The 32-in-32 Series is an annual event here at DobberProspects and has been condensed from two articles to one. The article will bring you: The highlighted team’s draft; insights into its off-season moves; looking at prospect risers, fallers and likely prospects to play NHL games; and of course, the writers’ top-20 prospects. Articles may be brought back when an important team update occurs, so check back because we plan to fill your hockey withdrawal needs all off-season!
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Read past 32 series stories here: https://dobberprospects.com/category/feature/32-in-32-series/
Make sure to check out the New York Rangers team page here: https://dobberprospects.com/team/new-york-rangers/
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The 2025-26 campaign was another disappointing season for the Rangers, their second consecutive season missing the playoffs. New Head Coach Mike Sullivan was faced with a bit of a difficult situation upon his arrival, lacking some scoring depth and dealing with the uncertainty of some key players, namely Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck. Sullivan did what he could to right the ship, but injuries to Adam Fox and Igor Shesterkin put an early nail in the team’s coffin, and they became sellers leading up to the trade deadline. Panarin was traded prior to season’s end to the Los Angeles Kings, and Trocheck was dealt this summer to the Utah Mammoth, after GM Chris Drury elected to hold onto him until the offseason to try to improve New York’s trade return. Heading into 2026-27, New York has a lineup that is drastically different than at this time last Summer. Departures include the aforementioned Panarin and Trocheck, along with fourth line staple (when healthy), Adam Edstrom, defenseman Will Borgen, fourth liner/13th forward Jonny Brodzinski, and the now-retired backup goalie, Jonathan Quick. Acquisitions include young sniper Pavel Dorofeyev, defensemen Sean Durzi and Marcus Petterson, and goalie Joonas Korpisalo. Also new to the roster heading into the upcoming season are free agent signees Oliver Bjorkstrand and Joe Veleno.
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NHL Draft Recap
Round 1, pick 5- Alberts Smits, D
Smits, the bruising, rangy defender with a heavy shot, was the team’s first selection in the 2026 NHL draft. Some have questioned whether or not Smits can be a legit top-pairing defender in the NHL, but he is also viewed as the defenseman with the highest floor of all draftees. At worst case, he should be a minute-eating, tough, reliable defenseman who brings his lunch pail to the rink every day, ready to go to work.
A versatile, tough competitor with good skills, a very good shot, and above average intensity, Smits has the potential to become an impact defenseman at the NHL level for the next decade plus. He is physical and has the ability to wreak havoc on opponents with his tenacious play. Smits has spent the past few seasons playing at various levels in Finland, both Juniors and pro, and also for his native Latvia in World Juniors championships and the Olympics. He may spend a brief period in the AHL, but it is entirely possible that the big lefty makes the Rangers out of training camp. Expect the Rangers organization to employ a patient approach with their young defenseman, and if there is any hesitancy as to whether or not Smits belongs at the NHL level once he gets there, he could be sent down for additional development.
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Round 2, pick 64- Ben MacBeath, D
MacBeath, another left-handed defenseman, was New York’s selection with the last pick of round two. He has decent size at 6-2, with room to grow into his frame. Scouts like his puck poise, playmaking ability, and skating, and there was a bit of surprise, among some, that he fell to the bottom of round two. He played for the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen a season ago, where he posted 51 points in 67 games played. MacBeath is certainly a nice looking prospect with NHL upside, and although the Rangers were likely drafting the “best player available” in their book, it is fair to critique their option to select another lefty with this pick.
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Round 3, pick 67- Danai Shaiikov, G
Shaiikov, a bit of an undersized goalie at 6-2 and 185 pounds, born in Kazakhstan, was added to New York’s thinning prospect pool at the goaltending position, after the organization recently cut ties with two former draftees, Talyn Boyko and Hugo Ollas. Shaiikov will be competing in his second season with the Gatineau Olympiques of the QMJHL. A year ago, he skated in 50 games for Gatineau, posting a 2.78 GAA and a .903 save percentage with one shutout. Prior to that, he played at various levels in Russia, including six games with Omskie Yastreby in the MHL, Russia’s second tier. Shaiikov is hailed for his quick movements and reflexes. He will require plenty of training and development before ascending to the pro level, and the organization will assuredly allow him to mature his game in Junior hockey for at least another full year or two.
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Round 3, pick 77- Charlie Morrison, D
Morrison, another left-handed defenseman, was the middle of New York’s third round selections. After spending the past two seasons with the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts, the 6-3, 198 pound native of Canada will be suiting up for the UConn Huskies of the NCAA in 2026-27. He is billed as a smart, physical, two-way defender, and will presumably spend the next two to three years, if not a fourth, continuing to hone his game at the collegiate level before attempting to turn pro.
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Round 3, pick 81- Tomas Chrenko, C
Chrenko was viewed as a bit of a steal at his draft position, drafted 81st overall. Scouts really like his shot and his high compete level. He is a bit undersized at 5-11 and 172 pounds, so he will need ample time to build strength as he works to hone his game. Chrenko suited up in 44 games for HK Nitra in the top Slovakian league in 2025-26, posting an impressive 31 points. He was also a force at the U20 level, where he appeared in games with the Slovakian World Junior team, their U20 professional league, and also in nine total games of various international play. The Slovak native will be moving to North America in 2026-27, where he is scheduled to play for the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks.
