NY Rangers Young Defensemen Has Steadily Improved Throughout Summer

A New York Rangers young defenseman has been hard at work throughout the NHL offseason, focused on improving all aspects of his game after having signed his entry-level contract.

Apr 5, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Drew Fortescue (45) skates against the Washington Capitals during the second period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Per a recent report, defenseman Drew Fortescue has been hard at work this offseason for the New York Rangers.

Fortescue currently ranks No. 9 in The Athletic's Rangers prospects rankings, which comes after the blueliner tallied two points across nine games played in 2025-26 after skating 17:23 in his debut on March 27. This past summer, he's also been heavily focused on his training with a group of Rangers at the usual Ben Prentiss facility in Stamford, Conn.

Per recent work from Peter Baugh, Fortescue said he went into this summer with specific goals in mind.

“There’s a lot of things I think I need to get better at,” Fortescue said per The Athletic (subscription required). “It’s getting stronger, all the little puck touches, breakouts, and all the passing and trying to make sure you put the pucks on guys’ tape, because there’s not a lot of room out there. But I think just the more you play, the more you get used to it. All that is stuff I’m [working] on this summer to try and get better at, so I can give myself a chance.”

Drew Fortescue Harrd at Work Ahead of 2026-27 NHL Offseason

Fortescue's debut for the Rangers in 2025-26 also came after he skated in all 36 games for Boston College — tallying a career high of 14 points on four goals and 10 assists; he also scored in back-to-back games to open the Eagles' season.

His previously mentioned Rangers' debut on March 27 also saw him earn his first NHL point via an assist. Praise would also come from Rangers' Head Coach Mike Sullivan.

“There’s a lot to like about Drew’s game,” Sullivan had said.

Fortescue is joined by fellow BC alum Gabe Perreault on the Rangers' roster.

Apr 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers right wing Gabe Perreault (94) celebrates his second goal against the Detroit Red Wings during the third period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Boston College coach Greg Brown also spoke to The Athletic, saying Fortescue is known for having a mentality centered around improving all aspects of his game.

“Of course you want [him] to get physically stronger and keep trending in the right direction physically and strength-wise, but as far as on the ice, he understands who he is, and he plays to his identity very well. I don’t have one thing that you would say, ‘Oh, this is going to have to improve.’ It’s just generally [aiming to] keep getting better in everything.”

Fortescue also boasts international experience, having represented Team USA at the U20 World Junior Championship in 2024 and 2025. The 6'2", 195-pound left-hander also won a gold medal at both the U20 Championships and the U18 Championships for the U.S.

Baugh also noted that Fortescue is potentially a defenseman No. 4 through 6 on an NHL roster — which, as of now, is with the New York franchise. However, given how focused Fortescue is on improving, that projection could definitely improve.

Fortescue signed his three-year, entry-level contract with the Rangers on March 21.