Rangers prospect Drew Fortescue shut down at World Junior Summer Showcase

After helping the United States capture the gold medal at he 2024 World Junior Championship, Drew Fortescue was invited again to take part in the World Junior Summer Showcase. Though he is in Plymouth, Michigan, this week with the other USA Hockey invitees, the New York Rangers prospect will not play in any of the scheduled games.

Fortescue is being held back because of maintenance issues.

That shouldn’t hurt his chances of representing the United States again when the 2025 WJC takes place in Ottawa. Fortescue played a big role for the U.S. as a shutdown defenseman to help them win gold at the 2024 WJC in Sweden. He also contributed four points (one goal, three assists) in seven games and finished with a plus-six rating.

The 19-year-old is set to play his sophomore season at Boston College, along with fellow 2023 Rangers draft pick Gabe Perreault. As freshmen, the pair helped BC reach the NCAA National Championship game this past spring, where they lost to Denver, which happens to be coached by David Carle, the coach once again for the United States world junior team.

So, missing this week’s worth of games against Canada, Finland and Sweden at the showcase shouldn’t be a big deal at all for the 2023 third-round pick, who was born in Pearl River, New York, and played locally at Don Bosco Prep before joining the United States National Team Development Program and then moving on to Boston College.

Related: Rangers prospect rankings: defensemen

Rangers top prospect off to fast start at World Junior Summer Showcase

Though Fortescue was unable to play Sunday when game action commenced, Perreault was on the ice doing what he does best, generate plenty of offense. The 19-year-old forward and No. 23 pick in the 2023 draft scored two goals for the United States Blue Team (they also have a White Team) in a 7-2 victory against Sweden.

Perreault cashed in his own rebound for a power-play goal midway through the second period that put the U.S. up 4-0 at the time. Later in the period, Perreault buried a feed from Hauppauge, New York, native James Hagens, who is an early contender to be the top pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

After producing 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in seven games at the 2024 WJC, Perreault is expected to a go-to force up front again for the U.S. as they seek to win consecutive world junior gold medals for the first time ever.

“It’s never been done before (by the United States), so if we can be the first group to accomplish that, it’ll mean the world,” Perreault told NHL.com . “I think we have a good group, so I think we’ll definitely have a chance and we’re all looking forward to it.”

The Rangers top prospect also has his sites set on winning the NCAA title at Boston College this season, before, perhaps, turning pro once the season concludes.

“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 about his future at Blueshirts development camp earlier this month.

E.J. Emery, the Rangers first-round pick (No. 30 overall) in this year’s draft received an invite to the summer showcase as well. The 18-year-old defenseman played for the United States White Team in a 3-2 win against Finland on Sunday.

After games on Monday, the U.S. will shrink its overall roster and play games Wednesday, Friday and Saturday as one team.

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