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

[Baby Punisher]

He plays nothing like Miller. It's a lazy-ass comparison because they are both black and good

He plays nothing like Miller. It's a lazy-ass comparison because they are both black and good skaters.

Emery made the comparison?

 

[UnSandvich]

Does he have any chance of making the WJC team? I see he was one of 18 defensemen invited to camp this summer.

Not a guarantee, but very likely to imo

McDonagh didn't show much offense in college or in his limited time in the AHL, yet he has 389 points in 928 NHL games.

There's no reason to believe that Emery can't improve offensively. I doubt that will ever be a strength of his game, but it doesn't have to be a weakness either.

I'll believe it when i see it, but imo the NYR brass has to feel similarly to you. Need to see him away from Hutson and the other PMDs on the NTDP to know though

 

[Brock]

One of my favourite players in this draft class.

It's only for subscribers, but in case any of you are, here's my report on Emery (tons of video and grades).

EJ EMERY

This X thread has some snippets of that report.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1802147927487353324

 

[Hunter Gathers]

McDonagh didn't show much offense in college or in his limited time in the AHL, yet he has 389 points in 928 NHL games.

There's no reason to believe that Emery can't improve offensively. I doubt that will ever be a strength of his game, but it doesn't have to be a weakness either.

When he's been asked to produce he has (see his absolutely outstanding U18 performance when he was asked to do a bit more).

Its a matter of learning it, frankly. He has a pretty deceptively nice shot when he uses it.

 

[MrAlmost]

ekholm is a dude who’s had multiple 35+ point seasons def dont see emery as that kind of dude. maybe more like a modern luke schenn

Before he was drafted, Ekholm was not a scorer. Just a really steady defenseman. He developed. Hopefully Emery does the same. Ekholm didn't have a 30 point season until 5 years after he was drafted. I'll admit though that it's probably recency bias as obviously we just watched the Finals and he was in it.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

One of my favourite players in this draft class.

It's only for subscribers, but in case any of you are, here's my report on Emery (tons of video and grades).

EJ EMERY

This X thread has some snippets of that report.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1802147927487353324

I find it weird how many people are glossing over just how many leaps he took this year as a player. I guess I can see people questioning the pick if they were looking at him two years ago or whatever, but he's skyrocketed this year for a reason.

He was already trending up as he got more comfortable with his stick and closing lanes. We (well, those of us who watched him play) all saw how unmovable he was at times with his lower body strength. Then he just ripped the combine a new one and solidified his late first / early second rating.

It's not like the team took him in the top 10 or something. Though I could have easily seen Emery go around 15 if a team liked him that much.

Does he have any chance of making the WJC team? I see he was one of 18 defensemen invited to camp this summer. I feel like they already have a good defensive dman on the team with Fort though.

I would be surprised if he didn't make it but could always see that being the case since he is still a raw player.

 

[Baby Punisher]

View attachment 889145

Puck decisions can be an adventure ugh

Passes into traffic and causes turnovers. Yay Miller 2.0 lol

Well, Emery said he models his game after Miller's.
We're doomed.

 

[80shockeywasbuns]

if they did that and the player busted, you'd be first in line to criticize the team.

If a player we pick at 30 has that high of a ceiling, it means he has a high chance of not reaching that ceiling, otherwise he would have been picked in the top 10.

Emery isn't a sexy pick, but he's the kind of player we need.

nah, I don’t believe in drafting for floor. This team does it every time and its cheeks. The players with the higher ceiling have the higher floor. But I don’t think this pick is bad, he has tools to be good at entry denials/exits. I just thought there were better picks there

 

[bhamill]

I think the hockey IQ and makes a good first pass statements have been objected to by quite a few people who do scouting. That’s the issue. If those two things were higher end skills he wouldn’t have made it to 30.

This reminds me of some scouts saying Gabe Perrault had skating problems which is why he was available to us in the 20’s. Gabe is a fine skater. And is top 5 in a redraft.

 

[kovazub94]

Don’t think it’s a trash pick but for once can they draft for ceiling? Should be looking for star players, not defensive d men. There was a lot of higher ceiling players left

Did you miss last year’s draft? Or drafting Othmann the year year before?

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

I went through the 3 shift by shift vids I could find and then a condensed game against U of Minnesota. Here's my take -

Don't agree that the first pass is a problem. He gets the puck to where it needs to go and Im glad that the first instinct here isn't "glass and out." It's not flashy and he isn't going to stretch the ice with any regularity, but with a player like this you're not necessarily looking for him to do so.

