The 22-year-old, taken by the Rangers in the first round (No. 16 overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft began his fifth rookie camp on Wednesday when 22 hopefuls took the ice at the MSG Training Center in Tarrytown, New York. He arrived after switching up his summertime schedule, opting to move his workouts to Gary Roberts Performance in Vaughn, Ontario.

Among those working out at the former NHL forward’s facility were Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, as well as Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog.

“They helped me gain some of my confidence back that I didn’t really have here toward the end of the year,” he said, “so they did a great job.”

Othmann arrived at camp weighing 195 pounds, meaning he’s added about 10 pounds of muscle. He brought a more mature attitude as well.

“It’s just that when I got called up last year, I think I was a little bit nervous and starstruck at the time,” he said after skating at left wing on a line with center Noah Laba and right wing Gabriel Perreault. “I felt like being around NHL guys for the whole summer – and, I mean, I was around NHL guys basically since February. Coming to camp now, I’m not really nervous or anything like that.”

Scenes from Day 1. 🎥 pic.twitter.com/F705hEtRs0

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) September 10, 2025

After another day of practice, Othmann and the rest of his rookie teammates will get their first chance to make an impression on new coach Mike Sullivan and his staff when they play the Philadelphia Flyers’ rookies on Friday and Saturday in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

New York Rangers news and analysis

Othmann isn’t the only player at rookie camp to add some muscle. Perreault arrived 10 pounds bigger after his summer workout routine, although he still clocks in at just 180. “I know that it’s not going to be given to me,” he said of making the team out of training camp. “Every day I’ll work hard and try to prove it.”

Here’s a little from Perreault, who said he gained about 10 pounds this summer and came to camp around 180 lbs. #NYR pic.twitter.com/vvzPAiRgRD

— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) September 10, 2025

Laba, who’s all but certain to begin the season with AHL Hartford, said “there’s a lot of lessons to be learned here, a lot of teaching points. … It’s my first one, so I am kind of taking it all in.” Playing between Othmann and Perreault “was awesome.” One thing that could boost Laba’s chances of making it to the Garden sooner rather than later is the Rangers’ lack of young talent in the middle.

Finally, as the Rangers remind us each year on Sept. 11, never forget those who lost their lives on this day in 2001.

We remember, reflect and honor all those affected by the events on September 11th. pic.twitter.com/e1XMxIjrje

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) September 11, 2025

NHL news and rumors

TSN: Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin says the team is continuing to negotiate with Kirill Kaprizov after a media report indicated the star left wing turned down a record-setting deal said to be worth $128 million over eight years. Kaprizov is entering the final season of a five-year, $45 million contract. “My role as general manager is to protect our players,” Guerin said on the 10,000 Takes Show. I know two things. That info didn’t come from us, and it didn’t come from Kirill’s agent. I don’t know where it came from.

San Jose Hockey Now: The San Jose Sharks signed forward Michael Misa, the second player taken in the 2025 NHL Draft, to an entry-level contract on Wednesday. Misa  led all CHL players in scoring last season with 134 points (62 goals, 72 assists) and earned the Red Tilson Trophy as Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Player of the Year while playing for Saginaw of the Ontario Hockey League.

NHL.com: Unlike Kaprizov, Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel says he’s not worried about his next contract as he enters the final season of an eight-year, $80 million deal. “For me, it’s business as usual,” Eichel told NHL.com at the NHL/NHLPA North American Player Media Tour on Wednesday. “Things like that kind of take care of themselves when you’re focused on the right things. I know that will sort itself out.” He said he’s at ease partly because there is mutual interest from both sides to get a deal done.

Sportsnet: To Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes, brother Jack’s recently expressed public wish for a family reunion is a nothingburger. “I don’t even think it’s a big deal,” he told Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas on during a recording of the 32 Thoughts podcast. Jack and Luke Hughes play for the New Jersey Devils; Jack is locked up until 2030 and the Devils are working on a long-term deal with Luke. Quinn is two seasons away from unrestricted free agency and is making no promises to re-sign.

New Jersey Hockey Now: Speaking of Luke Hughes and the Devils, colleague James Nichols takes a look at his contract status. Luke and the Devils have yet to come to terms on an extension as training camp nears, though GM Tom Fitzgerald says he’s confident a deal will get done.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Sidney Crosby is trying to shrug off the trade questions during the players media tour in Las Vegas. But the words of his agent, Pat Brisson, have raised some eyebrows. Our colleague Dan Kingerski takes a complete look at Sid’s status.

Coach Peter Laviolette said he took it slow with the players Tuesday, — “get some touches,” he called the practice plan. But things will ramp up as the week progresses.

Mika Zibanejad and Urho Vaakanainen are expected to be in the Rangers facility Wednesday, though don’t look for either to be back on the ice after participating in the 4 Nations.

