Though the New York Rangers are largely set at the NHL level with a quality top-six group of defensemen, the same can’t be said about the organizational depth at the position.
So, it’s a good sign that three of the projected top six in the Big Apple this season are homegrown defensemen, drafted and developed by the Rangers — K’Andre Miller, Braden Schneider and Zac Jones. Two others, Adam Fox and Ryan Lindgren, developed with the Rangers after being acquired early on in separate trades. And captain Jacob Trouba was a veteran acquired in a trade with the Winnipeg Jets.
Behind them are veterans Chad Ruhwedel and Ben Harpur, who are likely seventh and eighth on the organizational depth chart. Behind them, the most intriguing name in the system is EJ Emery, New York’s first-round pick, No. 30 overall, in the 2024 NHL Draft, who is years away from cracking the varsity lineup.
As Mollie Walker of the New York Post told Forever Blueshirts last week, the Rangers are “so, so, so thin on D” in the minors and within their prospects pool.
That said, let’s examine the top defenseman prospects in the Rangers organization.
Ranking the top defenseman prospects in New York Rangers organization
EJ Emery
EJ Emery said that being selected by the Rangers in the draft this year was one of the best outcomes he could have hoped for. He, and many scouts, say his game is similar to Miller, the current Rangers defenseman and fellow alumnus of the U.S. National Team Development Program.
“I would say I’m really good at being a lockdown guy, someone who can shut down plays, get the puck up the ice and make plays.” Emery said at the draft. “I model my game after K’Andre Miller, so I’m not complaining about wearing this jersey.”
The 6-foot-3, 183 pound defenseman will become a trailblazer when he plays for the University of North Dakota this fall. The 18-year-old from Surrey, British Columbia, a dual citizen in Canada and the United States, will become North Dakota’s first Black player since Akil Adams during the 1993-94 season.
When discussing his choice to commit to North Dakota, Emery stated, “The coaches and the fans, and obviously the team, made me feel at home and I know they’re going to look out for me. I felt safe there. It’s the best option.”
Emery had 16 assists in 61 games with the NTDP to go with an excellent plus-34 rating. At the U-18 World Championships, he added another six assists in seven games and was plus-15.
When speaking with The Rink Live, NTDP U18 head Coach Nick Fohr had this to say about Emery: “E.J. played his best hockey at the end of the year and when you look at how he played at the U18 World Championships, that’s the type of play you’re going to get from E.J. Emery in his future. He’s such a smart kid, he’s long, he skates really well and his ability to recover is off the charts, and that’s such a valuable trait in a defenseman. I challenged him to be the best defender in the draft this year and it’s tough to say because I haven’t seen every kid obviously, but I would argue he’s right up there at the top and he’s gonna make some team really happy.”
New York Rangers director of player personnel and amateur scouting John Lilley, said the team thought Emery’s defensive game was the best in the class.
“He ends plays and, to me, he’s an elite defender. He’s a guy we had high on our list, and we’re excited to get him. EJ is very a talented young man. He’s raw, very athletic, just starting to come into his own.”
#NYR Director Player Personnel & Amateur Scouting John Lilley talks EJ Emery, Blueshirts 1st-round pick here in Vegas pic.twitter.com/p4ig5TfO8b
— Jim Cerny (@JimCerny) June 29, 2024
2. Drew Fortescue
Selected in the third round of the 2023 draft, Drew Fortescue could form a solid shutdown tandem with Emery in the near future for the Blueshirts. Fortescue skated in 40 games for Boston College during his freshman season in 2023-24, posting a plus-13 rating and 31 blocked shots. He scored four goals and had four assists for eight points, numbers which could improve dramatically if he is given more power-play time during his sophomore campaign.
Fortescue helped the United States win the gold medal at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championships, along with top Rangers forward prospect Gabe Perreault.
Fortescue had one goal and three assists for four points in seven games in the tournament, often being tasked with shutting down the opposition’s top offensive players, skating on the top defensive pairing for the Americans. He is expected to fill the same role again in the 2025 tournament when the U.S. will be favored to repeat as champions. Similar to Perreault, Fortescue will have to make a decision in the spring about whether to turn professional or continue his development at the collegiate level.
3. Victor Mancini
Selected in the fifth round of the 2022 NHL Draft, Victor Mancini scored four goals and had six assists for 10 points in 40 games during his junior season at University of Nebraska-Omaha in 2023-24, tying for fourth on the team with a plus-7 rating and fifth in shots with 78. Mancini averaged one blocked shot per game last season, and led all Mavericks with 41 blocks during the 2022-23 season.
Following his junior season, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound right-shot defenseman signed his entry-level contract with the Rangers on April 2. After joining the Hartford Wolf Pack on an ATO, Mancini was impressive in the professional ranks, with three assists in seven regular-season games before adding another three assists in 10 Calder Cup Playoff games.
Mancini impressed enough that he’ll likely be a top-four defenseman in the AHL next season.
4. Matthew Roberston
Matthew Robertson is the only player on this list not drafted by current Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury. At one point, Robertson was the top defensive prospect in the Rangers organization after he was selected in the second round of the 2019 draft. The 6-foot-4 left-shot defenseman has yet to see NHL action after spending three seasons with Hartford in the AHL, where he has amassed 10 goals and 45 assists for 55 points in 190 regular-season games played.
Robertson is now 23 and “hasn’t sniffed the NHL,” per Walker. Many are now questioning if he’s a legit NHL prospect or not. In a bit of a surprise, the restricted free agent did receive a qualifying offer from the Rangers this offseason, so he should have at least one more season to prove himself at Hartford.
5. Rasmus Larsson
Chosen in the fifth round of the 2023 draft, Rasmus Larsson is a 6-foot-3 left-shot blueliner who has been described as a sturdy, puck-moving defenseman with an accurate shot and plenty of natural athleticism. He scored four goals and had 13 assists for 17 points in 59 regular-season games for the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL during the 2023-24 season. He was second in assists and points, and third in goals among defensemen on the team. His eight penalty minutes were the fewest among Gambler skaters to have appeared in 20 or more games.
The year before, Larsson played 50 games with Västerås IK in Sweden’s top junior league, where he scored 16 goals and had 18 assists, sporting a plus-23 rating. Larsson also spent time representing
6. Hank Kempf
Hank Kempf, a 6-foot-2 left-shot defensemen is heading into his senior season with Cornell University. A seventh-round selection in the 2021 draft, Kempf is known more for his shut-down defensive style of play than for producing much in the way offensively, with only two goals and 16 assists for 18 points in 98 NCAA games played through three seasons. Kempf blocked a team-high 59 shots this past season, registering at least one blocked shot in 26 contests.
Off the ice, Kempf was a finalist for the 2024 Hockey Humanitarian Award for his work within the Cornell and Ithaca communities. He was also a finalist for ECAC Hockey’s Defensive Defenseman Award.
The Rangers hold his signing rights through next summer, though it’s very possible the 22-year-old goes unsigned.
