Rangers Sign Defenseman Drew Fortescue to Entry Level Contract
The Rangers wasted no time signing Drew Fortescue after Boston College’s season ended—but their decision to immediately burn a year of his contract raises some familiar questions.
When Drew Fortescue decided to return to Boston College last year, there was a sense of finality surrounding the decision. Entering what would be his junior year, it was generally believed that this would likely be his last season playing as an Eagle.
So, it's safe to say that when Boston College's season ended with their loss to UCONN in the Hockey East Semi-Final yesterday, the writing was on the wall that the New York Rangers would be signing Fortescue soon.
To no one's surprise, this afternoon the Rangers announced they would not only sign Fortescue but that he would head directly to New York.
Drew Fortescue is signing his entry-level contract with #NYR and reporting to New York, The Post has learned.
— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) March 21, 2026
Blueshirts think he’s developed quite nicely and are willing to burn a year to get him NHL experience now in anticipation of a full pro season in 2026-27.…
However, what is somewhat surprising is the team's decision to skip any kind of professional tryout for the rest of this season and their plan to burn a year of his entry-level contract. They did the same with Gabe Perreault late last season, and honestly, reflecting on that decision, it was a mistake. This year, with Mike Sullivan in charge, hopefully Fortescue is included in the lineup and gets meaningful exposure to NHL-level hockey. With the team's recent injuries, it should be easy to plug him in.
Throughout three seasons at Boston College, Fortescue scored 8 goals and 33 points, but full disclaimer, he's not known for his offense. Fortescue is what many would call the modern-day shutdown defenseman. He's known for his ability to disrupt plays and kill penalties, while also not being a black hole for possession metrics or offensive opportunities. Far from it, actually; one of Fortescue's strengths is his calm and fluid ability to make that first pass to start the breakout in the defensive zone, something the Rangers could certainly use more of.
It's been a bit miserable to watch Rangers games as the season winds down. Seeing your favorite team struggle to make plays and keep pace on the ice each game is no fun task. However, what has been enjoyable is watching the youth movement, especially Noah Laba and Gabe Perreault, both of whom came from the NCAA. Fortescue should add to that momentum, and it'll be exciting to see what will hopefully become another promising piece of the Rangers' future start his career.
We'll have more to come on Fortescue in the near future, as we've been expecting the Rangers' 2023 third-round pick to join the organization and will have a full profile on his hockey career and background.