As for the 4 Nations, Laviolette said he’s not surprised by the high level of play nor the intensity of the NHL players representing their native countries. Also not a surprise was Laviolette’s concern over players being hurt in these games during the middle of the NHL schedule.

Mollie Walker of the New York Post reported that Vincent Trocheck confirmed he was fine Monday night after Team USA’s 2-1 loss to Sweden. But he didn’t look fine during the game, shaking his right hand and heading to the dressing room late in the first period.

Trocheck finished the game, but lost four of seven face-offs — unusual for him — and seemed to be bothered by the hand/wrist issue at different times.

Maybe it’s nothing. But if it’s something, then that puts a damper on this entire feel-good tournament from a Rangers perspective.

Subscribe to the Rink Rap podcast at the Forever Blueshirts YouTube page

New York Rangers news

Igor Shesterkin was absent from practice Tuesday, and Laviolette said the goalie is still day to day with an upper-body injury. Shesterkin reportedly skated on his own, however.

John Kreiser handed out reports cards Wednesday morning, grading each of the six Rangers who participated in the 4 Nations Face-Off ahead of the championship game Thursday.

Johnny Gaudreau is not far from Chris Kreider’s thoughts at the 4 Nations.

The Rangers are set up with a pretty favorable schedule after the 4 Nations Face-Off. Now, will they take advantage of it?

EJ Emery’s suspension and Gabe Perreault’s hot streak highlight this week’s Rangers NCAA prospects report.

Tip of the hat to Peter Baugh of The Athletic, who polled the Rangers dressing room Tuesday to find out how the Canadian players are viewing the 4 Nations Face-Off and who’ll be tuned in to the championship game against the United States, which features four of their Blueshirt teammates.

NHL news

Charlie McAvoy is week to week for the Boston Bruins after undergoing a procedure to clear an infection.

Will Quinn Hughes join Team USA for the championship game to replace McAvoy in the lineup? It’s complicated.

Team Canada forward Brandon Hagel came out firing with his words against Team USA, stoking the fires for what should be a very emotional and intense championship game Thursday.

Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko is out week to week with a lower-body injury and will miss their entire five-game road trip coming out of the break.

The Canucks signed recently-acquired forward Drew O’Connor to a two-year, $5 million contract.

The family of Hockey Hall of Famer Bobby Hull released a statement Wednesday stating that the Golden Jet had CTE, a degenerative brain disease, when he died two years ago.

After missing 52 games with a shoulder injury, defenseman Sean Durzi should be good to go for the Utah Hockey Club coming out of the break.

The Edmonton Oilers recalled top prospect Matthew Savoie — and the forward will be in the lineup on their upcoming road trip.

It appears the Penguins will have a pair of key forwards back from injury when the season resumes this weekend. Both Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust practiced full Tuesday and are “good to go.”

The New Jersey Devils had a mixed bag of injury news Tuesday. On the positive side, captain Nico Hischier appears healthy and ready to return to the lineup. But defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler had a procedure done during the break and will be reevaluated in 2-3 weeks.

But that doesn’t we mean we will take a vacation to the tropics here at Forever Blueshirts, no matter how enticing that sounds!

Nope, we’ll be here every day. Looking ahead to the March 7 trade deadline. Looking back on how the Rangers arrived at the break 11th in the Eastern Conference and just three points out of a wild-card spot despite one of the worst quarters in recent memory.

We’ll also be all over the mid-season tournament, where six Rangers will represent three nations in the four-team international event.

The Rink Rap podcast will be fired up a couple times a week still, including Monday when former Rangers captain and longtime radio analyst Dave Maloney will join the show.

So as you Blueshirts Faithful catch your breath and ramp up for the stretch run, know that we’re still grinding here every day, not taking a break during the break, talking all things Rangers on a daily basis.

Subscribe to the Rink Rap podcast at the Forever Blueshirts YouTube page.

New York Rangers news

Our Tom Castro makes the case that the Rangers should investigate acquiring rugged forward Jordan Greenway from the Buffalo Sabres ahead of the trade deadline.

Speaking of physical forwards on the trade market, here’s a breakdown of why Trent Frederic of the Boston Bruins likely won’t end up with the Rangers ahead of the March 7 deadline.

We took a dive into how Peter Laviolette’s line changes and Will Cuylle’s straight-ahead approach and heroics helped the Rangers win a crucial game right before the break, 4-3 against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

In case you missed it, here are our three Rangers takeaways from that win in Columbus, including how everything broke New York’s way in the playoff race on Saturday.

Sure, Louis Domingue would prefer to have 100 career wins in the NHL by now, but good on the Hartford Wolf Pack veteran goalie for earning his 100th AHL win the other night.

NHL news

The United States sustained a big blow ahead of the 4 Nations Face-Off when it learned Quinn Hughes won’t be able to participate because of an undisclosed injury. The Vancouver Canucks defenseman and captain will be replaced by Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson.

