Rangers Announce 2026 Development Camp Roster

The New York Rangers wrapped up the 2026 NHL Draft weekend by announcing their official development camp roster. The list of players includes 18 forwards, 12 defenseman, and three goaltenders. This group includes eight of their nine selections in this year's draft class, all eight of their 2025 picks, all four of their 2024 picks, and all of their prospects under the age 0f 22 with little-to-no professional experience. Additionally, they have invited a total of seven undrafted and unsigned free agents.

Here's the roster:

Omissions

There's only one name I found interesting to be missing from this list. Rasmus Larsson, a defenseman the Rangers drafted in the fifth round (152nd overall) in 2023, is the only player from that draft class without professional experience that is not listed on this year's roster.

As I mentioned in the December edition of the Prospect Pipeline Scouting Report, things were not looking very promising for Larsson. After leaving Sweden for the Green Bay in the USHL the season after his draft, Larsson spent one season with Northern Michigan in the NCAA but quickly fell out of favor. He transferred to Robert Morris University this season, appearing in just 16 games, scoring one goal and adding one assist along the way. Currently, it does not look like Larsson is listed on RMU's roster for the 2026-27 season, as it appears he may have hit the transfer portal for a second time in just as many years. According to College Hockey News, he has yet to find a new home. It wouldn't surprise me if Larsson eventually heads home to Sweden or looks to have a career for himself overseas, as it's becoming more and more clear the ECHL may be as good as it gets for him in North America.

Now, here's a little more info on the seven undrafted, unsigned players the Rangers have invited to development camp:

Jesse Allecia - Forward, Drummondville Voltigeurs, QMJHL

It doesn't get more hometown than this, as Jesse Allecia is a 6-1, 183 pound forward hailing from New York, N.Y. An overaged left winger who shoots right, Allecia has spend the last two seasons with the Voltigeurs in the QMJHL and is coming off an impressive point-per-game campaign with them, all throughout the postseason. In 64 regular season games played, Allecia collected 23 goals and 42 assists for a total of 65 points. While Drummondville didn't have an extensive playoff run, Allecia did score five goals and two assists through seven playoff games. Prior to the QMJHL, he spent time in the BCHL and spent most of his youth playing for various prep schools and juniors programs, primarily in Connecticut. At 20-years-old, Allecia is now committed to Dartmouth College, where he'll spend the upcoming season and will prepare for that by spending time with the Rangers development camp.

Dayne Beuker - Center, U.S. National Development Program, USHL

One of the top prospects to go unselected from the 2026 draft class, Dayne Beuker was ranked 76th on NHL Central Scouting's list of North American skaters. This is going to be one of the more interesting names to keep an eye on, given his stock heading into the draft as well as what he brings to the table.

A Team USA product, Beuker was a consistent producer for the Development Program, registering a total of 43 points across 62 contests. Beuker also represented Team USA at the U18 World Juniors this season, collecting two goals and three assists for five points. This is a player who doesn't have a ton of upside, but has all the fixings to be a really effective bottom-six forward—one the Rangers would surely value as he feels like a Jonny Brodzinski or Vinni Letteiri type. At 5-10, 170 pounds, Beuker is undersized but is regarded for his great hockey sense, work ethic, motor, and ability to make difficult plays.

This is a guy who could be a solid fourth liner in the NHL down the road, but will have to wait another year to potentially get drafted. In the meantime, he will continue to develop his game at Denver University, which is as great a program as any to do that with.

Giovanni DiGiulian - Forward, Cornell University, NCAA

Cornell, ever heard of it? Famous for their notes and the class of '96 a cappella group Here Comes Treble, they have also recently rostered a 6-1, 161 pound right-shot left winger from Vermont by the name of Giovanni Digiulian. It seems every year the Rangers are responsible for inviting at least one player with a name that sounds like they come from a long line of a pizza or pastry making.

