3 two-way defensemen the NY Rangers must keep their eye on in the 2024 NHL Draft

Despite being one of the league’s premier teams, the NY Rangers still have their first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.

Ottawa 67s v Oshawa Generals
Ottawa 67s v Oshawa Generals | Chris Tanouye/GettyImages
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Henry Mews is a two-way defenseman who could fall to 30th overall

If the Rangers want a point-per-game player who comes with less injury risk than Aron Kiviharju, Henry Mews could be an outstanding selection here. There’s a good chance he’s picked in the top 25, but hey, there’s always the possibility a prospect or two slated to go higher in the first round freefalls, and if it’s Mews, Chris Drury would have a chance to snag one of a few sensational two-way blueliners. 

At 6’0, 185, Henry Mews comes with more overall bulk than Kiviharju, and if he puts on just another 10-15 lbs, Mews will be a force. Here are some numbers to be aware of: 61 points, 15 goals, and 46 assists in 65 games for the Ottawa 67’s, and another 14 points and three goals in 12 games while playing for Team Canada in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and the U18 World Juniors. 

Even before his junior hockey career, Mews was putting up big numbers, and he’s shown such dynamic scoring is a trend that just refuses to slow down. Mews still has another two seasons in the OHL, but the right-handed defenseman, if drafted, would join a sensational group of prospects in the Blueshirts pool that includes high scorers like Gabe Perreault but one that also lacks high-caliber defensemen. 

Should Mews fall to the Rangers, look for him to slide in as the team’s top blueliner prospect, and there’s a good chance he would wind up one slot behind Gabe Perreault if one had to rank them. 

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