With the 2024-25 season and most recent NHL Draft in the rearview mirror, it's a good time to update the top 10 prospects in the New York Rangers organization.
The Rangers added eight players to their pipeline, headed by forward Malcolm Spence, their top pick, No. 43 overall, selected in the second round. New York chose five defensemen, two wingers and a center in the 2025 draft, those eight players represented one less than the Rangers selected in the previous two drafts combined (four in 2024; five in 2023).
They also improved their organizational depth by acquiring center prospect Carey Terrance from the Anaheim Ducks and defenseman prospect Scott Morrow from the Carolina Hurricanes in separate trades this offseason.
We chose a specific criteria here to decide which players are prospects and those who no longer fit that category. If a player's appeared in at least 25 NHL games or will be at least 24 years old this upcoming season, he's not considered a prospect for this list.
That's why you will not see Brennan Othmann (25 NHL games), Brett Berard (35 NHL games), Matthew Robertson (24 years old) nor Brendan Brisson (turns 24 on Oct. 22) on this list.
As a point of reference and comparison, here's our top 10 Rangers prospects list from 2024.
Related: Rangers 2025 NHL Draft tracker: Selection, analysis for each pick
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As he was a year ago, Perreault remains the Rangers top prospect, though the 20-year-old forward is now a big step closer to a regular spot in the NHL. Perreault is set to embark on his first full professional season, after he played five games with the Rangers at the end of his sophomore year at Boston College last season. He had 108 points (35 goals, 73 assists) in 73 games with BC, and helped the United States win consecutive World Junior Championships in 2024 and 2025. Whether the highly-skilled forward with an impressive hockey IQ gains some seasoning with Hartford of the American Hockey League or earns a spot on New York's opening-night roster out of training camp, Perreault appears to be on the verge of his breakthrough.
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Morrow was somewhat of an underrated acquisition as part of the K'Andre Miller trade July 1. The offensively-gifted right-shot defenseman was packaged by Carolina along with a conditional first-round pick and a second rounder in the 2026 draft for Miller. Morrow was Carolina's third-ranked prospect and No. 65 overall in the Hockey News 2025 Future Watch, after a solid rookie pro season with Chicago of the AHL (39 points; 13 goals, 26 assists in 52 games). He's played 16 regular-season games (one goal, five assists) in the NHL and five Stanley Cup Playoff games. Morrow, who turns 23 in November, is a work in progress defensively and may require a bit more time in the AHL. But offensively, he seems good to go as a puck-moving third-pair d-man.
Related: Scott Morrow 'going to be really good player' with Rangers, but there's catch: NHL insider
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By all accounts, Spence is a first-round talent who fell into New York's lap in the second round. He's a high-character player and leader, who scored 32 goals and had 73 points in 65 games with Erie of the OHL last season. Draft experts project that Spence should have a long NHL career one day as a a middle-six forward, who will play a committed 200-foot game. Spence will attend the University of Michigan this fall.
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Emery was New York's first-round pick (No. 30 overall) in the 2024 draft and comes off a bit of an up-and-down freshman season at North Dakota. A shutdown right-shot defenseman, Emery averaged 20 minutes TOI in his first NCAA season, but managed just one point, an assist in his first game. The Rangers see a bright future for Emery, but don't plan on rushing him because they see he needs to fill out physically and grow as a player.
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Fortescue easily could've ranked above Emery, because the 2023 third-rounder has had more success to date. He joined Perreault in helping the U.S. win gold at the 2024 and 2025 WJC, playing an important role each tournament as a shut-down defenseman on the left side. He's also successfully filled that role at Boston College and is set for junior season there, likely his last before it's expected that he'll turn pro next spring.
Photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack
The only goalie on this list is set to enter his fourth pro season, all with Hartford of the AHL. Garand emerged as Hartford's No. 1 goalie last season and was named to the AHL All-Star Classic. He was 20-10-8, with a 2.73 goals-against average, .913 save percentage, and three shutouts, and is on the Rangers radar to one day be Igor Shesterkin 's backup on Broadway, whenever Jonathan Quick retires. The 23-year-old remains an unsigned restricted free agent, but should be in net for Hartford on opening night, tuning up for his eventual ascension to the NHL.
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The bottom grouping on this list are tightly packed together. Laba stands out as much for his intangibles as a leader and being a high-character player as he does for his solid two-way play. It's not difficult to envision Laba filling the role of 3C in New York one day, especially after the soon-to-be 22-year-old impressed last spring with an 11-game cameo (three goals, two assists) with Hartford after finishing up his junior year at Colorado College.
Photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack
Roobroeck forced his way onto our list of top Rangers prospects this year after an impressive 20-goal season as a 20-year-old with Hartford of the AHL. The 2023 sixth-round pick stands out immediately because of his size (6-foot-7) but then you keep your eyes on him because he competes, works hard to play an effective two-way game, and he can put the puck in the net. Roobroeck had 26 goals and 72 points in 68 games with Oshawa of the OHL in 2023-24 and then led Hartford with 20 goals last season, finishing strong with nine goals in his final 12 games.
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The Rangers landed another solid center prospect when they acquired Terrance from the Ducks in the Chris Kreider trade. Not dissimilar to Laba in the fact that he's a high-character player and leader, Terrance turns pro this coming season and should get plenty of reps in all situations with Hartford. He scored 49 goals the past two seasons combined with Erie of the OHL, where he was teammates with Spence. He also helped the U.S. in the 2025 World Juniors.
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Sykora turns 21 in September and is already entering his third pro season with Hartford. The 2022 second-round pick finished fifth on Hartford with 30 points (nine goals, 21 assists) last season. Goals and point production won't be what gets him into the NHL, though. His tenacious style of play, penalty killing, and pure grind is what stands out with Sykora, who could be a bottom-six forward option in the coming years
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