NHL Network host predicts Rangers unsung World Juniors hero ‘going to play in (NHL) for long time’
Though the New York Rangers had two prospects that helped the United States win the gold medal at the 2025 World Junior Championship, Gabe Perreault was the one who received far more attention and accolades throughout the tournament. But that doesn’t mean Drew Fortescue was a less-significant piece to the championship-winning puzzle for the U.S. the past two years.
Fortescue didn’t record a single point in the tournament this year. But the the Rangers’ third round pick (No. 90) in the 2023 NHL Draft played a huge role for the United States on their top defensive pair, playing alongside Zeev Buium, a 2024 first-round pick (No. 12 overall) by the Minnesota Wild.
“He just defends so well, and he’s just a very bright man,” NHL Network broadcaster E.J. Hradek told Forever Blueshirts on a recent Rink Rap podcast. “He’s one of those guys who’s going to play in the [NHL] a long time. You’re not going to always notice everything he does, but he does so many things well defensively.”
Case in point was Fortescue playing the shutdown defense role, allowing the highly skilled Buium to freelance more and finish second among U.S. defensemen with six points (two goals, four assists) in seven games. Despite playing 20+ minutes a night against the other team’s top players in the tournament, Fortescue finished plus-6.
And the fact that you didn’t notice him so much? Not such a bad thing for a shutdown d-man.
“After the (gold medal) game, we sat down with (United States coach) David Carle and my partner Tony Granato said to him, ‘You know, I didn’t even really notice [Fortescue] out there.’ And David Carle stopped him and said, ‘That’s right. That’s why he’s so good. Like you don’t notice him but he’s doing all these things in a game to help us be successful and to help us win,'” Hradek recounted.
“He really had the coaches’ trust. … He was never one to run into bad ice, he won his battles in front of the net, he has the great stick to protect the passing lanes. He’s one of these guys, if he’s on your team, you’re happy to have him.”
What you didn’t see was the 19-year-old from New York getting beat or outworked. And that wasn’t just the case this year. Fortescue — and Perreault — helped the United States win the gold medal at the 2024 WJC, too. Each is now part of a historic run by the United States, the first time they won consecutive World Junior Championships.
Related: Rangers picks Gabe Perreault, Drew Fortescue help U.S. win gold against at 2025 WJC
Rangers prospect draws Ken Morrow comparison

In the 2024 World Juniors, Fortescue had one goal and three assists in seven games. That helped Hradek draw a comparison between the Rangers prospect and a defenseman from 40+ years ago who helped the U.S. win gold at the 1980 Winter Olympics and then won the Stanley Cup the next four seasons with the New York Islanders.
“He’s going to be one of those guys, too, that’s going to score the odd goal, that’s going to be a big goal at a big moment,” Hradek explained. “He reminds me a little bit of Kenny Morrow as a lefty. Kenny was bigger, longer, from a different era, but this is a guy that just comes to play, he’s grown and played with all these high-end players … I just think when he decides to come out (from college), he’s going to be one of these guys that plays 10, 15 years if he stays healthy.”
Fortescue is a sophomore at Boston College who is second on the Eagles at plus-13. He also has five assists in 17 games. Whereas Perreault is expected to jump to the pros and sign his entry-level contract at the end of this NCAA season, Fortescue may spend another year at BC.
Perreault, who’s also a sophomore, was the Rangers’ first-round pick (No. 23) in the same draft (2023) as Fortescue was selected. The 19-year-old forward leads BC with 24 points (seven goals, 17 assists) in 18 games. His 1.33 points-per-game average is fifth in the nation.
At the 2025 World Juniors, Perreault had 10 points (three goals, seven assists), the same total he produced in 2024.
So, there’s no surprise that Perreault overshadows his fellow prospect. But it doesn’t mean Fortescue won’t be there for years to come playing on Broadway with Perreault as his teammate.
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