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

[nyr2k2]

Elite Prospects: EJ Emery - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Scouting notes: EJ Emery has the makings of an impactful defenseman who can anchor a second pairing. Emery is a perfect complementary piece to an elite offensive defenseman who needs a reliable partner to augment their game.

Emery is a top transition defenseman, whose one-on-one defensive play stands out. He maintains excellent posture, effectively uses his stick to guide opponents, take away passes and poke pucks off opponent's sticks. In transition, he maintains good gap control, doesn't allow attackers to beat him to the outside and forces them to relinquish the puck. When the game needs a calming presence, the opponent's best players kept off the scoresheet and a quality defensive play, Emery is that player. From that perspective, he is a coach's dream. His defensive development this season has me believing he will continue to improve and likely become one of the best defenders in the draft class.

Offensively, there is not a lot there. That isn't Emery's calling card. That is likely why the model doesn't project him to be more than a second-pairing defenseman. He makes simple breakout passes and doesn't get caught up ice. While that is generally concerning, as a lack of offense at the junior level leads to a less confident statistical projection, his ability to defend in all three zones, skate well, and win physical battles should make him a top-four defenseman in the NHL.

Ranked #29 by CONSOLIDATED RANKING
Ranked #31 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM
Ranked #27 by TSN/BOB McKENZIE
Ranked #16 by TSN/CRAIG BUTTON
Ranked #49 by THN/FERRARI
Ranked #45 by THN/KENNEDY
Ranked #20 by MCKEEN'S HOCKEY
Ranked #23 by FLOHOCKEY/CHRIS PETERS
Ranked #24 by FCHOCKEY
Ranked #18 by DAILY FACEOFF
Ranked #39 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (NA Skaters)
Ranked #22 by HPR/MALLOY
Ranked #56 by DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY
Ranked #35 by SPORTSNET/BUKALA
Ranked #29 by RECRUIT SCOUTING
Ranked #49 by DOBBERPROSPECTS
Ranked #44 by SMAHT SCOUTING

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[UnSandvich]

what a waste of a 1st rounder

 

[Savant]

what a waste of a 1st rounder

This was by far the best player in the board. Except maybe the Russians, and we know Drury wasn’t going Russian. No reason to be upset about this.

 

[LastWordArmy]

Excellent Athlete.

Here is our scouting report.

EJ Emery Scouting Report: 2024 NHL Draft #25

The best defensive player at the draft is EJ Emery, who combines a defence first mentality with a strong hockey IQ and great skating

lastwordonsports.com

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

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

 

[RempireStateBuilding]

Happy to have the kid on board. One of the few who thanked the girl taking the jackets.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

what a waste of a 1st rounder

lol we were picking 30th and picked one of the BPA that also fit a need. Profiles as a shutdown guy with size.

Love going with the USNTDP guys, we seem to have pretty good luck with them.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1806879867956306310

 

[NYR Viper]

He wore socks with his suit, this is a kid I like already

 

[McRanger92]

Rangers have done well with US defenseman at the end of the first round. Was also a position of need. Drafting RD because we’re trading one soon?

 

[CasusBelli]

Is that … good?

Still don’t understand the Miller comparison. This guy is all defense. Miller has no defensive instinct and is basically a forward playing defense. So other than fitness, nationality and skin tone, what’s the similarity?

 

[rangers1314]

He’s going to a great program.

Let’s see how he looks 36 months from now

 

[FireGerardGallant]

By far best player available IMO. A bit safe but at 30 I like it

 

[Mac n Gs]

Wasn't my top choice, but I'm happy with the pick. A lot of the scouting community has been raving about this kid and how his game has grown throughout the year.

 

[UnSandvich]

This was by far the best player in the board. Except maybe the Russians, and we know Drury wasn’t going Russian. No reason to be upset about this.

Chernyshov
Freij
Badinka
Basha
Stiga
Artamonov
Pulkinnen
Miettinen

 

[Savant]

I

He wore socks with his suit, this is a kid I like already

I thought I was the only one who noticed

 

[Fitzy]

As we learned with Robertson, a more modest ceiling doesn’t always mean an automatic hit.

But he does seem like the kind of player almost certain to be an NHL roster quality guy, even if it’s only in a lesser role

 

[17futurecap]

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

 

[NYR Viper]

He’s lanky and under developed physically, you can tell. As he adds weight and strength he’s going to be very difficult to get around

 

[AirGut]

you have Cole Hutson right the f*** there, and you go with a RD like Emery?

 

[HANK30]

2k24 Draft Profiles: D-man EJ Emery lives to shutdown offenses

 

[Savant]

Chernyshov
Freij
Badinka
Basha
Stiga
Artamonov
Pulkinnen
Miettinen

They weren’t going Russian. Freij I liked but not more than Emery; Freij could be another Niks too. Badinka is slow, Emery way more athletic.

Stigma and Basha too small and weak, Pulkkinen just tall. Overage, lousy D. Miettenen I liked too but again, don’t think he’s better than Emery.

Drury was not leaving a USNTP player on the board. Leafs had to run to take Danford ; huge gap between those two

you have Cole Hutson right the f*** there, and you go with a RD like Emery?

Rangers weren’t taking a dman smaller than Zac Jones. We need RD too.

 

[PuckLuck3043]

Chernyshov
Freij
Badinka
Basha
Stiga
Artamonov
Pulkinnen
Miettinen

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.

 

[pld459666]

Big mobile rangy defender.

I could have sworn that was a needed ingredient to winning?

At 30OA, a pretty good pick

 

[UnSandvich]

"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

 

[17futurecap]

Chris Drury isn’t drafting a Russian in the first round or any round, it is what it is.