Another Senators defenseman, Nikolas Matinpalo, also was added the 4 Nations tournament. Matinpalo will play for Finland, replacing Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ramus Ristolainen, who has an upper-body injury.

Despite missing the Carolina Hurricanes’ 7-3 win against the Utah Hockey Club with a lower-body injury Saturday, Mikko Rantanen will play for Finland at the 4 Nations.

Teams must submit final rosters for the in-season tournament by 5 p.m. ET on Monday. Canada plans to evaluate Sidney Crosby’s progress at a skate in Montreal on Monday before making a final call on his status. The Pittsburgh Penguins captain has been sidelined with an upper-body injury.

The Penguins keep making moves to retool their roster, claiming defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok off waivers from Utah.

Pierre LeBrun reports that pending UFA forward Jake Evans and the Montreal Canadiens are not close on a new contract, making it more likely he could be traded ahead of the March 7 deadline.

The Washington Capitals overcame an ugly start to pick a point in a 5-4 shootout loss to Utah.

The Tampa Bay Lightning surged into the break with a 5-0-1 mark following a 5-3 win against the Canadiens. It appears the Canadiens are falling out of the playoff race after a 1-7-1 stretch heading into the break.

Watch Nicholas Paul of the Lightning score, perhaps, the prettiest goal on Super Bowl Sunday.

Not only did the Rangers rally in the third period to knock off the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3, but each team they’re battling in the Eastern Conference playoff race lost. So, in a whirlwind turn, the Rangers enter the 4 Nations Face-off break 11th in the conference, three points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the second wild card and four in arrears of the Ottawa Senators for the top wild card, with a game in hand.

Their victory also moved the Rangers a point ahead of the Islanders and three ahead of the sinking Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers and Penguins.

Even the only bad news in their sphere had a decent spin. Igor Shesterkin is out 1-2 weeks with an upper-body injury. But their next game is not for two weeks, thanks to the break in the schedule. With the right amount of luck here, Shesterkin won’t miss any game action since Jonathan Quick was in line to start against the Blue Jackets anyway.

It wasn’t perfect Saturday but it was a crucial two points gained. The Rangers surrendered 19 high-dangers scoring chances and had only 10 themselves, per Natural Stat Trick. Their xGF was a touch above 47 percent. But they won, and head into the break with three wins in their past four games.

Catch your breath these next two weeks — and hope no Rangers get hurt during the in-season tournament — then get set for a wild ride to the finish line in this crazy playoff race.

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New York Rangers news

Here are our three Rangers takeaways from a massively important win against the Blue Jackets, including another show of resilience by the Blueshirts.

As mentioned above, Shesterkin is sidelined for up to two weeks with an upper-body injury.

Louis Domingue earned his 100th AHL victory, helping the Hartford Wolf Pack end a seven-game slide with a 4-2 win against Lehigh Valley.

NHL news

Trade rumors are swirling around Scott Laughton, with the Philadelphia Flyers reportedly engaged in traded talks with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets for the forward.

Thatcher Demko is injured again. The Vancouver Canucks goalie left their game against the Maple Leafs on Saturday with an undisclosed injury. The oft-injured goalie missed the first two months this season with a knee issue.

Quinn Hughes remained out of the Canucks lineup and missed his fourth straight game with an unspecified injury. Though he skated on his own Saturday, the 25-year-old defenseman’s status to play for the United States at the 4 Nations Face-off remains unclear.

Despite the injury drama, the Canucks defeated the Maple Leafs 2-1.

Veteran Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty was added to Canada’s 4 Nations roster to replace Alex Pietrangelo.

The Detroit Red Wings had their seven-game winning streak end in a 6-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Ottawa Senators’ losing streak extended to three games with a 5-1 defeat at the hands of the Florida Panthers.

Brandon Montour sustained an upper-body injury for the Seattle Kraken and didn’t return to their game against the Calgary Flames. The Kraken still found a way to rally past the Flames with a 3-2 overtime victory.

Mathew Barzal had a minor procedure performed on his kneecap and should be out six weeks for the Islanders.

Then the Islanders allowed five straight goals and lost to the Minnesota Wild 6-3.

Jake Allen got back on his game, backstopping the New Jersey Devils to a 4-0 shutout win against the Montreal Canadiens.

The battle of the Keystone state went to the Flyers, who edged the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2.

First, the Rangers throttled the Chicago Blackhawks 6-2 in a matinee at United Center, their first win of more than two goals since a 4-0 victory at the Detroit Red wings on Nov. 9. Then their AHL affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack rode a 29-save outing from goalie prospect Dylan Garand to a 5-1 win against the Bridgeport Islanders.

Finally, Rangers prospects Gabe Perreault and Drew Fortescue helped lead the United States to their second consecutive gold medal victory at the World Junior Championship.

