To say that the 2024-2025 New York Rangers group of prospects is weak would be a huge understatement. After the events of Sunday, the Rangers have just three North American prospects still playing.
It is March 30th, and the number of Rangers prospects is just three. A large part has to do with the fact that the Rangers have used five of their last nine draft picks on those attending NCAA schools, three on CHL prospects and one playing in Europe. In the meantime, the Rangers have used five draft picks in trades in the last two drafts (2024 2nd, 3rd, 7th; 2023 2nd, 4th).
If you are wondering why we keep calling for Chris Drury to be replaced as Rangers GM, this is a huge reason why
NCAA Tournament
Not going to lie as soon as we saw that Boston College had Denver in the same bracket when they announced the brackets for the NCAA tournament, we knew Boston College was in big trouble. For starters prior to Sunday’s game Denver was 21-16 all-time but they were 5-1 in their last six meetings and that includes last years NCAA Championship final won by Denver 2-0.
And make that 6-1 in their last seven meetings after Denver sent the number one seed in the NCAA tournament home 3-1. They did it by making Boston College’s two top guns totally ineffective by never giving them any kind of space to operate.
Boston College failed to learn a single thing from last season’s loss in the finals as Denver did the exact same thing that won them a championship. Gabe Perreault was credited with six overall shots including five in the third period alone but sorry not one of them were good scoring chances.
And Denver never gave Perreault the time or space to be the playmaker as there was someone in his face every time he touched the puck. Drew Fortescue was only credited with just one shot after they released the final game stats but Fortescue had at least six shot attempts just over the first two periods.
So Perreault finishes his sophomore season 16-32-48 which was 12th overall in the NCAA, his 32 assists were fourth best in the NCAA. That leaves the question; will Perreault come back or turn pro?
Other than a national championship there is nothing left for him to accomplish at Boston College expect him to sign that entry level contract and head to Hartford on an ATO (Amateur Tryout Contract) this week.
Other than improving his body there isn’t much that suggests that Perreault isn’t NHL ready. Perreault is an excellent playmaker who is going to make whoever is his linemates that much better.
As for Drew Fortescue, while another season at Boston College would not hurt his development, he is clearly two years away from becoming a Ranger. The question is does he want to spend two years at Hartford or one?
Fortescue finished his season 0-11-11 but that is because he was expected to be the defensive stopper on the blue line. This is Adam Fox’s future partner but he needs to improve his upper body and get stronger first.
We believe that Fortescue is going to see who stays and who goes from Boston College when making his decision as to what to do. But if he looks at the Rangers depth chart then he sees that while the Rangers are pretty much set defensively for the 2025-2026 season, there will be at least one possibly two opening on the blueline in the 2026-2027 season. .
CHL Playoffs
Nathan Aspinall is doing his job, but the rest of his Flint Firebirds have been no match for the Kitchener Rangers as they dropped game two 6-1 in their OHL Western Conference playoff series. The loss puts the Firebirds down 2-0 as the series is about to shift to Flint.
Aspinall has been solid in both games so far, but he has gotten little support. With his team already trailing 2-0 in the first period, Aspinall tried to rally his team as he scored his second goal of the series by taking the puck right to the net and beating the Kitchener goalie.
🚨Nate Aspinall
🍏Jack D'Arcy pic.twitter.com/DwAWHPlIIQ— Flint Firebirds (@FlintFirebirds) March 30, 2025
But that was it for the Firebirds as Kitchener was dominant all game long and had double the shots on goal 43-22. Aspinall scored his goal on three shots as he is now a combined 19-31-50 as the leading scorer for the Rangers prospects.
Transfer Portal
OK this is a new one for us as Defenseman Rasmus Larsson of Northern Michigan has entered the NCAA transfer portal which opened up on Sunday. Larsson is the first active Rangers prospect to enter the portal as previously the only ones to enter the portal had been prospects whose draft rights to the Rangers had chosen not to sign.
Larsson was 3-0-3 and it is going to be hard for a player on a 5-27-2 team to find a better situation as a player. But nine other teammates also entered the portal which is not a good sign for the program as a whole. It also is going to hurt his chances because NCAA rosters will be reduced to 26 starting next season.
What is next?
Both CHL prospects are off until Tuesday night while Ty Henricks is off until April 10th when his Western Michigan Broncos will face their fellow NCHC rivals Denver in one of the Frozen Four semifinal games.
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