Rangers May Have K'Andre Miller 2.0 With New First Round Pick EJ Emery

Don't be fooled by EJ Emery, the Rangers top draft pick, because he won't be a savior next season nor the one after that.

For the most part the NHL Meat Market is a crapshoot and nobody knows that better than the Blueshirts general staff. Lower picks emerge as superstars. The Maven has seen that in New York with his very eyes.

Henrik Lundqvist might have been Joe Schlimeel -- he was so far down when he was picked long, long ago – and look at him now;' a future Hall of Famer.

Ditto for Igor Shesterkin. The Russian goalie pulled his mates out of the water so many times this past season, he deserves a dozen Hockey Purple Hearts for bravery in the line of duty. Like Hank, Iggy was about as low a pick as you could imagine.

General Manager Chris Drury's latest de luxe discovery, defenseman EJ Emery, has the look of being a latter-day K'Andre Miller, who just happens to be Emery's favorite Ranger.

Pegged by The Hockey News' Draft Preview as the 45th selection, the Surrey, British Columbia native came in 15 ahead of the prognosis and that ain't bad.

At 6-3, 185 pounds, he comes across as a positive, upbeat personality who had no problem revealing his emotions once he was selected by the Rangers general staff.

"I'm excited to be a Ranger," he enthused. "As a matter of fact I don't know who's more excited, me or my Mom."

Although general manager Chris Drury had the official stamp of approval, Drury's green light was based on John Lilley's word and it was a positive word at that.

The Blueshirts' Director of Player Personnel and Director of Amateur Scouting, Lilley believes that the New Yorkers have scored a bird dog's major find.

"He's an elite defender," Lilley opines. "He ends plays and is a guy we had high on our list. We're excited to get him."

Emery's pedigree is encouraging as well. His Dad played for California State in Fullerton and later competed as a linebacker in the Canadian Football League from 1985-97.

Mind you, EJ won't be leaping into an NHL uniform next fall. He'll be attending the University of North Dakota where he'll hone his game to sharpness.

That said, the 18-year-old progressed admirably in the USA Hockey National Development Program Under-18 Team. Coincidentally, that's the same program from which K'Andre Miller graduated. Asked about his assets, EJ wasted no time answering:

"My skating ability and how well I play defense. I'm really good at being a 'Lockdown Guy' and someone who can shut down plays and get the puck up the ice. I've modeled my game after K'Andre."

The Rangers staff is quick to note that their latest find is "still a work in progress." He'll hone his game to sharpness at North Dakota where he'll be one of the first black men to skate there in about three decades.

One of Emery's idols is Willie O'Ree, the former Boston Bruin who became the first black player in the NHL when he faced the Montreal Canadiens on January 18, 1958.

Emery: "As a black man growing up, I'd love to have played with Willie O'Ree. He's the first person I got a signature from. He's an awesome guy."

In its Draft Annual, The Hockey News gleaned some cogent comments from NHL scouts. Here's what one said about Emery:

"He's an athletic kid who can skate. He likes to get up ice and he's a solid defender. He has good size, stick and reach. Hockey sense for me is an issue.

"I don't see him make plays so I don't know how much offense is in his game, but there are definitely tools there. He's just raw and needs some time."

EJ is enthused about his commitment to NCAA North Dakota, calling it "My best option for development."

Another scout, who has watched Emery improve annually, adds this thought: "He continues to improve every year. He's never going to wow you offensively, but he'll be a good first-pass.

"Bottom Line, he's a hard-to-play-against, playoff-style defenseman."

It sounds like the guy the Blueshirts were missing in the third round playoff against the champion Panthers!