Mollie Walker of the New York Post reported that New York Rangers prospect Drew Fortescue will return to Boston College for his junior year. There have been debates about the 19-year-old's future and transition to the professional game, but the Blueshirts will not sign the Pearl River, New York native to his entry-level contract ahead of his junior season in the NCAA. He has great potential, so letting him develop is a good decision.
At 6'2", Fortescue is the size the New York Rangers want when they enter a draft class. He's a New York native and will continue to improve. He's already flexing one of the best skill sets of any defensemen in the NCAA, and he was a teammate of Gabe Perreault during his first two years at the school. Now, the Rangers will be watching Forstecue closer, hoping to see signs of improvement and see him continue to add muscle to his frame.
In the 36 games he played this season, Fortescue recorded 11 assists. He's not a natural goal scorer, so don't expect him to join Cale Makar in the 30-goal defenseman conversation. Still, he is a capable puck-mover, and the New York Rangers could benefit long-term from adding Fortescue to their system in the coming seasons. He could be a great player for a long time, and the Rangers will continue to monitor him.
We can expect this to be the final year he plays in the NCAA, as the Rangers did have conversations about signing him this season, but he wants another year in school. It's admirable that Fortescue wishes to continue his studies and doesn't want to abandon his teammates. Still, it would have been better to get him into the Rangers system, where the Blueshirts would have had control over how he was deployed, but this is what it is.