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The 32-in-32 Series is an annual event here at DobberProspects! Every day in August, we will bring you a complete breakdown of a team’s draft and insights into their off-season movements thus far. Following this up in September, we will dive into every team’s prospect depth chart with fantasy insights and implications for the upcoming seasons. Check back often because we plan on filling your hockey withdrawal needs all off-season long!
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By: Brendan Ferry
The New York Rangers made another run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2023-24, their second such run in the past three seasons. Unfortunately for their fans, the team came up agonizingly short of their ultimate goal once again, falling to the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers. The Blueshirts won their division, in addition to the President’s Trophy, and enjoyed some great moments throughout the course of their season, including an epic comeback win against their rivals, the New York Islanders, in their outdoor game at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Franchise netminder Igor Shesterkin struggled for part of the season, two seasons removed from his Vezina trophy winning campaign. Prince Igor found his form down the stretch and in the playoffs, and was brilliant during the team’s playoff run. The team’s power play, highly effective for much of the season, cooled off as their playoff run marched on, and their offense, in general, dried up against a stout Panthers team. Artemi Panarin enjoyed a career year during the regular season, posting career highs in goals and points, with 49 and 120, respectively. The team rode into the playoffs with a head of steam, bolstered by adding a couple of nice pieces at the trade deadline, in the now- departed Alex Wennberg and Jack Roslovic. In the end, however, General Manager Chris Drury once again is faced with trying to figure out how to tweak his roster and climb that final hill towards the team’s first championship in 30 years.
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NHL Draft Recap
Round 1, pick 30- Eric (EJ) Emery, D
Emery, the 6-3, right- shot defenseman, weighing in at 185 pounds, suited up in 61 games last season for the US National team development program (USNTDP). In those games, he posted zero goals and 16 assists, along with a plus- 34 rating. In 27 games of USHL play, the British Columbia-born Emery, also an American citizen, put up six assists in 27 games played, and at the World Juniors, he compiled six more assists in seven games played.
Emery is billed as a stout defender and an excellent skater, excels on the penalty kill, and, although his offensive game has plenty of room to grow, he also possesses a high ceiling. He is a fantastic athlete, and tough to play against, especially as he continues to add strength on his path toward professional hockey. The defenseman will suit up with the NCAA’s University of North Dakota during the 2024-25 season, a perennial powerhouse team.
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Round 4, pick 119- Raoul Boilard, C
The Rangers’ next selection did not come until the fourth round, where they grabbed center Raoul Boilard, listed at 6-1 and 190 pounds. The native Canadian is seen as a playmaking center, known for having very good offensive instincts and a strong two- way game. The lefty will be back in the “Q” this upcoming Fall, as he will suit up for a second season with the QMJHL’s Baie-Comeau Drakkar. A tactical player, Boilard looks to improve upon his impressive stats from a year ago, when he posted 22 goals and 40 assists, for a total of 62 points and a plus- 27 rating in 68 regular season games, to go along with eight points in 17 playoff games. The center was thought to be a potential second or third- round pick, so this was seen by many as a very valuable pick in the fourth round.
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Round 5, pick 159- Nathan Aspinall, LW
The Rangers continued their recent trend of drafting enormous humans in the NHL entry draft, with their selection of Aspinall. He is listed at 6-7 and 190 pounds, and will be playing in his third season with the OHL’s Flint Firebirds this upcoming Fall. The Canadian winger posted 18 goals and added 16 assists in 65 games played in 2023-24 for Flint, along with a minus-eight rating. The big, rangy lefty is good in front of the net, and loves to screen the opposing goalie and deflect pucks heading to the net. If Aspinall is able to fill out his large frame and continue to develop, he could, one day, have the opportunity to learn from one of the NHL’s best at these skills, Chris Kreider. Aspinall, though, will seemingly have a bit of a lengthy road in the hopes of getting to that point.
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Round 6, pick 191- Rico Gredig, LW/C
Swiss- born Rico Gredig, listed at 6-1 and 179 pounds, was the last selection for the Blueshirts in the 2024 NHL entry draft. He played in 71 total games last season, split between Switzerland U19, Switzerland U20, Davos U20 and HC Davos, all in Switzerland, and will remain in his native country for the 2024-25 campaign, as well. In those 71 games played last year, Gredig tallied 28 total points. The left- shooting Gredig will need plenty of time to work on his overall game, and is a long-term prospect.
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Off-Season Moves
Re-signed:
Ryan Lindgren, D
Kaapo Kakko, RW
Braden Schneider, D
Chad Ruhwedel, D
Matthew Robertson, D (minors)
Maxim Barbashev, LW (minors)
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Incoming/ Probable 2024-25 role:
Sam Carrick- C: 4th line, NYR
Reilly Smith- RW/LW: middle- six, NYR
Benoit- Olivier Groulx- LW/C: AHL Hartford/ depth
Casey Fitzgerald- D: Hartford
Carter Berger- D: Hartford
Isaac Dufort- LW: Hartford
Nate Sucese- LW: Hartford
Bryce McConnell-Barker- C: Hartford (appeared in four playoff games w/ HFD in 2023-24)
Dylan Roobroeck- C: Hartford (appeared in one playoff game w/ HFD in 2023-24)
Grant Potulny- Head Coach, Hartford Wolf Pack
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Outgoing:
Blake Wheeler (UFA, possibly to retire)
Erik Gustafsson (Signed with Detroit Red Wings)
Alex Wennberg (Signed with San Jose Sharks)
Jack Roslovic (Signed with Carolina Hurricanes)
Barclay Goodrow (Waived- claimed by San Jose)
Mac Hollowell (Minors- rostered with Scranton, Pittsburgh Penguins organization)
Nikolas Brouillard (Minors- rostered with Coachella Valley, Seattle Kraken organization)
Karl Henriksson (Minors- did not receive qualifying offer)
Olof Lindbom (Minors- did not receive qualifying offer)
Bobby Trivigno (Minors- did not receive qualifying offer)