Sing it loud and proud! 🇺🇸 #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/sCwFzhe4Qr

— USA Hockey (@usahockey) January 6, 2025

For the reeling Rangers, it was a much-needed respite from their massive struggles this season. Remember, all of this good came 24 hours after a sloppy 7-4 loss to the Washington Capitals that extended the Rangers’ misery to 5-16-0, and public criticism from The Captain, Mark Messier, himself on ABC.

Since the Islanders also won Sunday, the Rangers remain tied in points (37) for last place in the Metropolitan Division. Yet they are just four points out of the second wild card in the Eastern Conference, and have two games on the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Of course, there are five teams between New York and Pittsburgh, but there seems to be a bit more light at the end of the tunnel after the Rangers won two of their past three games. Simply, there are a lot of mediocre teams in the mix, which is good news for the Blueshirts, after a really good day.

New York Rangers news

Let’s start with our three takeaways from the Rangers’ 6-2 win in Chicago, including how good things happen when they get pucks and bodies to the net.

Then let’s segue into Perreault and Fortescue becoming two-time gold medal winners at the World Juniors.

For those wanting a complete look at the Rangers weekend, we also have our three takeaways from that 7-4 loss to the Capitals, including a rough day for Jonathan Quick and his defensemen.

NHL news

We reported that former Rangers forward Frank Vatrano is now off the trade market after he signed a three-year, $18 million contract extension with the Anaheim Ducks.

Vatrano then went out Sunday, scored two goals and added an assist in a 4-1 Ducks win against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Vancouver Canucks welcomed injured stars Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson back to practice Sunday. Hughes is day to day with an unspecified injury and could play Monday against the Montreal Canadiens.

Ottawa Senators goalie Linus Ullmark remains sidelined and is week to week with a back injury. Teammate Travis Hamonic will be out 2-4 weeks with a lower-body injury.

Top-pair defenseman Jake McCabe left the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 3-2 win against the Philadelphia Flyers and didn’t return because of an upper-body injury after a fight with Garnet Hathaway.

Watch Toronto’s Morgan Rielly score the overtime winner against the Philly.

Bo Horvat scored in overtime to lift the Islanders to a much-needed 5-4 overtime win against the Boston Bruins.

Watch Sebastian Aho also score in OT, lifting the Carolina Hurricanes to a 4-3 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Surgical is not as sexy as explosive. But it can be equally as effective.

Quietly, Fox’s portfolio is astounding. It’s as impressive as Makar’s and Hughes’ — minus the Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe Trophy that Makar won with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022.

Fox won the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman in 2020-21. He has 316 points in 365 games, already tied for sixth in Rangers history among defensemen in scoring with Reijo Ruotsalainen, and is 13th in career goals (53) after surpassing Ryan McDonagh in 2023-24. His 263 assists are 20 behind Brad Park for fourth all-time among Rangers defensemen.

Each of the past four seasons, Fox has been a top-four vote-getter for the Norris. And he has 70 points or more in three straight seasons.

In 2023-24, Fox finished fourth in Norris voting, just outside of the three finalists, after posting 73 points (NHL career-high 17 goals, 56 assists) in 72 games. Hughes, the lead defenseman for the Vancouver Canucks, won the award last season.

Related: Matt Rempe back with Rangers, OK with AHL assignment: ‘want to grow my game’

Rangers’ Adam Fox again one of NHL’s top defensemen this season

Fox is off to another strong start this season, if not in the flashy style that has Makar the darling of hockey highlight shows. The Rangers’ top defenseman has eight assists in eight games, including two three-point games. He’s tied for fifth among NHL defensemen in assists and tied for sixth in points — but just three out of third place.

Makar picked up another point Monday and leads all defensemen with 17 points (three goals, 14 assists). That’s second among all NHL skaters, trailing only Vegas Golden Knights forward Mark Stone (18 points; five goals, 13 assists).

Hughes scored a goal Monday and is tied with Fox at eight points (two goals, six assists).

Other defensemen are off to solid starts, too. But, really, Fox, Makar, and Hughes — and Roman Josi of the Nashville Predators — are on another level.

Fox is quietly thriving — and he’s doing so without his usual defense partner, Ryan Lindgren. Dating back to their U.S. National Team days together, Fox and Lindgren have been a solid pair. But when Lindgren went down with a jaw injury in the preseason and missed the first five games of the season, K’Andre Miller stepped into his usual spot to the left of Fox. The Miller-Fox pair has remained intact even after Lindgren’s return.

It hasn’t slowed down the Blueshirts, who are 6-1-1 to start the 2024-25 championship-or-bust season. The move may have energized a defensive core that needed a jolt. It gives the Rangers a dynamic top pairing and should elevate the games of Miller and Fox, New York’s two best d-men.