I DO however, see some of the concerns about how this is going to play out at the NHL level. he doesn't really have the tight space maneuverability to slip through a few bodies and buy himself time to make an easy pass up to a forward to get things going when in the thick of it. When he has time and space to make a play or he has enough room to gather up some steam and skate it out himself, he's fine. It hasn't really been a problem... yet but he's gotten by on doing things that he won't be able to get away with against better competition. So on that end, he's probably going to need to play with someone who is going to do the brunt of the work getting the puck up ice but he isn't completely inept.

Defends the rush beautifully though. I only saw him get beat inside once (it was against Minnesota, he almost killed his own goalie in the process) so he's otherwise pretty excellent at keeping everything outside. No issues rubbing guys out and that will only continue to become a strength as he grows. The size, reach wheels and willingness to take the body already give him a strong base strictly from a defensive standpoint.

Someone dropped a Faber comp and I don't agree with that (Faber has always reminded me of McDonagh) but he isn't some useless schlep or a wasted pick either.

 

[80shockeywasbuns]

Did you miss last year’s draft? Or drafting Othmann the year year before?

I’d like to see them do it when the pick isn’t beyond obvious. I think this pick is much better than the Othmann pick, Emery has tools that actually translate to being an NHLer

 

[CTRanger]

Good pick at 30. Emery has a high floor, looks like he’ll play based on his defensive game alone (skating, instincts, athleticism). But the ceiling is also there, if this kid puts it together especially with puck retrieval and the ability to make a breakout pass with his skating he’s got easy top 4 potential. He should cook at UND for at 3 yrs and who knows where his game could be then. But I bet we’ll be pretty happy with it.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

It's a mixed bag. I've seen him play a bit (u18) then reading about a dozen different scout/pundit summaries it's about 50/50 on the IQ/first pass. His defensive awareness is excellent (positioning, stick work etc, angles)

He is an excellent skater and extremely athletic. He has to fill out some. If he was a very good first passer he would have went much earlier

I suppose that’s kind of the rub, right? Something we all know but need to remind ourselves of sometimes.

Betting on a kid w tremendous athletic gifts including lateral mobility plus a sound head for the defensive game makes sense. Let him marinate in college for a few years and we’ll see what develops.

 

[GAGLine]

The players with the higher ceiling have the higher floor.

If that were true, they'd be picked before 30. Once you get past the top players, the high ceiling guys tend to be boom or bust, with more likelihood to bust.

 

[UAGoalieGuy]

I suppose that’s kind of the rub, right? Something we all know but need to remind ourselves of sometimes.

Betting on a kid w tremendous athletic gifts including lateral mobility plus a sound head for the defensive game makes sense. Let him marinate in college for a few years and we’ll see what develops.

He has the toolbox and some important tools to be a top 4 dman. Going to North Dakota is going to help him develop some more of those tools.

Give the kid at least 2 years in college and then some time in the AHL, at s minimum.

 

[kovazub94]

With Trouba out they likely stop gap 3rd RD and In a few years hope this kids ready

3 college years plus 2 in the AHL would be a “typical” timeline here.

 

[Overcast]

It's crazy how a few varied scouting reports always make people lose their f***ing minds without having ever seen the player. Nothing new, just funny.

Off-season is in full swing.

 

[Mike in Houston]

2024 and we still must invoke a player's race. Who gives a shit?

 

[Clark Kellogg]

What’s this now?

Philly picked after us at 32 but traded the pick to the Edmonton Oilers for a Conditional 2025 or 2026 1st round pick.

 

[hardnosed]

Not for nothing but Emery sounds like he will be a perfect compliment to Miller. I know we have Schneider. But Emery's hockey IQ and defensive fundamentals would be a perfect fit on Miller's right side. Those 2 areas are where Miller is lacking

 

[GAGLine]

3 college years plus 2 in the AHL would be a “typical” timeline here.

Would it? Which players have done that?

 

[HFsNumber1Heel]

Rangers now have Mancini and Emery as RHD depth with Fortescue as an LDH.

That's fine. Remember D always take longer to develop. And there's a huge gap between when Mancini's timeline and the other two.

Let him go to North Dakota and in three years he'll have man strength and hopefully develop all areas of his game.

 

[80shockeywasbuns]

If that were true, they'd be picked before 30. Once you get past the top players, the high ceiling guys tend to be boom or bust, with more likelihood to bust.

No safe bets at 30. Just take the highest potential

 

[Overcast]

No safe bets at 30. Just take the highest potential

Crazy thought: The Rangers evaluate talent different than a message board and see different potentials.

Also, they actually watch the players play and interact with them directly. Wild that they might know more than Joe Shmoe on the internet looking at scouting reports and going nuts that he said he likes K'Andre Miller.