Rangers’ prospect EJ Emery aims for NCAA title after ‘getting a taste’ of NHL life

EJ Emery is already on campus at the University of North Dakota. Weeks after being selected by the New York Rangers in the first round (No. 30 overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft, Emery is taking summer classes ahead of his freshman year.

In between the draft and starting his college courses, the 18-year-old defenseman was in New York for several days taking part in prospects development camp, and “getting a taste” of what it will be like one day to play for the Rangers.

“Development camp was awesome,” Emery told NHL.com’s William Douglas . “You’re training against guys that are playing pro hockey and you’re working with them and getting a taste of what a day in the life of being a pro is like.”

That “taste” as Emery referred to it adds to his drive to one day make it to the NHL, perhaps even to play with the player he models his game after, Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller. But right now, it’s first things first for Emery. And that means working on his game and trying to win an NCAA title at North Dakota.

“My main goal, main focus, is to win a national championship and do whatever the team needs to do to do that,” he said. “Everyone on this team is thinking the same way, just having the mindset of getting better every day and do whatever it takes to go as far as possible.”

Related: Rangers prospect rankings: Defensemen

‘No rush’ for EJ Emery to play for Rangers

The Rangers would love for Emery to help lead North Dakota to a national championship. That would be a tremendous step in his development, just as it would be if prospects Gabe Perreault and Drew Forstescue help Boston College win it all.

But all-around development is key for Emery. Rangers director of player development and amateur scouting John Lilley said at the draft that there’s “no rush” to push Emery into the NHL.

“EJ is a very talented young man, he’s raw, very athletic, just starting to come into his own, has a lot of work to to do getting a little bit stronger but the foundation is there,” Lilley said. “He’s an exciting young man, has a bright future going to North Dakota. It’s going to take some time. He’s young, still has to grow into his body.”

Emery, the son of a former CFL football player, stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 185 pounds. He’s a defensive-minded right-shot defenseman who focuses on shutting plays down more than producing offense at the other end, though Lilley believes that part of his game will develop.

“His defensive game we thought as a staff was one of the best in the entire draft,” Lilley offered.

Emery seems confident in his strengths as a defenseman.

“I would say my skating ability and how well I play defense (are my best skills),” Emery said at the draft. “I’m really going to be a lockdown guy that can shutdown plays, get the puck up ice and make plays.”

Emery had 16 assists and 61 penalty minutes in 61 games this past season with the United States National Team Development Program. He did not score a goal all season but did have six assists and was an eye-opening plus-15 for the United States in seven games at the U18 World Championship.

Now, the next stage of his development will take place at North Dakota.

“Really the coaches, the team and the community there made me feel at home,” Emery explained at development camp . “I believe it’ll be a great place for my development and North Dakota as a whole is a great place to play hockey, So I thought it’d be the best place for me to develop.”

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