In Colorado, Makar is paired by the Avalanche with Devon Toews. Makar benefits greatly by skating with such a talented partner. Toews is overshadowed by his partner, but he can also skate like the wind, score at will — and defend like a franchise defenseman. 

The Canucks pair Hughes with Filip Hronek, a two-way defender who finished with 48 points in 2023-24 playing alongside their young captain.

Miller gives Fox more of a Toews or Hronek complement than Lindgren did, though the Lindgren-Fox pairing certainly has had plenty of success. It’s not like Fox is bogged down playing with Lindgren.

But this just may be the medicine the Rangers need to heal their defense after a lackluster showing in the 2024 Eastern Conference Final. 

Fox and Miller have combined for 157 chances and surrendered 92 in 117 minutes and eight games together at 5v5. They have been on the ice for six goals and four goals against. In terms of advanced stats, through eight games (minimum 75:00 TOI), Miller and Fox have recorded xGF – 9.43 (1st), xGoalsFor – 10.3 (1st), HDCF – 43 (1st), xGoals% – 70.1 (2nd) and xGF% – 68.91 (3rd) (Natural Stat Trick and Money Puck.com). 

Hughes and Hronek are also off to a hot start, only allowing two goals against and generating 153 chances for and 88 chances against in eight games in 116:46 TOI.

Makar and Toews have been on the ice for 89 chances for and 82 against, and four goals and four goals against. The Avalanche have been shorthanded early without three injured forwards — Jonathan Drouin, Gabriel Landeskog and Artturi Lehkonen — as well as suspended forward Valeri Nichushkin, to support Nathan MacKinnon on offense, so that should be taken into account. 

Stats also reveal that Makar without MacKinnon on the ice takes a big hit in numbers. In the last two seasons, 47 percent of his points were scored on the power play and 79 percent while paired with either MacKinnon or Mikko Rantanen. 

The Fox-Miller pairing is right in the mix of the best all-around defensive pairings in the NHL. It’s not to say that Lindgren ever detracted from Fox’s play. That duo had a yin-yang balance; one player with offensive gifts, the other with relentless grit. 

The pairing change may help Fox earn a fifth nomination for the Norris Trophy. Although 74 games remain, Fox is making a quiet early case in the race to be named the NHL’s best defenseman. 

Fox was one of six players named Friday to play for the United States in the mid-season tournament next season. Sullivan, the Pittsburgh Penguins coach, will be behind the U.S. bench, happy that his division rival will be in his corner for the best-on-best tournament.

“I told him I’m thrilled to have him on my side for once instead of having to figure out how to defend against him,” Sullivan said Friday before the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft here at Sphere.

“I would expect him to be the player that he is and bring what he brings. He’s one of the elite defensemen in the League. He’s one of the best power-play defensemen in the League. We’ve certainly had our challenges trying to defend against him. Playing in the same division, I feel like I know his game really well, because of all the battles we’ve had, we had a playoff series against him a couple years ago (2022). So, to have him on our bench will be comforting.”

The new tournament involving Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States will replace the NHL All-Star Game next season. It features NHL stars representing their respective country, with games being played at Bell Centre in Montreal and TD Garden in Boston from Feb. 15-20.

In partnership with the NHLPA, the NHL will shut down to accommodate the best-on-best tournament. This sets the stage for NHL players to return to the Winter Olympics in 2026 in Turin, Italy, after missing the past two Olympics.

Each of the four countries taking part selected the first six players to their roster to promote the event. Fox is joined among the first six U.S. players by defensemen Charlie McAvoy of the Boston Bruins and Quinn Hughes, the 2024 Norris Trophy winner from the Vancouver Canucks, and forwards Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs), Jack Eichel (Vegas Golden Knights) and Matthew Tkachuk (Florida Panthers).

“These are the elite of the elite,” Sullivan said. “They guys that we inevitably chose as the first handful of guys, not only are great players, but they’re good leaders and they have a certain pride playing for their nation … We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to name these guys.”

United States general manager Bill Guerin, who’s also the Minnesota Wild GM, added, “We could’ve named 12, 15 guys. There are so many good players. But I think the last spot was the most difficult one to come up with.”

Related: Adam Fox, Mika Zibanejad among first players named to play in 2025 4 Nations Face-Off

Adam Fox praised by Rangers rivals after named to U.S. squad

Fox has represented the United States in international competition five times. He helped the U.S. win a gold medal at the 2017 World Junior Championship, a silver medal at the 2014 U17 event and bronze medals at the 2018 WJC and 2016 U18 event. He most recently played for his country in the 2019 World Championship, when the United States failed to medal.

Like others among the first six U.S. players, the 26-year-old Rangers defenseman came through the National Team Development Program, before he attended Harvard University.

“Even back at the NTDP, he was a really good. … I think just the way he plays, the confidence, the poise that he has, he’s kind of had it his whole life,” Matthews said Friday. “He’s a really special player and I’m looking forward to playing with him.”

