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For the past two seasons, Drew Fortescue played in the shadow of top New York Rangers prospect Gabe Perreault. <\/p>\n
That doesn\u2019t mean the 20-year-old defenseman failed to impress. On the contrary. Fortescue was a solid regular in the Boston College lineup and helped the United States win consecutive gold medals at the 2024 and 2025 World Junior Championships.<\/p>\n
It just so happened that Perreault, a flashy star forward selected in the first round (No. 23 overall) by the Rangers in the 2023 NHL Draft, was Fortescue\u2019s teammate both at BC and Team USA. So, Perreault received much more attention than Fortescue, who was chosen in the third round of the same draft<\/a> by the Rangers.<\/p>\n However, Fortescue will no longer be the \u201cother\u201d Rangers prospects at Boston College this fall, since Perreault turned pro last spring and is vying for a spot on New York\u2019s opening-night roster. And considering his junior season could be his last in college before signing an entry-level contract in the spring of 2026, you better believe Fortescue will be under some heavy scrutiny this coming season.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n But it\u2019s not like Fortescue hasn\u2019t already excelled under the spotlight. Mike Morreale, NHL.com\u2019s draft and prospects expert, points out that one need not look any further than Fortescue\u2019s outstanding play in the past two World Junior tournaments to see what kind of future professional the Rangers have on their hands.<\/p>\n \u201cSome players just have that ability about them to be able to play well on an international stage. Fortescue is right in that mold,\u201d Morreale told Forever Blueshirts<\/a> on the RINK RAP podcast. \u201cHe\u2019s a tremendous shutdown defenseman on the left side, and that was an area that the U.S. needed. And not only is he a shutdown guy, but he\u2019s strong, he\u2019s abrasive in the corners.\u201d<\/p>\n Though high-scoring teammates like Perreault, Ryan Leonard, Cole Hutson and James Hagens received most of the press and adulation for Team USA\u2019s success at the World Juniors, Fortescue was the glue. He played a quiet, steady game for the U.S. throughout each tournament, a fixture in their top-four on defense.<\/p>\n Though he scored a goal and had three assists in seven WJC games in 2024, Fortescue didn\u2019t record a single point in 2025. That didn\u2019t matter at all. He was terrific in his role as shutdown defenseman.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was just phenomenal,\u201d Morreale stated. \u201cI remember (assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey and former Rangers goalie) John Vanbiesbrouck saying Drew was a major, major piece on that team and winning that second gold medal.\u201d<\/p>\n Related: Rangers prospects E.J. Emery, Drew Fortescue focused on development not NHL future: \u2018it\u2019s a man\u2019s game\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Drew Fortescue not focused on his future<\/strong> with Rangers<\/p>\n Fortescue said at Rangers development camp<\/a> in July that \u201cit was always the plan\u201d for him to return to BC for his junior year. He and the Rangers organization both see the advantage for him to continue to grow his game, gain high-level NCAA experience, and fill out physically.<\/p>\n The Pearl River, New York, native is listed at 6-foot-2, 180 pounds. Though his game is not predicated solely on physical play, it\u2019d behoove him to continue to get bigger and stronger before making a run at an NHL job in the not-so-distant future.<\/p>\n \u201cFortescue is one of those guys who knows how to play it physically,\u201d Morreale explained. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t always have to be body contact. It can also be how he uses his stick, the gapping, the positioning, and Fortescue has really mastered that at the college level and how how he was able to produce at the World Juniors.\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s music to the ears of Chris Drury and Co. because the Rangers could really use someone with Fortescue\u2019s skill set to be a viable and affordable option on the blue line, perhaps as soon as the 2026-27 season.<\/p>\n Assuming newcomer Scott Morrow locks down a third-pair spot on the right side next season, Fortescue could be in play to be his left-side partner in two years.<\/p>\n That left side could feature Vladislav Gavrikov, Braden Schneider (on his off side), Urho Vaakanainen and\/or Fortescue in 2026-27. The right side could be Adam Fox, Will Borgen and either Schneider or Morrow.<\/p>\n No doubt, there\u2019s an opportunity waiting for Fortescue. And even further down the road that could be a top-four shutdown pairing with EJ Emery, New York\u2019s first-round pick in 2024, who fits that shutdown right-shot slot on defense.<\/p>\n Fortescue, though, is not thinking that far down the line.<\/p>\n \u201cI think just kind of right now, I\u2019m focused on getting bigger and stronger,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s kind of been my biggest focus going into next year.<\/p>\n \u201cJust continuing to do that, trying to focus on it the best I can and see what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t \t\tJim Cerny is Executive Editor at Forever Blueshirts and Managing Editor at Sportsnaut, with more than 30 years of … More about Jim Cerny<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMentioned in this article: Drew Fortescue<\/a> Rangers Prospects<\/a> <\/p>\n![\"NCAA](\"https:\/\/www.foreverblueshirts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/NCAA-Hockey-New-Hampshire-at-Boston-College-25591129-788x525.jpg\")
Eric Canha-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<\/p>\n