Uncover the brilliance of Rangers prospects lighting up college hockey this holiday season. These rising stars are gearing up for the World Juniors, promising an exciting future for the New York Rangers.
As the first half of the college hockey season concluded, the New York Rangers' prospects were spotlighted, showcasing their talents across various teams.
Gabe Perreault, New York's 2023 1st Round Pick, and the Boston College Eagles had a big game at home for the Hockey East Game of the Week against the Providence College Friars. The freshman Gabe had a fabulous night with his ninth multi-point game, helping secure a 5-4 win. He kicked off the scoring by setting up his buddy Will Smith on the power play at 6:41 in the first period. Then, Gabe pulled off a slick semi-breakaway, scoring a beauty with a backhand shot at 9:00—his fifth goal.
From College Ice to World Juniors: Rangers' Rising Stars Illuminate the Season:
Providence rallied with three unanswered goals, taking a 3-2 lead in the third period. Then, Boston College defenseman Drew Fortescue, the Rangers 2023 3rd-round pick, stepped up big time, getting his first NCAA career assist. He set up Cutter Gauthier for a clutch one-timer at 8:38 in the second period, tying the game at three. Drew's season totals bumped up to three goals, one assist, and four points. L
Perrault leads the team in scoring with 25 points. Boston College's win boosted them to a 13-3-1 overall record and put them back atop the summit in the national rankings.
BC's nineteen points in nine conference games have them in second place behind Boston University in the Hockey East standings. Up next for a myriad of these players are the World Juniors. The stellar BC trio of Perrault, 2023 8th overall pick Ryan Leonard (Washington Capitals), and 5th overall pick Will Smith (San Jose Sharks) will take their chemistry on the national stage for Team USA. Fortescue and his defensive partner, Dallas Stars prospect and 2023 fourth-round pick Aram Minnetian, will join them from school. The New Jersey native and 18-year-old had four points in seven games, leading the Americans to a U18 World Junior gold medal last year.
He had four points in 17 games for the Eagles this year but is more known for his defensive prowess, long reach, and tenacity. He had seven goals and 31 points for the USNTDP in 62 games from 2022 to 23. As a BLS reader, avid Rangers fan, and Israel League player, Gabriel Hornblass will tell you that there's a lot of skill in Minnetian's stick.
"He's by far the best player I've ever played with," Hornblass said, recounting their times together at Ice House in New Jersey. Hornblass was so elated when Minnetian was selected this past Summer he reposted the news on his Instagram story. "He even taught me and my brother some sweet moves like the toe drag." That toe drag was handy in the RCCS charity tournament in the Spring of 2023 when Gabe and his father's team won a title. "I'm excited to watch (Minnetian) grow," Hornblass added.
Also representing America from BC will be World Junior returnee Philadelphia Flyers 2022 first-round pick (5th overall) Cutter Gauthier. Gauthier will improve on last year's torrid performance, where he had four goals and ten points in six games. He has 13 goals and 23 points in 17 games for the Eagles this season. Last but not least, goaltender Jacob Fowler is from the BC crew.
The Montreal Canadiens third-round pick (369th overall) has a 2.16 goals against average and a .925 save percentage through the season's midway point. The seven BC players are the most from one school on one roster. Tournament play begins on December 26th in Sweden. The US earned Bronze last year. They fell to gold medal-winning Canada, led by superstar Connor Bedard. This year, the spotlight is on the projected number-one pick, Macklin Celebrini.
In Providence, 2021, Blueshirts' round gem Jaroslav Chmelar is making the Czech Republic proud. He's leading the charge with five goals and fourteen points in sixteen games. Those stats make him the go-to guy for the tenth-ranked Friars, who hold a 9-5-2 overall record and sit pretty at fourth in Hockey East.
Now, switch gears to the Swedish goalie sensation Hugo Ollas. Repping the Rangers' 2020 7th Round Pick, he had a tough outing for Merrimack College Warriors against Yale, allowing four goals in a 5-2 loss. Still, the junior netminder's got a solid record at 3-5 with a 2.91 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage.
Jumping to the defense, our 2022 5th Round Pick, Victor Mancini, is holding it down for the University of Nebraska Omaha Mavericks. There are no points over the weekend, but he has two goals and three assists in sixteen games.
There's also Brody Lamb, a 2021 4th Round Pick, repping the ninth-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers. He nailed a goal and an assist, clinching the 5-4 win over Ohio State. The sophomores has seven goals and six assists in eighteen games.
And how about Noah Laba, the Rangers' 2022 4th Round Pick? The sophomore sensation for Colorado College Tigers scored in OT, taking down the nation's top team, North Dakota. Laba has seven goals, five assists, and twelve points in fifteen games, tying for first on the team.
Switching gears to Harvard, Rangers prospect and Crimson captain Zakary Karpa is facing some hurdles. With only one goal in eight games, he's been battling injuries. On the bright side, he's dominating the faceoffs with a .5333 winning percentage. Harvard is still finding its rhythm with a 1-5-3 record.
These players are making waves, and it's exciting to see the Rangers' future shining bright on the college scene!