analysis – Some advocated for Emery in the No. 2 spot, but it’s hard to make a clear distinction between a scoring winger and a shutdown defenseman. Othmann is three years older and further along in his development, though, which makes it easier to project his anticipated NHL impact.

The scoring touch he was known for at the junior level translated in his first pro season, with the 21-year-old ranking second for the Wolf Pack in goals and total points. Veteran Alex Belzile had him beat by only one point after Othmann caught fire with seven goals in his final 13 games.

The prevailing belief is that the Scarborough, Ontario native could have scored even more. His left-handed shot is as advertised, with a quick, accurate release that shows up on both one-timers and wristers. It’s a weapon most scouts believe will play up at the NHL level, along with passing ability that some consider underrated. Othmann thinks the game well, at least offensively, and has a knack for making the right play.

He led Hartford in power-play goals with 10, but the next step is unlocking his scoring at five-on-five. That will require creating more separation, a particular challenge for a player without blazing speed, and getting to inside positions that allow his plus shot to shine.

The offense should continue to blossom, but the Rangers have stressed the need to play a complete game if Othmann is going to make a permeant leap to the NHL. He’s repeatedly talked about getting rid of his “junior habits” and showing he can handle his defensive responsibilities.

“My most important thing was my details in my D zone,” he said during development camp in July. “I thought that that really took another level. I think that if you talk to anyone down there (with Hartford), from game one to last game of the season, they kept telling me that they saw big strides from my development.”

Smith praised Othmann’s coachability, which other sources had previously questioned, and he’s known to have a little snarl in his game when the opportunity arises to throw a hit or get under opponents’ skin. But one scout noted him getting lost on the backcheck and looking scattered at times in the D zone. It improved as the season went on, they said, but never reached a point where the Rangers were willing to slot him in for more than a three-game NHL taste in January .

He profiles as a top-nine forward who can score and play with an edge whenever he does get that call, with an opportunity to win a spot out of training camp. It’s a bit of a longshot given the organizational depth charts , but it’s feasible that Othmann could slot in on the third line and bump fellow Canadian Will Cuylle down to the fourth at some point this season. The Rangers have been prepping him, including a midseason shift from his natural left-wing position to the right, where there's a much clearer need on the current roster.

Among the top-five prospects, the consensus is that Othmann has the best chance of becoming an NHL regular in the coming months.

“I see someone who’s determined,” Smith said. “I see someone that wants to learn. I see someone that has all the attributes to be a good player."

1. Gabe Perreault

Position: Left and right wing

Size: 5-foot-11, 165 pounds

Draft spot: 2023 first round (23rd overall)

2023-24 team: Boston College (NCAA)

2023-24 stats: 60 points (19G and 41A) with a plus-24 rating in 36 games

Analysis – When it came to selecting our No. 1 player, there was very little debate.

Perreault, who ranked third in the country in points per game as a freshman at Boston College last season, was a unanimous choice among the sources interviewed for this series. The reason? It starts with how he thinks the game.

“How quickly his brain works is the part that really jumps out to you,” BC head coach Greg Brown said. “He sees opportunities so quickly and has the skill set to be able to capitalize on those. He just has great offensive ideas. He reads his teammates well, he reads the opponents well, and he's able to generate offense on a very consistent basis.”

The 19-year-old has met every challenge thus far while brushing aside his perceived shortcomings.

His production has been off the charts at every level, most notably setting the USNTDP single-season record with 132 points (53 goals and 79 assists) in his draft year, which is a trend that’s continued in college . Perreault stepped right in for a loaded Eagles’ squad and didn’t miss beat, serving as the brains of the operation on the NCAA’s most high-powered line with fellow first-round picks Ryan Leonard and Will Smith.

His vision and hockey sense are elite − one source said Perreaults' playmaking instincts remind him of Rangers' top-scorer Artemi Panarin, before cautioning that he has a long way to go to reach that level − with a knack for finding gaps in opposing defenses and making deceptive plays that few prospects recognize at the same age. But it’s not strictly about outsmarting opponents. Perreault has plenty of skill in his toolbox, allowing him to turn those savvy reads into goals.

“He's got outstanding physical skills, as well,” Brown said. “If your brain sees it and you're not able to execute on it, those are missed opportunities.”

Smooth hands and soft touch on passes are at the top of the list, but his left-handed shot is also considered viable by most scouts. Brown said he’d like to see him use it more this season after posting a robust 20.9% shooting percentage as a freshman.

The knock on Perreault during the draft process was his skating, and while that may never be a strength, one scout said it’s improved and better than some give him credit for. Importantly, his quick decision-making skills allow him to play faster than his straight-line speed might suggest.

“You're seeing the pace isn’t as much of an issue anymore,” the scout added.

As Brown put it, “He plays fast because his brain is so fast.”

The BC coach recalled a shining example in a Nov. 18 win over UConn. Smith was pressuring Jake Flynn at the blue line, with Perreault alertly realizing there was only one place the spinning UConn defenseman could try to go with the puck. He jumped the lane to block the pass and spring a two-on-none rush that setup an easy goal for the speedy Smith.

"He had the anticipation to read that and head two steps in the right direction before the pass was even made," Brown said.

That cerebral approach has made Perreault an increasingly effective defender. He's not going to outmuscle many players off the puck, but Brown called him "very adept at disrupting the opponent" and creating turnovers. It reached the point that, by midseason, he was being used on BC's penalty kill − a role he's expected to resume as a sophomore.

That's on top of playing the bumper position on the top power-play unit − "He's less traditional as the guy shooting all the time in that spot, but he's really good at distributing from that spot," Brown said − and logging top-line minutes at five-on-five. He was already doing all of that last season, with the only difference now being that Smith has signed with the San Jose Sharks. Perreault will still play with Leonard, leaving two-thirds of their line intact, but proving he can excel without one of the best center prospects in the world would check yet another box for a young player who's made a habit of silencing doubters.

Another big season could set the stage for Perreault to sign his entry-level contract in the spring, with a 2025-26 ETA (or perhaps even late 2024-25?) a feasible next step. Whenever he does arrive, he seems like the surest bet of any prospect in the Rangers' system to cement a top-six role.

Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano .

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: NY Rangers 2024 prospect rankings: Part 2, Nos. 1-5