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Round 4, pick 102- Spencer Bowes, C/W
Bowes, the Ontario native, was New York’s selection at pick 102. The lefty posted 42 points in 67 games a season ago with the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s. Additionally, he ranked fifth in the league in even-strength points per game, at .88 per 60 minutes. The soon-to-be 19 year old weighs in at 6-0 and 174 pounds, and is known as a high-pace player with a good motor, pestering his opponents through his relentless style of play. He has committed to the Providence College Friars of the NCAA for 2027-28, but will presumably return to OHL Ottawa for the upcoming year. As his development path indicates, Bowes will spend the next handful of years rounding out his game before attempting to turn pro whenever he wraps up his stint in the NCAA.
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Round 6, pick 162- Andre Mondoux, D
Mondoux, a 6-4, 201 pound left-handed defenseman, has skated in 74 total games of OHL play with the Kingston Frontenacs, starting in 2024-25, posting a total of 19 points. The big-bodied Ontario native is known as a physical player who uses his large frame very well. Mondoux plays a strong two-way game, and is a good penalty killer. He is committed to the University of Notre Dame for 2027-28, but will return to Kingston in 2026-27, where he will play big minutes and have a key role.
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Round 6, pick 163- Darian Anderson, RW
Anderson is a dual American and Canadian citizen and a native of Michigan. He is a 6-3, 185 pound winger who suited up for the OHL’s Flint Firebirds a season ago, posting 45 points in 60 games played, along with 13 points in eight playoff games. He is a playmaking winger with good skills, but as with all late-round picks, will invest at least a few seasons working on his game before trying to earn a pro contract. He is committed to Clarkson University for the 2027-28 season, and will presumably remain with Flint for 2026-27.
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Round 7, pick 193- Ivan Patrikhayev, D
Patrikhayev, New York’s final selection in the 2026 NHL entry draft, is a Russian born defenseman. He is listed at 6-0 and 185 pounds, and yes, is another left-hander. He is already 20 years of age, and will turn 21 in early 2027. He will return to CSKA Moskva of the KHL for the 2026-27 season, after spending parts of the past two years with the club. Scouts like his speed and shiftiness. Additionally, spending the next season or so playing against men in the KHL will help prepare him for a possible transfer down the line to playing pro hockey in North America.
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Off-Season Moves
Incoming/ Probable 2025-26 role
Pavel Dorofeyev – W (acquired from Vegas): 1st line, NYR
Sean Durzi – D (acquired in Trocheck trade): 2nd pair RD, NYR
Marcus Petterson – D (acquired from Vancouver): 2nd pair LD, NYR
Oliver Bjorkstrand – W (signed as free agent): middle-six, NYR
Joe Veleno – C (signed as free agent): 4th line, NYR
Joonas Korpisalo – G (acquired from Boston): backup goalie, NYR/minors
Cole Beaudoin – C (acquired in Trocheck trade): AHL Hartford
Marc Del Gaizo – D (signed as free agent): AHL Hartford/ depth
Outgoing
Vincent Trocheck (Traded to Utah Mammoth)
Will Borgen (Traded to Boston Bruins)
Adam Edstrom (Traded to Nashville Predators)
Brett Berard (Traded to Montreal Canadians)
Jonny Brodzinski (Signed with Buffalo Sabres)
Jonathan Quick (Retired)
Re-signed
Braden Schneider, D
Scott Morrow, D
Vincent Iorio, D
Dylan Garand, G
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In the System
Risers
Nathan Aspinall
Aspinall had a breakout season for the OHL’s Flint Firebirds this past season, where he doubled his point production from the year prior, improving from 47 points in 2024-25 to 94 points in 2025-26. The towering lefty spent parts of four seasons with Flint, and served as team captain this past season. He also appeared in a handful of games down the stretch with the Hartford Wolf Pack. He has emerged as a notable prospect within the Rangers’ system, but still has substantial work to do to be able to progress through the ranks of pro hockey. Aspinall boasts good size and playmaking ability and patrols the net front very well, but In my viewings of the player, it was evident that his pace of play needs to be elevated. Undoubtedly, this will be an area that the Rangers’ development coaches will hone in on to help their young winger as he has now graduated from junior hockey and will suit up for the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack this upcoming season. The Canadian-born winger will play alongside his longtime friend Liam Greentree, acquired by New York last season in the Artemi Panarin trade. Hartford will have an infusion of new talent and an up-and-coming new head coach heading into 2026-27, so it should present a good environment in which Aspinall will play.
Brody Lamb
Lamb completed his collegiate career with the Minnesota Golden Gophers of the NCAA at the conclusion of their 2025-26 season, during which he captained the Gophers squad and posted 30 points in 35 games played, a slight uptick in production from his two prior NCAA seasons. Lamb then joined the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, where he fit in nicely and posted an impressive nine points in 15 games played. He figures to get good minutes this upcoming season on a revamped Hartford team, and with those 15 professional games under his belt, Lamb should be prepared to hit the ground running in 2026-27, and could earn a call up to the Rangers at some point along the way.
