Rangers sign Drew Fortescue to ELC and burn first year of contract

The Rangers are officially doubling down on their Letter 2.0 philosophy, and this time they are dipping back into the Boston College pipeline to do it.

Drew Fortescue has officially signed his three-year, entry-level contract and is reporting to New York immediately. By signing now, the Rangers are burning the first year of his deal, a move most teams avoid since it can have long-term implications on the cap structure.

Rangers signing of Fortescue latest in recent trend

The decision to burn a year of Fortescue's ELC follows the exact precedent the Rangers employed last year when they signed Gabe Perreault directly out of the NCAA. They also did the same for Zac Jones in 2021, and Chris Kreider all the way back in 2012!

While burning a year of a value contract for a handful of games in a lost season is always a debated move in the front office, it serves as a massive recruitment tool and it signals to the player that the organization is ready to move them into the pro ranks immediately. The Rangers are better off keeping a potentially important player happy, and they can afford to do it. It also benefits them to see how far along Fortescue is, as this is going to be an important summer for retooling the team. If his game is further along than expected, somewhat similar to the situation the Rangers found themselves in with Noah Laba, other areas of the roster can be give more priority.

The recent week-to-week injury to Urho Vaakanainen has left a significant hole on the left side of the Rangers' defense, and the door that was cracked upon can now be kicked open by Fortescue. While Connor Mackey was the safe veteran recall, Fortescue represents the high-upside future that Chris Drury and Mike Sullivan are desperate to evaluate before the summer.

A shutdown profile with a growing offensive ceiling

Drew Fortescue is another defenseman that Blueshirts fans can start getting excited about. Drafted 90th overall in the third round of the 2023 draft, the 20-year-old blueliner from Pearl River stands 6'2" and weighs 194 pounds. While his junior season at Boston College was always expected to be his final collegiate campaign, he made sure to go out on a career high.

Before the season, the consensus was that Fortescue needed to increase his offensive output to move beyond a pure shutdown projection. He did exactly that finishing his final NCAA year with four goals and 10 assists for 14 points in 36 games. While those aren't gaudy numbers, they represent a significant step forward for a player who already possessed an elite defensive stick and a high-end hockey IQ.

Two-way potential for the 2026-27 season

The Rangers are encouraged by his progress and fully believe he can be a full-time pro next season. With a line of 8-25-33 in 112 career NCAA games. and two gold medals with Team USA at the U20 World Junior Championship. Fortescue arrives with a winning pedigree and a big game reputation.

He projects as a two-way, middle pair defender who can kill penalties and provide a steadying presence for a more offensive partner. With the Rangers' left side currently in flux, Fortescue has a legitimate chance to jump the depth chart over the next 14 games. If he can handle the speed of the NHL forecheck as well as he handled the NCAA elite, the Rangers might have just found their permanent answer for the left side behind Vladislav Gavrikov.