2 NY Rangers Underrated Prospects To Keep Eye on Rest of Preseason

Training camp is a great opportunity for two New York Rangers prospects to stand out.

Sep 27, 2023; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens defenseman William Trudeau (84) plays the puck against the Ottawa Senators during the second period at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports / USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The New York Rangers are expected to have the day off from training camp practices before starting their preseason schedule.

Training camp started a few days ago, with the veterans arriving after the youngsters started rookie camp the week prior. There are a lot of players who are looking to make a name for themselves during the abbreviated schedule.

The Rangers are going to be playing only four preseason games instead of six, which limits the opportunities for players to make an impression. There are a few younger players who participated in the rookie camp that will be looking to carry positive momentum into the exhibition games.

As shared by Vincent Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic (subscription required), a few prospects stood out during the rookie scrimmages against the Philadelphia Flyers. One of them was Darian Anderson, a sixth-round pick who was selected No. 163 overall.

Rangers prospects standing out in training camp

Sep 30, 2023; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens defenseman William Trudeau (84) smiles during warm-up before the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports / USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Jay Leach, the head coach of the Hartford Wolf Pack, who oversaw the rookie camp, was impressed by how Anderson looked on the ice in his first taste of professional hockey. He had some continuity with other rookies participating, after playing last season with the Flint Firebirds in the OHL.

Also on the Firebirds’ roster was Nathan Aspinall, who has shot up prospect rankings this summer, and Jacob Battaglia, who was selected in the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft by the Calgary Flames and was acquired in exchange for Brennan Othmann.

In 60 games with Flint, Anderson recorded 45 points, scoring 20 goals and handing out 25 assists. He made a positive impact whenever he was on the ice, finishing with an impressive plus/minus of 17.

Another player who stood out in Mercogliano’s opinion was William Trudeau, a 23-year-old defenseman who can operate as solid organizational depth.

William Trudeau was given big opportunity at camp

Sep 30, 2023; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens defenseman William Trudeau (84) looks on during the first period at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports / USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

“And while Trudeau probably has limited NHL upside after spending the last four seasons with AHL Laval, he hammered some impressive left-handed shots and made a few plays at Friday’s practice,” wrote Mercogliano.

Acquired from the Montreal Canadiens in a summer trade in exchange for Brett Berard, Trudeau may not have the most upside of other prospects in the organizational pipeline; his career high in the AHL is 27 points.

However, New York does seem to think pretty highly of Trudeau. He was on the No. 1 defenseman pairing when Alberts Smits sat out and was also featured on the No. 1 power-play unit.

It will be interesting to see how each of these youngsters is deployed during the preseason games. That will be a great opportunity for them to continue building positive momentum into the 2026-27 season.