Cole Beaudoin
Beaudoin, acquired by the Rangers in the Vincent Trocheck trade, instantly rises to the top of the organizational depth chart at the center position. Confusingly, center is a position that the organization has oddly invested very little draft capital in recent drafts, opting instead to draft a plethora of defensemen and wingers. Following his middle-two seasons with Barrie at almost exactly a point per game, the native Canadian busted out in 2025-26 with 88 points in 54 games played and a plus-40 rating. He also represented Canada well in a number of World Juniors tournaments. With Trocheck having been dealt, as mentioned, there is potentially a path for the young lefty to make a relatively quick ascension to the NHL club. After completing his OHL career with the Barrie Colts, where he served as alternate captain for two years and then captain this past year, the 20 year old is ticketed for the AHL in 2026-27. He is known for his two-way play, his intense playing style, and for playing a fearless brand of hockey. He has all of the makings to be a fan favorite and an impact NHLer in the near future.
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Fallers
Bryce McConnell-Barker
McConnell-Barker, the left-shot center, skated in his second full season of AHL play a season ago, and his progression was somewhat minimal from his rookie season. In fact, the native Canadian, heading into the third year of his entry level contract, posted 25 points in his sophomore year of AHL play, improving his point totals by only 10 points. With New York’s center ice position getting a little bit crowded, in terms of prospects, and with McConnell-Barker perhaps lacking the high-end offensive skills to allow him to thrive on the wing, his runway with the Rangers is seemingly running out. He will have to have a big year coming up to re-write that narrative.
Scott Morrow
Morrow, re-signed to a one year, two-way deal as a restricted free agent, didn’t fare overly well in his 29 games of play with the Rangers a season ago, at least not in the eyes of head coach Mike Sullivan. He posted only six assists in those 29 games of NHL play, with limited minutes and very little power play time. As an offensive specialist, this represented a tough scenario for Morrow. As with all young players, fans worry about how well their team’s prospect can handle the adversity and uncertainty of being shuttled to and from the minors. Morrow was sent down to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack and appeared in 34 games with them, posting 19 points. In the interim, he was recalled a handful of times by New York, only to sit in the press box. Coach Sullivan highlighted concerns with his play away from the puck and clearly did not feel that he could rely on the young righty to hold a permanent spot in the lineup. With New York’s top three RD fully solidified heading into 2026-27, barring additional trades, Morrow has a distinctly uphill climb to crack the Rangers’ roster. The organization certainly will not want him to spend a majority of his time in the press box as a seventh defenseman, nor should they want to risk losing him to waivers by sending him to the AHL. It appears, however, that they may be willing to do just that, as they likely have a slim chance of getting him through waivers. GM Chris Drury would assuredly be willing to part with the Connecticut native if presented the right offer. However, a decent trade return could be hard to come by, given the circumstances.
Jackson Dorrington
Dorrington, the young left-shot defenseman, is fresh off of his first full year of AHL play, where he appeared in 70 games and posted 11 points. He was never considered to be anywhere near a lock to become a regular NHLer, but after all of New York’s acquisitions on the left side of their defense, it is nearly impossible to envision a path for him to find his way to the NHL with the Rangers. If he is able to defy the odds and break through, it is very likely that it will be with a different franchise. Although signed for two additional seasons, Dorrington could be offered up in trade talks, if an opposing GM is willing to take a gamble on him.
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Top 20 prospects
This section is intended to paint a picture of the New York Rangers prospects whose current trajectory projects them making the most positive fantasy impact at the time that they reach the NHL. Arrival date and NHL certainty have been taken into consideration; however, potential upside is the most important factor in determining this list.
- Gabe Perreault
- Alberts Smits
- Cole Beaudoin
- Liam Greentree
- Noah Laba
- Malcolm Spence
- Dylan Garand
- Drew Fortescue
- Scott Morrow
- Adam Sykora
- Jaroslav Chmelar
- Nathan Aspinall
- EJ Emery
- Brody Lamb
- Tomas Chrenko
- Mikkel Eriksen
- Carey Terrance
- Sean Barnhill
- Ben MacBeath
- Raoul Boilard
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Final thoughts
The 2026 off-season will have important repercussions for the organization for the foreseeable future. Owner James Dolan handed the reigns of the day-to-day operations to his son Quentin, and the team bolstered its training and development team. In addition to changes in the strength and conditioning department and the medical team, the Rangers hired former blueshirts Derick Brassard and Jonathan Quick to help with prospect development. They also hired a new coach for their AHL affiliate, and promoted former Ranger Tanner Glass to director of prospect development. As numerous draft picks have fizzled in the past decade, especially, addressing these areas was a much needed move. With the recent trade acquisitions and a plethora of their own recent draftees, the organization hopes that these staffing moves will have a big impact. The current Rangers club is also hoping for a big bounce back season after an off-season filled with some sizeable moves.
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Make sure to check out the New York Rangers team page here: https://dobberprospects.com/team/new-york-rangers/
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Thank you for reading! Stay tuned throughout the season for more prospect updates.
Brendan Ferry