Hughes and Fox each have won the Norris Trophy as the top NHL defenseman, and Fox now has finished in the top five in voting for the award five consecutive years. They give Sullivan a dynamic pair to start off with as the United States builds its roster.

“Fox is an unbelievable player,” Hughes said. “There’s just so many great players in the League right now and ‘Foxy’ is one of them for sure. He’s had a great career so far and it’ll be great to play with him.”

Fox wasn’t the only Rangers player selected in the first six for his country on Friday. Mika Zibanejad was among Sweden’s first six players named.

On Wednesday, the Rangers announced that they hired David Quinn as the thirty-fifth coach in New York franchise history.

As many of you know, the 2018 NHL Entry-Draft is less than a month away. The Rangers have been scouting prospects eligible for the 2018 Draft long before the Quinn hire, but will the hiring of David Quinn affect the prospects that the Rangers will ultimately choose in the 2018 NHL Entry-Draft?

Quinn’s Coaching Style

On Thursday, May 24, David Quinn and the Rangers held a press conference where he discussed his coaching style:

• “I like to think that I am fair and demanding. There is no gray area with me with players. They want to get better and held accountable but the message has to be that this is in your best interest, it’s not about me being the big-tough coach, it’s about letting them know that everything we are doing is to make them better players. When a player realizes that and how much you care about them, there is a trust factor that creeps in and that is where success happens.”
• On practicing and player development: “We are going through the stage of figuring out what the roster is going to look like. You want to spend as much time with the individuals as possible, we have systems but the concepts within the systems will be important. Stick positioning, angling, all the hockey terms that you need to do to become a better player whether it’s from a forecheck standpoint, a D-zone standpoint, you need to work on these things daily in practice and practice is important. You gotta come to the rink with a game-like mentality and work on getting better. We are going to do that, be in great shape, our practice will be fast and there will be a lot of attention to detail.”
• “Pressure, puck possession game that is built around defense. Defense isn’t just what goes on in the defensive zone. When there is a change of possession in the offensive zone or neutral zone we want to get the puck back quickly and take away time and space and make people uncomfortable and when we get it we want to possess it. It doesn’t mean we aren’t going to have to chip it behind people at appropriate times but that is not the system we want to play. We want to be hard to play against and fast and physical.”
• In an interview with Al Trautwig: “We want to possess the puck, and when we don’t have it, we want to get it. To me, the defense doesn’t start in the defensive zone, it starts when you don’t have the puck; whether it be from a forecheck, or through the neutral zone. We want to possess the puck and we want to enter the zone with speed. Sometimes you have to dump the puck in, but that certainly won’t be our main goal.”

Now that we know Quinn’s coaching style, let us get back to the topic of this article. Will the hiring of David Quinn affect the prospects that the Rangers will ultimately choose in the 2018 NHL Entry-Draft?

The Rangers have ten draft picks in the upcoming draft. Three in the first round (9, 26, and 28), two in each of the second and third rounds, one fourth, one fifth, and one sixth round pick. This year’s draft class is a deep one, so the Rangers should look to stock up on youth as they head into their “rebuild.”

David Quinn wants his players to be fast, physical, defensively responsible, and have the ability to possess and carry the puck into the zone when needed; so it would be logical to assume that the Rangers would try to pick prospects with those qualities so that they would be a good fit under David Quinn’s system.

There are many players that I think possess the qualities that the Rangers and David Quinn would look for when selecting a prospect.

Quinn Hughes

Ranked ninth by Bob McKenzie and Jeff Marek.

David Quinn should have kept a close eye on Quinn Hughes as he played for Michigan of the NCAA. Hughes is most likely the best skating defenseman in this year’s draft class and controls the puck very well. Hughes can quarterback a power-play and provide offense, which is the standard for defensemen in today’s NHL.

USNTDP U17 coach John Wroblewski said this on Quinn Hughes’ game: “His acceleration and escapability are second to none. He has the best 1-on-1 instincts I’ve ever seen. Through the neutral zone, he darts and slashes, rarely making a poor read on when to join [the attack]. In the offensive zone, he’s like a point guard. He breaks people down and makes them look silly.”

Oliver Wahlstrom

Ranked seventh by Bob McKenzie and Jeff Marek.

Wahlstrom is the epitome of an elite center. He has a fantastic shot, a lot of skill and creativity, and can create plays when he needs to.

USNTDP U18 coach Seth Appert said this on Wahlstrom’s game: “He’s a big, strong, explosive power forward who is a goal scorer. His combination of strength, power, speed and shot as a right shot is unique. He’s a world-class goal scorer. He’s got the one-timer or the snapshot to beat goalies from the perimeter.  He’s adding the ability to drive to the blue paint to score goals to his game.”

Joel Farabee

Ranked twelfth by Jeff Marek and fourteenth by Bob McKenzie.

