EJ Emery is a Passionate K'Andre Miller Clone

After the 2024 NHL Entry Draft concluded, the Rangers had one particular pick that fans could be very interested in heading into the 2024/25 season. 18 year old defenseman EJ Emery was selected 30th overall on night 1 of the draft by the Rangers from the USHL's National Team Development Program, one of the USHL's premier clubs.

Emery, a native of Surrey, BC, is currently committed to college hockey powerhouse North Dakota for the 24/25 season, so he may not be on the Rangers' opening night roster this October. But Emery is still a powerful player, a defenseman who utilizes his stick to the max, always digging for the puck but also managing to never overextend his reach, a potential superstar making trait. He isn't a noted goalscorer, as his final season with the USNTDP saw him notch only 6 points across 27 games without finding the back of the net, but Emery's 2022/23 campaign was a bit better, playing in double the amount of games and putting up 16 points even without still scoring. Emery is an interesting case, but the most interesting thing is how he's spiritually related to another Rangers D-man, K'Andre Miller.

During post-draft interviews, Emery actually said he models his game on the Rangers' 24-year-old defenseman, who all Rangers fans know is a decent goalscorer even with his position type usually being the most lacking on offense. Oddly enough, Miller is also a 1st round selection out of the USNTDP, selected 22nd by the Rangers back in the 2018 draft in Dallas. Miller played at the University of Wisconsin for two seasons before eventually becoming a blue-line mainstay in New York for the last 4 seasons up to now, so who knows? Perhaps Emery could follow in his footsteps by doing the same for the Fighting Hawks?

In addition to his interesting relationship to Miller, Emery is not only somewhat of a special player, but also kind of a special person. He is a dual citizen, who grew up in Canada, until joining the NTDP starting in the 2022/23 season, while his father was born in the United States and his mother is from Canada. Emery's idol is also famous Bruins star Willie O’Ree, the first black player in NHL history, who is named for a trophy given to the player that has had the most impact on their community, culture, or society through playing the game of hockey. O'Ree played an incredible 21 professional hockey seasons despite just 2 of those being in the NHL from 1954-1979 and did so even after suffering what could've been a career ending eye injury during his junior days.

With a physical 6'3" 173 pound frame and a fierce determination to make it big in one of the NHL's biggest and most stressful markets, EJ Emery should be a force to reckoned with once he hits NHL ice for the first time. Whether or not that comes here in 2024/25 just remains to be seen!