Rangers’ prospect EJ Emery sets sights on NCAA title after experiencing NHL camp…
EJ Emery, recently picked by the New York Rangers in the first round (30th overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft, is now attending the University of North Dakota, taking summer classes before his freshman year. In between the draft and starting his studies, the 18-year-old defenseman spent several days at the Rangers’ development camp in New York, giving him a glimpse of professional hockey life.
“Development camp was awesome,” Emery shared with NHL.com’s William Douglas. “Training against pro hockey players and working with them gave me a taste of what it’s like to be a professional.”
This experience has fueled Emery’s ambition to reach the NHL, possibly joining his role model, Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller. However, his immediate focus is on honing his skills and aiming for an NCAA championship with North Dakota.
“My primary goal is to win a national championship and support the team in any way necessary,” he said. “Everyone on this team shares the same mindset of improving daily and doing whatever it takes to achieve our goals.”
No rush for EJ Emery to join Rangers…
The Rangers are eager for Emery to contribute to North Dakota’s championship pursuit, seeing it as a crucial step in his growth. However, John Lilley, the Rangers’ director of player development and amateur scouting, emphasized there’s no hurry to bring Emery into the NHL.
“EJ is very talented and athletic, but he’s still developing. He needs to get stronger, but he has a solid foundation,” Lilley noted. “He has a bright future ahead at North Dakota and needs time to mature.”
Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 185 pounds, Emery, son of a former CFL player, is a right-shot defenseman focused on defense rather than offense. Lilley believes his offensive skills will improve over time.
“His defensive play was among the best in the draft,” Lilley added.
Emery is confident in his defensive abilities.
“My strengths are my skating and defensive play,” Emery stated at the draft. “I aim to be a shutdown defenseman who can transition the puck and create plays.”
Last season, Emery recorded 16 assists and 61 penalty minutes in 61 games with the United States National Team Development Program. Though he didn’t score a goal, he had six assists and a plus-15 rating in seven games at the U18 World Championship.
As he embarks on the next phase of his career at North Dakota, Emery is optimistic.
“The coaches, team, and community at North Dakota made me feel at home,” he said at development camp. “I believe it’s the best place for my development and a great place to play hockey.”
