Perrault, Fortescue Make Team USA camp, Continue to Star at BC.
By Marvin Azrak
The New York Rangers' top guns from the 2023 NHL Entry Draft are making waves! Gabe Perreault and Drew Fortescue, our 1st and 3rd Round Picks, got the nod from USA Hockey for the preliminary roster of the 2024 U.S. National Junior Team. They're among 29 players competing for a spot in the IIHF World Junior Championship. Keep an eye out for their skills at the training camp in Michigan from December 14th-16th.
Both Rangers prospects are shining for the Boston College Eagles. Perreault's racking up points, sitting at the top with 23 in 16 games. Fortescue's a defensive force with three goals under his belt. The Eagles are flying high, tied for second in the national rankings with Boston University after splitting last weekend with NorthEastern. In front of them is top-ranked North Dakota.
Perreault and Fortescue are among the 21 players with prior Team USA experience. These guys have a gold-winning history under Rangers' assistant coach Dan Muse. The 2024 U.S. National Junior Team, coached by David Carle, aims to grab gold in Group B, facing tough opponents like Czechia, Norway, Slovakia, and Switzerland.
Perreault and Fortescue recently lit up the scoresheet for Boston College, notching goals and assists in a 6-1 win over Notre Dame on November 24th. Their chemistry from the National Team Development Program is paying off.
In other news, Harvard's Zakary Karpa, the Rangers 2022 6th round pick, returned strong, scoring for the Crimson in their 4-1 loss to BC last Sunday. It's a good sign for the young center, especially after this season's slow start. Perrault’s linemate, Ryan Leanord, scored twice for the Eagles in the 4-1 win.
Jaroslav Chmelar, New York’s 2021 5th Round Pick, had two assists for Providence as they were swept by Arizona State at Mullet Arena.
He continues to showcase his skills with the Friars, leading in points. He has five goals and 14 points in 15 games.
Meanwhile, Madison Square Garden played host to – "Red Hot Hockey" after the Rangers' 7-4 win over the Boston Bruins on November 25, where Blueshirts prospect Hank Kempf and the Cornell Big Red triumphed over Boston University 2-1.
Lastly, Rangers prospect Hugo Ollas faced a tough weekend, but he's holding his own with Merrimack. Last week, BU secured a 4-1 victory on Friday night at Lawler Arena. Freshman Shane Lachance beat Ollas twice, and sophomore Lane Hutson recorded three assists. The projected 2024 top NHL draft pick, Macklin Celebrini, who made Canada’s preliminary World Junior Roster, found the back of the net. BU rallied from a 2-1 deficit on Saturday with four unanswered third-period goals for a 5-2 win, completing the sweep over Merrimack. Before the Terrier weekend, Ollas stopped 19 of 22 shots in a 4-3 victory at the “Turkey Leg Classic” over Bentley.