THE NHL DRAFT AND THE NEW YORK RANGERS 

By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – On paper, anyway, The New York Rangers had a successful 2023 NHL Draft. For now, “hope springs eternal.” How it all shakes out in the end, only time will tell. The Rangers added four additional picks after selecting Gabe Perreault with their first-round pick at number 23, and with those picks, the Rangers went for size.

President and General Manager (and Trumbull, CT native) Chris Drury decided on and took Drew Fortescu in the third round (90th overall). The one-time Mid-Fairfield player will join Perreault at Boston College (Hockey East) after their time as teammates on the USNDTP (USHL) and the US WJC.

With the 152nd pick in the fifth round, the Rangers selected defenseman Rasmus Larsson, who played with Västervik IK (J-20 Sweden). Larsson will head to Northern Michigan (CCHA) to begin the next step in his development.

In the sixth round, with the 178th pick, Druy and the Rangers selected 6’7″ centerman Dylan Roobrueck from the Oshawa Generals (OHL). Roobrueck is one of just two players who were 6’7″ that were drafted.

Ty Hendricks was the Rangers’ choice with their second sixth-round pick at 183rd overall. Hendricks is a 6’5″, 205-pound Left-Winger who played for the Fargo (ND) Force (USHL) and the Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL). He will be attending the Western Michigan Broncos (NCHC).

CONNECTICUT RELATED DRAFT PICKS

Regarding Connecticut-related players, the second day of the NHL draft was a bit quieter than usual. Only three college players were taken with Connecticut connections; one current and two future were chosen.

Quinnipiac University (ECACHL) sophomore Charles-Alexis Legault, a right-handed, 6’3, 210 pounder, was taken from the reigning national champion Bobcats by the Carolina Hurricanes in the fifth round (139th overall). Legault was just one of nine US college draftees taken.

Joining Legault in Hamden next season will be Chris Pelosi, who was taken 92nd overall in the third round by the Boston Bruins out of the Selects Academy program at Mount St. Charles (RI). He played split last year between Janesville (WI) Jets (NAHL) and the Sioux Falls (SD) Stampede (USHL).

A future Yale goalie in 2025-26 from the Taft Rhinos (Watertown), Rudy Giumond, who was the ONLY Connecticut High School player selected, and who won the New England Prep small school championship, was taken by the Detroit Red Wings 169th overall in the sixth round. While he is eligible to return to Taft, he will play next year with the Cedar Rapids (IA) Roughriders (USHL) to prepare for Division I college play. He was just one of four prep School players taken. The last major Taft player to play for Cedar Rapids was Max Pacioretty that transformed his play,

NOTES:

Howlings has learned that next year’s 72-game Wolf Pack schedule will NOT include Midwestern teams Rockford, Milwaukee, and Grand Rapids. They have been dropped. Likely to return will be Laval,  Belleville, and possibly a new first-time team like the Cleveland Monsters (Columbus Blue Jackets). However, nothing is set in concrete.

Ex-Sound Tigerr Josh Bailey was placed on unconditional waivers and picked up by the Chicago Blackhawks.

Some final notes on the draft, some names of note. At 143rd in the fifth round by the draft’s host, the Nashville Predators, was Sutter Muzzatti. He is the son of former Hartford Whaler/Wolf Pack Jason Muzzatti, the goalie coach for the Carolina Hurricanes.

Lastly, at 149th overall in the fifth round, was Aaron Pionk. He is the youngest brother of ex-Pack Neal Pionk (Winnipeg Jets). Aaron is heading to the University of Minnesota-Duluth (NCHC) from the Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL).

NEW YORK RANGERS

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