Developing young talent has not been a strength for the New York Rangers in recent years and is a major reason the team finds itself in the position it is in.
Unable to restock the NHL roster because of an underwhelming organizational pipeline, the Rangers hope that recent trades and drafts can help put the franchise back in the right direction. One of the classes they will be counting on for that is the 2024 draft class.
New York has five players who appeared in the re-draft that Corey Pronman of The Athletic (subscription required) put together. Three of the players on the list were acquired via trade: center Cole Beaudoin from the Utah Mammoth , winger Liam Greentree from the LA Kings and winger Jacob Battaglia from the Calgary Flames .
The Rangers themselves selected two of the players featured: defensemen EJ Emery and winger Nathan Aspinall. That's not too bad when taking into consideration that New York made only four picks of their own that year, and only one in the first three rounds of the draft.
Sep 27, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Utah Hockey Club forward Cole Beaudoin (24) warms up before the start of a game against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
What is concerning, however, is that all of the prospects that the Rangers have from the 2024 NHL Draft, except for Aspinall , have dropped in the re-draft done by Pronman.
Beaudoin, who was selected No. 24, is now No. 25 in the rankings. Greentree now sits at No. 31 after being selected right after his newest teammate at No. 25 two years ago. Those changes aren't very major, as both still landed in the "Middle of the lineup player" tier.
Battaglia, who was selected No. 62 by the Flames, comes in at No. 73. A decent drop, but nothing overly concerning when it comes to his original assessment. He remains in the "NHL prospect" tier.
Jun 28, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Eric (EJ) Emery is selected by the New York Rangers with the 30th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft at The Sphere. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
The most concerning development from these rankings is where Emery has landed. The No. 30 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft has fallen to No. 63, making him one of nine first-round picks who have dropped into the "NHL prospect" tier that starts at No. 37.
He certainly looks the part of an NHL defenseman, measuring in at 6-foot-4 and 183 pounds. However, some areas of his game need work, with his puck play being at the top of the list.
His passing of the puck is inconsistent, which will limit how far he can move up the depth chart if he doesn't become more reliable in that area of the game. Right now, he is the No. 2-ranked defenseman in the organizational pipeline behind only Alberts Smits, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nhl/rangers/onsi as Multiple NY Rangers Prospects Dropping in 2024 NHL Re-Draft .