Farabee is a great all-around player. While he isn’t the fastest skater, he can create offense when he has to. Farabee was a key penalty killer for the United States Development Team and was always very dependable. The Rangers seem to have a thing for drafting reliable players (a la Lias Andersson and Jesper Fast, among others), so I can definitely see Farabee as a fit. Plus, he is committed to Boston University, and David Quinn played an instrumental role in recruiting him.

USNTDP U18 coach Seth Appert said this on Farabee’s game: “He’s a complete player. He creates a ton of offense without any cheat to his game. He’s a 200-foot player. He’s a great penalty killer and dangerous shorthanded. He’s got the skill level to break you down 1-on-1 and make plays through people. He’s the absolute fiercest competitor.”

Brady Tkachuk

Ranked fourth by Bob McKenzie and Jeff Marek.

Brady Tkachuk played under David Quinn at Boston University, so he is a legitimate possibility for the Rangers. Tkachuk is a 6’3″ bulldozer who can bully his way to the net. In my opinion, he was the best possessor of the puck in all of the NCAA this past season. He does not have elite offensive potential, but can most certainly put the puck in the back of the net. His size allows him to create plays, and he is a competitor. Jeff Gorton said it himself that the Rangers are looking for not only talented players but leaders and competitors; Tkachuk fits the bill.

Former Boston University coach, and current Rangers coach David Quinn said this about Tkachuk’s game: “He plays with such an edge. He’s so determined. He’s got good skills, he shoots the puck well. There’s a lot to like about Brady on and off the ice.”

Other Potential Picks

K’Andre Miller

Ranked 33rd by Bob McKenzie.

Miller recently converted from forward to defense and makes up for his defensive mistakes with his speed and physicality. Miller is 6’3″, and 200 pounds, and when he goes into battles in the corner, he almost always emerges with the puck. Plus, I’m sure some Ranger fans want to see the name “Miller” on the back of a Rangers jersey again.

USNTDP U18 coach Seth Appert said this about Miller’s game: “He has the skating ability, the length, and the competitiveness to be a shut-down, mobile, hard defender, but then he has the explosiveness to add offense, as well.”

Logan Hutsko

Ranked forty-second by Corey Pronman.

Hutsko went undrafted in last year’s draft, largely due to injury. However, he was Boston College’s best playmaker this season and was the Hockey East rookie of the year. Hutsko has great vision, and although small, he is very crafty with the puck. He is not an explosive skater, but he is coming off of a major knee injury, so I believe he will recover some of the acceleration he lost due to injury in the near future.

The Rangers already have an idea of who they are going to draft, but this may change with input from David Quinn. I would be thrilled to have any of the prospects mentioned above, although some may be out of reach. Nevertheless, this year’s draft will be exciting, and I look forward to it.

As all serious Rangers fans know, the Rangers received the ninth overall selection in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. And if the Rangers want to make a splash, they may want to look south to make a deal.

https://twitter.com/OneFanView/status/990386886072983553

After finishing eighth from the bottom in the regular season, the Rangers hoped to win the draft lottery and slide into the top three. However, instead of moving up in the order, they slid back one slot. While this was not really unexpected, as the chances of picking ninth were nearly identical to picking eighth, the deflation of the fan base could be felt on Twitter.

While disappointing, if the Rangers stay at number nine, they will get the chance to pick a very high-quality player. There are some very high-end talents that will be available when the Rangers pick including the likes of Oliver Wahlstrom and Quinn Hughes. Any player that the Rangers pick will immediately move toward the top of the Rangers prospect rankings.

A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN

Anthony touched on why the Hurricanes would be willing to listen to offers so I will not double down on that. Additionally, Anthony touched on what the Hurricanes biggest needs are, a number one center and high-end goaltender. He proposed that the Rangers package the number nine overall pick with Mika Zibanejad for the number two overall pick. This would be of mutual benefit to both teams and the Hurricanes would be very interested in getting a guy who can snipe like this.

While this has the makings of a deal, I believe there are a few other options that could also get the deal done without trading our number one center.

ZUCC TO CAROLINA

As Anthony mentioned, the Hurricanes need a number one center and a goalie. As a team that seems to be on the verge of being competitive, the Hurricanes need to add a few pieces to be truly competitive. Specifically, the Hurricanes need scoring. Carolina’s defense is young, talented, and deep but they aren’t able to put enough pucks in the net. Enter the Rangers. Mats Zuccarello is on the last year of his contract but has shown no signs of slowing down. A perennial 55-60 point scorer, Zuccarello would be a great addition to the Hurricanes top-six.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=–QM91BBEWM]

This, along with the number nine selection, would not be enough to get it done. In addition to Zibanejad, the Rangers have Kevin Hayes, Vladislav Namestikov, Ryan Spooner, Filip Chytil, Lias Anderson, and Brett Howden at the center position. Packaging one of Spooner, Hayes, or Namestikov with Zuccarello and the ninth overall could get the deal done if the Hurricanes want to compete this year.

