Corey Pronman details what to expect from the New York Rangers’ new prospects and how they fit into the farm system.

2025 Draft Grade: C+

Malcolm Spence’s stock faded hard this season with his performance in Erie after coming into the year as a potential top-20 pick. I still like him. The offense will likely never be noteworthy, but he skates well, plays hard and could have secondary production. He has a clear path to becoming a middle-six winger. I don’t see any other pick in this group that excites me, although I am intrigued by Sean Barnhill, who they picked after Spence. He’s very toolsy, and I wonder how he will do in an environment with more ice time.

Draft Class

43. Malcolm Spence, LW, Erie Otters (OHL)

September 22, 2006 | 6′ 2″ | 201 pounds

Tier: Middle of the lineup player

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: High-end

Player comparable: Ivan Barbashev

Analysis: Spence struggled at times in the first half of the season, but his game started improving offensively as the year went along. He has a great track record as well, including being a top player for Canada’s U18 team the prior season multiple times. Spence’s compete is excellent and is the calling card of his game. He’s a tenacious worker who wins a ton of battles and gets to many pucks due to his length, speed and effort. He comes back hard and is a great two-way forward. Spence has good offensive skills and sense and can create chances with pace, but I wouldn’t call him a dynamic or overly creative player with the puck. His finishing touch is at times a minor question, but he gets a lot of greasy area goals. He can be a very likable middle-six winger who coaches will use a lot.

70. Sean Barnhill, RHD, Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL)

January 8, 2007 | 6′ 5″ | 214 pounds

Tier: Has a chance to play games

Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: NHL average

Analysis: Barnhill played limited minutes on a strong Dubuque team in his first full USHL season. Barnhill’s play and numbers won’t inspire much confidence, but he’s listed due to his traits and pro potential if he develops well. He’s a nearly 6-foot-5 defenseman who skates well for a big man. On his best shifts, he shows legit skill with the puck and a mean streak without it. However, those best shifts were quite infrequent this season. He’s worth a shot because if it clicks, he has the tools of some players who will go a lot higher than him.

89. Artyom Gonchar, LHD, Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk (MHL)

October 25, 2006 | 6′ 0″ | 143 pounds

Analysis: Gonchar had a productive year in the MHL, putting up significant numbers for a defenseman. He’s a talented player with the skating and skill for the higher levels. He has a smooth, powerful stride and gets up in the attack well. He makes creative plays with the puck and has a strong point shot. He should get his points versus men, but I’m unsure how well he will defend. He doesn’t give the best efforts without the puck and isn’t overly physical to go with his 6-foot frame.

111. Mikkel Eriksen, C, Färjestad BK J20 (J20 Nationell)

September 13, 2007 | 5′ 11″ | 185 pounds

139. Zeb Lindgren, LHD, Skellefteå AIK J20 (J20 Nationell)

April 14, 2007 | 6′ 1″ | 198 pounds

Analysis: Lindgren has been a solid two-way defenseman at the Swedish junior level and for Sweden’s U18 team. He shows some touch with the puck and can make a reliable first pass. Lindgren plays hard and is a steady junior defender. His skating is just OK, though, and given that his skill isn’t top-end, I wonder how well his game will translate up levels due to his feet.

166. Samuel Jung, RW, Kärpät U20 (U20 SM-sarja)

May 18, 2006 | 6′ 3″ | 172 pounds

171. Evan Passmore, RHD, Barrie Colts (OHL)

December 5, 2006 | 6′ 4″ | 209 pounds

Tier: Has a chance to play games

Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: Below NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average

Analysis: Passmore didn’t play a ton of minutes for Barrie this season, but he’s one of the more athletic players eligible for the draft. He’s a 6-5 defenseman who moves quite well for his size. He can skate pucks up ice very well. He closes on checks at a high level due to his range. He’s also very physical, which leads to a lot of stops defensively. Whether he has any puck play is an open question. He creates some offense with his feet, but he doesn’t make any plays and fights the puck at times.

203. Felix Färhammar, LHD, Örebro HK J20 (J20 Nationell)

April 11, 2007 | 6′ 1″ | 185 pounds

Beat writer’s analysis

New York did not have a first-round pick after the J.T. Miller trade. Leading up to draft day, general manager Chris Drury decided to give Pittsburgh this year’s first-round pick (No. 12), which the Penguins acquired from Vancouver, rather than surrendering his unprotected 2026 first and keeping this year’s selection. That limited the Rangers’ ability to pick any of the draft’s highest-regarded prospects.

New York still managed to add a few interesting players to its middle-of-the-pack prospect pool. Malcolm Spence fell out of the first round despite being ranked in the top 30 by both Corey Pronman and Scott Wheeler, and the Rangers managed to grab him at No. 43. That’s an exciting player for New York to add to its prospect pool. Wing isn’t the organization’s biggest position of need, but grabbing someone who could’ve gone in the first round is a win for New York.

The Rangers took a pair of defensemen in the third round: Sean Barnhill at No. 70 and Artyom Gonchar, nephew of longtime NHLer Sergei Gonchar, at No. 89. Those two join EJ Emery and Drew Fortescue as defensemen in the Rangers’ prospect pool. The Rangers finally took a center in the fourth round, selecting Mikkel Eriksen, a Norwegian, in the fourth round.

Swedish defenseman Zeb Lindgren (No. 139), wing Samuel Jung (No. 166), defenseman Evan Passmore (No. 171) and Felix Färhammar (No. 203) rounded out the Rangers’ draft. — Peter Baugh

(Photo of Spence: Kevin Sousa / Getty Images)