The 2023 NHL Draft has come and gone, and the Rangers made 5 total picks with one pickup to move up in the third round. We know Rangers had their coup d’état with Gabriel Perrault with their first-round pick, but then the Rangers largely avoided the highly skilled players and seemed to play it safe. I’m no prospect expert, so this Rangers draft review for 2023 is more focused on strategy. I refer to Will for player reviews.
First round: Gabriel Perrault – Grade: A+
The Rangers may have been saved from themselves with the taking of Charlie Strammell and Oliver Bonk directly prior to their selection. Instead, Gabriel Perrault slipped into them, and they didn’t hesitate to grab the highly skilful winger. Some had Perreault in the top 10, but for the most part, he was a low-middle teen selection that made it to #23.
Perreault is the choice of homerun. He’s one of Dan Muse’s protégés going to BC for at least the next two seasons before considering turning pro. Haters will say his skating is a problem, but it’s worth noting that survey reports mostly say he needs to improve his top speed, and that his stunt work and other skating skills are fine. He will get this improvement in BC.
Perreault is by no means a perfect prospect, but you don’t get those kinds of guys in your twenties anyway. Perreault was the best player available to date, and the Rangers took him.
Third round: Drew Fortescue – Grade: B
The Rangers get a solid B for picking Drew Fortescue because, as mentioned earlier, this 2023 Rangers draft review is less about players and more about strategy. There was such a clear strategy with Fortescue, that the Rangers sent a 2024 seventh-rounder to Pittsburgh to move up one spot to take him.
Fortescue is another Muse guy who will also be going to BC with Perreault. Initial scouting reports make him a consistent defenseman, but not necessarily a great puck maker or offensive defenseman. He is stable, a good skater, and good at transitioning.
The strategy here was evident in the selection of Muse’s men, and it looked like the bouncers were all on the same page with the first two picks.
Fifth round: Rasmus Larsson – Grade: C
There wasn’t much available on Rasmus Larsson for the 2023 Rangers draft review, so let’s keep it brief. Rangers went too old (he’s 19) as he scored 16 goals as a defenseman in Sweden’s J20 league last season. Larson will be heading to Northern Minnesota College next year. Rangers clearly liked something, and it’s hard to argue against the general Swedish defensive mentality.
The Rangers get a C because they have 4 years to wait and see with Larson. Not many have been around on Larson, and they say he doesn’t have a high ceiling. My problem is less about that – odds are dart throws at this point – and more about strategy. Rangers always seem to take too long and it rarely works out.
You’d better choose a high-ceiling skill as a general strategy.
Sixth Round: Dylan Robrock – Score: Dr
Sixth round: Tai Henriques – Score: D
May I be generous to award the Rangers AD with Dylan Robrock and T Henricks picks. Neither of these players is highly skilled, and both are “big guy bad skate” picks that the Rangers love to make in the last innings. None of those ever finished. In fact, most of the players on these tours who have recently become regulars for the NHLers are undersized skill players who fill in late.
Neither Robrock nor Henrichs have a skill set worth talking about regardless of size. However, it is worth noting that Josh Khalfen has pointed out Continuous improvements at Roobroeck There are worse project choices.
However, I’m not a big fan of the general strategy of drafting for size rather than skill. It seems the Rangers want to draft these top players, when they are usually found cheap in the free agent market (Jimmy Vesey, Benoit Pouliot, Dominic Moore, etc). I prefer a homerun hammock rather than the size.
Again, this Rangers 2023 draft review is less about players than strategy. I’m coming down to Will, Josh, and others who follow predictions closely on specific players.
The best strategy is to aim high with skill players, even if they are “under size” by old school definitions. There is no real difference between a 5’10 or 6’1 child. Three inches is negligible. Weight at 18 isn’t a factor either because these kids are still growing. Power is what matters, not size, at least to me.
This is why I feel a little squeamish about the last three choices. But the Rangers did so well with Perreault and Fortescue that it was a good project overall.