Future Blueshirts: A Deep Dive into the Rangers’ Farm System

Finding and developing young talent has not been the strength of the New York Rangers in recent years. Since Chris Drury has taken over as general manager in 2021, only one of his draft picks has scored a goal in the NHL for the Blueshirts. While the situation may sound discouraging, that does not mean the team's farm system is depleted of talent.

The Rangers have several prospects with potential across numerous different leagues. They've had multiple players make the jump to the NHL level at various points throughout the course of the season. Others spent the year playing for the Hartford Wolf Pack, continuing to hone their skills. Some players have even continued to compete in other amateur leagues as they work on their craft.

Some potential Rangers could join the team on opening night, while others may not be ready for a few years. While winning now is the primary goal, evaluating the future of the team may be just as important. With that in mind, here’s a closer look at the most notable prospects in the organization and where each one stands heading into the 2025-26 season.

Gabe Perreault

Gabe Perreault has been the Rangers top prospect since being drafted with the 23rd overall pick in the 2023 NHL draft. The Rangers selected Perreault after he fell outside the top half of the first round, where many analysts had predicted he would be drafted. Before being drafted, Perreault made a name for himself at both Boston College, and the World Juniors representing Team USA.

During his time with Team USA, Perreault was part of two gold-winning World Junior teams. In both years, the young forward played a crucial role in Team USA winning a gold medal. During the 2023-24 World Juniors, Perreault finished with three goals and seven assists, which tied him with multiple other players for the fourth-highest point total among all players in the tournament. Throughout the course of the tournament, Perreault displayed an elite hockey IQ and his understanding of the game.

Perreault followed up his elite performance with a similar one the next year, putting up the exact same stat line he did the previous year, this time tying him with multiple other players for the second-highest point total. Perreault had an elite performance against Czechia, recording a goal and an assist as Team USA soared to a 4-1 victory. At the end of the game, Perreault was named the U.S. Player of the Game for his impressive performance on both sides of the ice.

The World Juniors was not the only spot Perreault found success before joining the Rangers. Throughout his two years at Boston College, the star forward consistently garnered attention, playing 73 games with the Eagles during his collegiate career and recording 35 goals and 73 assists. Boston College qualified for the NCAA tournaments both years he was a member of the team. The Eagles would fall in the national championship game in 2023–24, and were bounced in the regional finals in 2024-25. Following Boston College's elimination from the NCAA tournament, Perreault signed his entry level contract with the Rangers and made his NHL debut.

While so many fans were excited to see Perreault finally put on a Rangers uniform, many were also disappointed in his performance. In five games last season, he failed to put up a point, but that is not entirely on him. Former head coach Peter Laviolette did not give the 20-year-old any room to grow and scratched him after three games in the lineup.

Perreault would then watch the next three games from the press box before returning to the ice for the Blueshirts final two games. While it was not the start anyone was hoping for, Perreault has plenty of untapped potential. Under new head coach Mike Sullivan, the Rangers' top prospect may take the steps needed to become a top contributor for the team.