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No Rangers ranked in top 100 among NHL players, prospects under age 23
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- No Rangers ranked in top 100 among NHL players, prospects under age 23
Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Though there are four New York Rangers on The Athletic's annual ranking of NHL players and prospects under the age of 23 , none cracked the top 100. Nor did any of the four Rangers project higher than to be a middle of the lineup player in the NHL.
Malcolm Spence, New York's top pick in this year's draft, landed at No. 106 in the rankings. He, Brennan Othmann (No. 147), E.J. Emery (No. 158), and Gabe Perreault (No. 160) all were included in Tier 6 of the rankings, for those expected to top out as a middle of the lineup player.
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Perreault's ranking was a bit stunning. A year ago, The Athletic had him No. 52 on the list , and considered the 2023 first-round pick to be a bubble top of the lineup player. To think that 108 players and prospects under the age of 23 passed him by in the course of one year is a head scratcher.
The 20-year-old forward had 48 points (16 goals, 32 assists) in 37 games with Boston College last season. He also helped the United States win its second straight World Junior Championship in 2025, replicating his production from the year before with 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in seven games.
Perreault turned pro last spring and played five NHL games with the Rangers. He was held off the score sheet in each, but didn't look out of place. He's expected to battle for a spot on the Rangers opening-night roster in training camp, which begins in a couple of weeks.
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"The issues with Perreault's game are his 5-11 frame and lack of foot speed," noted NHL prospects expert Corey Pronman wrote. "He's a competitive player, though, who gets to the inside even though he's not highly physical. He projects as a middle-six winger."
There was no real further explanation why Perreault dropped so dramatically in the rankings, though. Especially when so many players from last year's list aged out of consideration.
Two of those players who are no longer eligible for this ranking are Alexis Lafreniere and Braden Schneider . A year ago, The Athletic ranked Lafreniere , then 22, No. 14 overall and projected him to be an NHL All-Star. The Rangers forward stumbled a bit and fell from 28 goals the year before to 17 last season, showing just how volatile these rankings are.
Schneider was the No. 50 ranked player on this list in 2024. Perreault was just two slots behind him.
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Related: 2 key Rangers prospects must overcome same issue to thrive in NHL, per report
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Only two players or prospects under the age of 23 have elite NHL futures, per the 2025 list in The Athletic . Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks ranked No. 1 overall on this year's list, surpassing Connor Bedard of the Chicago Blackhawks , who earned top ranking last year but is No. 2 in 2025.
Spence, selected in the second round (No. 43 overall) of this year's draft, topped the four Rangers listed. The 18-year-old forward will be a freshman at the University of Michigan this season.
"Spence's compete is excellent and the calling card of his game," Pronman explained. "He's a tenacious worker who wins a ton of battles and gets to many pucks due to his length, speed and effort. He comes back hard and is a great two-way forward."
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Pronman summed up Spence thusly: "He can be a very likable middle-six winger who coaches will use a lot."
Othmann, who didn't score a goal in 22 games with the Rangers last season, dropped 17 slots from No. 130 a year ago.
"He struggles at times with the NHL pace," Pronman stated.
The 22-year-old forward's shot and physical play "is good enough that he can be a middle-six winger."
As for Emery, New York's 2024 first-rounder (No. 30 overall), The Athletic dropped him eight slots from No. 150 a year ago. But like Othmann, the 19-year-old defensemen remains a middle of the lineup projection.
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Pronman rated Emery to have above average compete and skating skills. But he added that Emery's puck skills and shot are below average.
"He's a clear NHL defender, but he will need to make a steady outlet pass to play in the League full-time, and I would say that aspect of his game is on the bubble."
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