HEIR TO THE THRONE…IN CAROLINA?

If the Hurricanes feel like they are more than a year or two from contention, they may be looking for prospects and picks as opposed to roster players. Following the Hurricanes needs of a center and goalie, the Rangers still have great organizational depth at both positions. This year, the Rangers have three first-round picks, two second-round picks, and two third-round picks. Additionally, the Rangers center and goalie depth are very good. Although Igor Shestyorkin is considered to be the heir apparent to Henrik Lundqvist, the Rangers have a few years left of Lundqvist before they need to replace him.

Additionally, Shestyorkin, while very talented, is unproven in North America and goalies are notoriously hard to predict. Packaging Shestyorkin with the ninth overall, one of Hayes, Namestikov, Spooner, and a Rangers second-round pick would be enough to get into the conversation.

WISHFUL THINKING?

While the deals mentioned above may not be quite enough to snatch the second overall pick, and I may be somewhat biased, they do get the Rangers into a serious conversation with the Hurricanes. The Rangers organizational depth and the organizational needs of the Hurricanes match up very well. If the Hurricanes are looking to make a deal, the Rangers are automatically on the short list of teams that will be considered. They are in the ideal 5-10 range that Anthony mentions and have assets that the Hurricanes could be interested in. Maybe, just maybe, the Rangers can pull off a deal and get that elite talent they so desperately need.

With the NHL draft lottery concluded, we now know what selection the Rangers will have in the upcoming entry draft. The Rangers will pick ninth overall as well as two picks in the realm of 26-31 overall.

Although the dream of having Rasmus Dahlin, Andrei Svechnikov or Filip Zadina wearing the Blueshirt has ended, it’s time to take a look at which players the Rangers could select with their ninth overall selection.

Oliver Wahlstrom – USNTDP – RW – 6’1”, 205 pounds

2017-18 Stats: 47 G, 45 A – 92 points – 60 games played

Most likely, Wahlstrom will be the next forward called off the board after the selections of Svechnikov, Zadina, and Brady Tkachuk. He has the speed, size, and skill to be a dominant forward in this league. The kid has a great hockey sense and from what he has brought to the table this season for the USNTDP, he has shown that he can really put the puck in the net. Oh, and the kid has no problem killing penalties either. The Rangers may have to get a little lucky to grab him but he could fall to them at nine.

Quinn Hughes – University of Michigan (NCAA) – D – 5’10”, 174 pounds

2017-18 Stats: 5 G. 24 A – 29 points – 37 games played

Tabbed as one of the smoothest skating and best puck-handling defensemen in this draft, Hughes has all the natural talent in the world. He had a massive year for the Wolverines and is a big reason they had a great Frozen Four tournament. He can quarterback the powerplay and is extremely smart with his decision making. He’s been described by Joe Curtis of eliteprospects.com as “[Being] a complete defenseman that understands how to open up a game and take it over.” That sounds like someone the Rangers could use on their blueline.

Joel Farabee – USNTDP – LW – 6’0”, 168 pounds

2017-18 Stats: 33 G, 41 A – 74 points – 60 games played

One of the top two dominant USNTDP forwards that will be available in this draft, Farabee is described by The Draft Analyst Steve Kournianos, as a “quick skating offensive force.” He captained Team USA’s squad at the U18 World Juniors this year. The knock on him is that he has to gain some muscle but that is fixable in the gym. As one of the top forwards in this draft, Farabee must be on the Rangers radar as they look to get better on the wings.

Evan Bouchard – London Knights (OHL) – D – 6’2”, 193 pounds

2017-18 Stats – 25 G, 67 A – 87 points – 67 games played

The captain of the OHL’s London Knights is one of the most complete defensemen in this draft. He has a cannon of a shot and rose up draft rankings this year with his absolutely stellar play during the season. He actually got better once some star players were traded from the Knights and it shows he can carry a heavy workload. Described by Sportsnet’s Sam Cosentino as being “strong as an ox,” this is another guy who the Rangers really need to consider.

Ty Smith – Spokane Chiefs (WHL) – D – 5’10”, 170 pounds

2017-18 stats: 14 G, 59 A – 73 points – 69 games played

Described by The Hockey News’ Ryan Kennedy as being the best prospect out of the WHL, Smith would be a great addition for the Rangers if they choose to go with him at nine. He is another smooth skating defenseman and served as Canada’s captain at the U18 World Juniors this past season. With great skating ability, a great shot, good hockey IQ and leadership qualities, the Rangers could do a lot worse at ninth overall.

Barring a trade to move up in the draft there’s a good chance one of these names mentioned above will be a New York Ranger on June 22nd in Dallas.