The New York Rangers did a lot of work this offseason to improve a team that finished in dead last in the Eastern Conference last season.
President and general manager Chris Drury certainly accomplished his goal of upgrading the talent at every level of the roster. This team is in a much better spot than it was heading into the 2025-26 campaign, talent-wise.
However, for the Rangers to truly return to prominence, they need to do a better job of developing the young talent within the organization. Steps have been taken with the front office overhaul that occurred this summer, but the team is lacking true high-end, difference-making prospects.
That is all the more evident based on how many players New York has in the updated NHL prospect tiers shared by Scott Wheeler of The Athletic . The Rangers have only three players who made the cut, with a fourth, center Cole Beaudoin , falling short but being under consideration.
Jun 28, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Liam Greentree is selected by the Los Angeles Kings with the 26th 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
What is most concerning is the lack of players the team has selected in recent years moving on to these lists. The highest-ranked prospect for New York is defenseman Alberts Smits , the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
He landed in Tier 3 - All-Star as a 3B player. This is the tier for players who are a strong top-line forward, an above-average No. 1 defenseman, or a top-five goalie reisde. Certainly high praise for Smits, and that is the exact kind of outcome a team is looking for when using a top-five selection on a player.
Considered the most NHL-ready of the defensemen in the Class of 2026, Smits should be a strong two-way contributor for a long time. He could push for minutes with the Rangers this season, but they can afford to be patient and allow him some more time to develop.
The next player on the list is someone New York fans are very familiar with: Gabe Perreault . He is a Tier 4 - Star-ranked player, coming in at 4A, just missing out on being a 3C player. His upside is legitimate, averaging nearly a point per game down the stretch last season.
Apr 5, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers right wing Gabe Perreault (94) skates against the Washington Capitals during the second period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The only forward in the pipeline with legitimate top-six potential, there is some pressure on him to live up to the hype and help push the organization to that next level.
Last but not least is forward Liam Greentree . He is in Tier 5 - Support as a 5C player. He was acquired from the LA Kings as the centerpiece of the Artemi Panarin trade ahead of the deadline in March.
There is a lot of skill, but he hasn't built upon the incredible OHL performance he had in the year he was drafted in 2024. It is going to take a perfect storm of occurrences for him to reach his ultimate ceiling.
The absence of many players the franchise selected in recent years is telling. This is as good a reason as any that the overhaul in the player development department that occurred this offseason was necessary.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nhl/rangers/onsi as NY Rangers Have Three Players Land in NHL Prospect Tiers .
