Drew Fortescue eyes berth on Rangers blue line after promising NHL debut
Drew Fortescue is taking part in the New York Rangers development camp in Tarrytown, New York, this week with two goals in mind for the next year: To earn a college degree and a berth on the Blueshirts’ blue line.
The Rangers’ third-round pick (No. 90 overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft started his offseason back at Boston College to finish his junior year classes in the business school, where’s he’s working toward a degree in leadership and management. That was after he signed with the Rangers in late March and made a solid impression during his first nine NHL games.
Graduating college and earning a role with the Rangers are both priorities for Fortescue, who’s living with his parents in Pearl River, New York, this summer and training with some of his teammates at Prentiss Performance Center in Stamford, Connecticut.
“I ended up back at school for a little bit and finished up my classes,” he said Tuesday. “Once that ended, I took a week or two and then I was back up in the gym. I still have another year. I have to take some online classes, but I just had to finish my junior year because I had some of the classes I was still in and had to finish up.”
By the time he finishes his degree, Fortescue hopes he’s a regular on the Rangers’ defense corps, as well.
He made a solid impression in his late-season cameo, finishing with two assists and a plus-4 rating while averaging 14:51 of ice time. Admittedly, Fortescue spent most of that time in a fairly-sheltered role on the third pair, typically partnered with Braden Schneider.
Fortescue passed the eye test, but his underlying metrics weren’t terrific. The 21-year-old had a 42.75 percent expected goal share in more than 131 minutes at 5v5, per Natural Stat Trick. However, the Rangers did outscore opponents 8-4 with Fortescue on the ice at 5-on-5, and scoring chances were pretty much even — 58 against, 53 for.
Drew Fortescue ready to battle for role on Rangers defense corps
Mike Sullivan spoke often about Fortescue needing to bulk up, get stronger, and add muscle to his 6-foot-2, 195-pound frame. But there’s no doubt that Fortescue has a fan in the Rangers coach.
“He doesn’t just play safe hockey, he plays smart hockey. He doesn’t play reckless hockey,” Sullivan explained in early April. “I like the fact that he’s trying to play smart hockey. He’s not just trying to play safe hockey.
“I am really impressed with his puck poise, his vision. He keeps it simple, but he’s not just an off-the-glass-and-out guy. He’s looking to go tape-to-tape. He has the composure and confidence to find, say, the middle play on a breakout.”
Though Fortescue didn’t look out of place on Broadway, he knows he still has work to do to earn a regular role on a team that took five defensemen in the 2026 NHL Draft – most notably first-round pick Alberts Smits.
“I think there are a lot of things I need to get better at,” Fortescue said. “It’s getting stronger, puck touches, breakouts, and all the passing, and making sure you put the pucks on guys’ tape. I think kind of just the more you play, the more you get used to it, and all that stuff, I’m trying to work on this summer to try and get better at, and continuing to work on, so I can give myself a chance.”
Fortescue is the only player on the development camp roster with NHL experience. He said even the little time he spent with the Rangers was a big positive.
“I think it definitely helped,” Fortescue explained. “It helped me see what I needed to work on going into this summer. It was definitely a really cool experience, and I’m hopefully going to turn that around going into camp and try to set myself up as best I can.”
The left side of New York’s defense corps right now has Vladislav Gavrikov on the top pair with his partner Adam Fox. Behind Gavrikov on the left are (in no particular order) are Matthew Robertson, Urho Vaakanainen, and Fortescue.
Then there’s Smits. The 18-year-old is 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, and widely considered NHL-ready. He, too, is a left shot, though Smits wouldn’t confirm earlier this week if he plans to attend training camp this fall. Odds are that he’ll sign his entry-level contract and be in the mix come September.
“I don’t think it’s any different,” Fortescue said when asked if having some NHL action under his belt gave him an advantage. “You still come here and you’re with all the staff, and everyone’s looking to try to help you get better. There’s always room to improve, and no matter if I played games or not coming into this camp and being around all these guys – everyone’s a good player, you’re going to get better.
He probably could have opted out of this week’s camp. But Fortescue believes this is an important step along the way, whether he starts next season with the Rangers or with their AHL affiliate in Hartford.
“I think this camp is just to come here and learn and try and be around and kind of just set myself up as best as I can going forward, going into camp,” Fortescue said. “It’s nice to be here, be around all the guys, meet all the new guys. It’s been fun so far. I’m looking forward to the rest of it.”