Nevertheless, this is a player that plays the game with pace and an excellent ability of shooting the puck. After going undrafted, Digiulian headed to Cornell where he put up a modest 14 point season in 34 NCAA games as a freshman. Prior to that, he played with the Lincoln Stars in the USHL, where he had 51 points in 58 games. He also spent time in the Connecticut prep school scene as a top performer at Kent. This is another player who could be a name to keep an eye on, as he has the potential to become one of those players that has a good, full college hockey career looking to earn a contract after his senior year. Could be some journeyman potential here, but for now he will get to attend development camp with the Rangers.

Alex Pelletier - Forward, Lincoln Stars, USHL

You may begin to notice a bit of a theme here, as the Rangers clearly like to scout the Lincoln Stars as well as guys from the tri-state area. Alex Pelletier checks both those boxes.

A Granby, Conn.-native who has spent the last two seasons in the USHL, Pelletier is a little undersized (5-9, 190 pounds) but is coming off a monstrous 85 point season. Across 59 games played, Pelletier scored 48 goals and 37 assists, more than doubling his point total from the season prior. That was enough to earn him the USHL's Player of the Year honors, as he not only led the league in scoring, but scored the second highest season goal total in the league's history. Pelletier was also a Connecticut prep school standout at Avon Old Farms, a legendary program that has developed a number of NHL players, including Rangers hall of famer Brian Leetch and future hall of famer Jonathan Quick. Pelletier will head to Boston College in the fall to embark on his college hockey career.

Kalder Varga - Forward, Red Deer Rebels, WHL

The last of the undrafted, unsigned forwards invited to development camp, Kalder Varga spent five games with the USA NTDP in 2024, but opted to take the CHL route, as he has spent the last two years in the WHL with the Kelowna Rockets and Red Deer Rebels. Splitting this most recent season between the two, Varga collected a total of 21 goals and 16 assists for 37 points in 68 games. He also scored twice and assisted thrice in five playoff games.

A 5-11, 179 pound forward who shoots right, Varga served as an assistant captain on the 2025 USA team that won the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Varga just turned 18 last week and is committed to Denver University, meaning there's plenty of time for him to get drafted and set himself up for a promising future as a professional. Despite his smaller build, he plays an aggressive game and can score which is always a useful combination.

Hunter Hady - Defense, University of Michigan, NCAA

Right shot, 6-4, 205 pounds. For many NHL general managers, that's all you need to know.

The Rochester, Minn.-native has quite the resume already, having spent time with the Chicago Steel of the USHL, as well as the last two seasons with University of Michigan. Hady appeared in 32 games as a freshman in the 2024-25 season where he registered one assist and 35 penalty minutes. This past season, it certainly looks as though he fell out of favor and deeper in the depth charts having appeared in just two games. This has led to him hitting the transfer portal and committing to Arizona State University, where he will get more of an opportunity to play consistently.

Hady turns 22 in August and is likely looking to land on the radar for as many scouts as he can in attempts to land a professional role in the near future. Never one for points, Hady has size and shoots right, that could be enough to get an ATO/PTO and who knows what can happen from there.

Alexander Smolin - Goalie, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, KHL

The Rangers took a chance on a Russian goalie in 2014 and it seems to be working out pretty well for them now. They just drafted another one this year in Danai Shaiikov, and I do wonder if Alexander Smolin could take the road less traveled to an entry-level contract with the team. Remember, both Talyn Boyko and Hugo Ollas are restricted free agents on loan overseas from the Rangers. I wouldn't really count on either of them as future pieces. The Rangers could sign another Dustin Tokarski or Keith Kinkaid type, but with Dylan Garand ready to be an NHL backup and Spencer Martin still in Hartford, you have to wonder if that's really in the best interest of their goalie pipeline. Also, Smolin is coming off a 23-8-2 campaign in the KHL with a save percentage of .915. As a 22-year-old, that's pretty impressive.

If I'm understanding what Elite Prospects is showing, his contract in the KHL could be expiring at the end of this season, which means he could be available to sign with either Hartford or New York. This is a young goalie who has had pretty good numbers in Russia throughout his career. I would absolutely be willing to take a chance on him beyond a development camp stint.