Draft R1 #30: Rangers select EJ Emery (RHD, USNTDP/USHL)

[UnSandvich]

If you hadn't noticed the defense could use a shut down Dman. Reports are he can skate and move the puck also. This was a fine pick at 30.

If you're reading reports that he's a capable puck-mover, you're not reading very good reports.

 

[McRanger92]

I have to laugh at the clowns on Twitter who are for some reason mad the rangers made this pick, and didn’t trade it haphazardly to placate them.

 

[GENESISPuck94]

I like the idea of an athletic, good skating, rangey shut down type of defenseman.

They must feel he will leave school earlier than the 4 years. Because his description is unironically what we need on the team right now.

I don't know anything about him. But, he's a Ranger now so I'm rooting for him.

 

[Savant]

"Just don’t expect any offence from him. The occasional give-and-go and deceptive pass gave us hope that he would develop
more playmaking skills during the season, but he mostly limited himself to simple breakout passes and shots from the point. He
avoided egregious turnovers, but rarely created avantages for his team.
His environment may explain his passivity with the puck. In a team stacked with offensive talents, Emery lacked the space to
experiment. It’s possible that he took his role of insular to heart and refrained from pushing his limits. We may see him attempt
more creative plays in college.

But after seeing him forgo opportunities all season long, we’re not holding on to that hope anymore" - EP

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"Emery still looks skittish with the puck, his puck poise is very low end, and his retrievals don’t give us a lot of confidence. Even with time and space, there’s no puckhandling that makes a forechecker hesitate for a second. His passing game is pretty average overall. There’s nothing creative about it and even the simpler short and medium passes don’t lead teammates into valuable ice. His partner support off of steals or sudden change situations is uninspiring too."
...
"The thing to really watch for is the varied ability in which he defends rushes. In almost all rush absorption situations, Emery turns inside and pokechecks from the hip and then to recover will turn and go with the rush if he fails. That is a very effective strategy and a useful weapon to have in your defensive toolbox. The trouble is: does he have any other weaponry readily available? He doesn’t really show it."
...
"So, we have a 6’3” frame with huge athletic upside. He’s a better 1-on-1 defender than anything else. E.J. isn’t a natural mauler or big hitter despite how he often gaps up in the neutral zone. And the puck skills might actually be a stopper in terms of NHL upside. His decisions with the puck put some caution on the overall hockey sense and mental processor that this player offers as well. Even in lengthy in-zone coverage situations, there are moments when Emery seems to freeze for a couple beats trying to figure out what’s happening and even then he doesn’t always come away with neutralizing the biggest threat. Emery says he models his game after K’Andre Miller – and there’s some stylistic connection there – but Miller was bigger, meaner, and more skilled by a significant degree. There’s just not enough obvious upside here to justify taking Emery too high. "- HP

But they didn’t take him too high. They picked him 30th. You don’t take him in like the lottery. At 30 this is a very good pick

 

[UnSandvich]

Miller really didn’t light up the scoresheet before he got drafted either, shrugs.

And Miller was better offensively pre-draft

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1806386186937905577

He trucked someone 10 seconds into this clip so he's already got 10% of this board in his corner.

 

[17futurecap]

Wrong thread

 

[LaffyTaffy13]

Heres the reality. The right side of our D on both 1st and 2nd pair are basically set for the next decade+. So if emery can simply just become a solid 3rd pair RHD, this is a win

 

[rangers1314]

The best thing about him is that he’s a good skater already. Everything else revolves around that.

Go to ND, play in the WJC, grow into your body and let’s see where you are in the 3 years.

 

[PuckLuck3043]

If you're reading reports that he's a capable puck-mover, you're not reading very good reports.

ESPN listed it as one of his strengths. Regardless, I'm all for a guy who is big, can skate, and can defend.

 

[UnSandvich]

But they didn’t take him too high. They picked him 30th. You don’t take him in like the lottery. At 30 this is a very good pick

If you take a Dman who can't move the puck at above replacement level in the first round, you took him too high.

ESPN listed it as one of his strengths. Regardless, I'm all for a guy who is big, can skate, and can defend.

Ah that does it. ESPN coverage.

 

[Savant]

If you take a Dman who can't move the puck at above replacement level in the first round, you took him too high.

Good thing this doesn’t apply to Emery then

I mean here is the thing. With the way that board broke, you have to trust the Rangers USNTP scouting because they weren’t going Russian. Yeah that’s a bigger issue, but picking 30th…come on.

 

[MrAlmost]

Miller seems like a weird comparison. More like maybe Ekholm if he tops out. Just more of a defensive guy. Not a bruiser but not soft. Kind of an interesting pick to be honest. Let him hit college and see where he is in 3ish years.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

Looks like he has nice closing off ability, a very good stick, can skate, has size and can play with jam. A lot of that should translate well the the pro levels.

That’s great. Can he read the pro game well enough, move the puck and maintain solid possession metrics is the question, as it is with most shutdown defensemen in his caliber/skillset.

A bonus he is right handed

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

If you hadn't noticed the defense could use a shut down Dman. Reports are he can skate and move the puck also. This was a fine pick at 30.

the pick is fine for where it is, but they need the exact opposite of a shut down guy lol

They need someone who can move the puck and create offense

 

[RangerBlues]

Seems like they went the safe sure thing to make it to the NHL

 

[GENESISPuck94]

For all the crap Bettman gets, have to admit he handles the criticism well and with humor.

 

[NYR Viper]

Looks like he has nice closing off ability, a very good stick, can skate, has size and can play with jam. A lot of that should translate well the the pro levels.

That’s great. Can he read the pro game well enough, move the puck and maintain solid possession metrics is the question, as it is with most shutdown defensemen in his caliber/skillset.

A bonus he is right handed

What I’m reading and seeing seems like a slightly more polished Mancini/Fortescue. Skates well, good size, probably needs 3 years of development. Good at angling forwards, physically strong. There’s a mold there it seems, no?

 

[DanielBrassard]

Don’t know much about him but even though his calling card is his defense, if you don’t score at the lower levels it’s not great for the NHL prospects.

 

[nyr2k2]

Miller isn't a comp, that's pretty lazy on the media types that are making it.

 

[n8]

Welcome to the Rangers EJ "No Thanks" Emery

 

[NYR Viper]

Seems like they went the safe sure thing to make it to the NHL

Which is a good move on a draft with limited picks. Every draft needs to develop at least one NHLer or it creates a pretty big hole…

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Fire Drury

 

[UnSandvich]

Miller seems like a weird comparison. More like maybe Ekholm if he tops out. Just more of a defensive guy. Not a bruiser but not soft. Kind of an interesting pick to be honest. Let him hit college and see where he is in 3ish years.

Nah, he's said he models his game after Miller:

"I think it’s a couple of people [that I model my game after]. I’m a lot like K’Andre Miller, Brandon Carlo and maybe a little bit of Seth Jones.” – EJ Emery, November 2023

EP Draft Guide p 430

 

[Savant]

Miller seems like a weird comparison. More like maybe Ekholm if he tops out. Just more of a defensive guy. Not a bruiser but not soft. Kind of an interesting pick to be honest. Let him hit college and see where he is in 3ish years.

I think he is a bit like Brock Faber. Who was drafted 45th btw. The offense is t going to be elite, but this player certainly has some upside