Hockey is back! (At least for the rookies…)

Twenty-six prospects reported for the New York Rangers last week, including seven of the 10 we recently ranked as the best in the organization. They practiced at the MSG Training Center in Tarrytown, N.Y., on Friday, then headed to the PPL Center in Allentown, Penn., for scrimmages against the Philadelphia Flyers rookies on Saturday and Sunday. It all came under the guidance of Jay Leach, who’s entering his first season as AHL Hartford coach following five seasons as an assistant for the Seattle Kraken and Boston Bruins.

I was on hand for both Friday’s practice and Saturday’s game, while tuning into Sunday’s rematch via live stream. It certainly wasn’t the crispest hockey I’ve seen, with the Rangers losing 3-2 and 4-1, respectively. They had spurts of inspired play, but the Flyers largely controlled both contests while displaying a deeper collection of skill at the top of their lineup.

Defenseman Drew Fortescue, one of two Rangers rookies with NHL experience, offered this blunt assessment following Saturday’s loss.

“First game, s—‘s gonna happen,” he said. “Honestly, in that game, I think we were sitting back a little bit too much. … We were kind of trying to feel it out a little bit, and I think let them take it to us a little bit in that regard. So, yeah, it’s our first game. But there’s a lot that we can work on.”

That’s for sure.

The disclaimer is that we should avoid drawing overarching conclusions at this early juncture — these prospects have had extremely limited time on ice together, while NHL regulars still won’t hit the ice until Thursday — but here are 10 observations from my initial viewings of the rookies.

1. Alberts Šmits was a no-brainer pick as the No. 1 prospect in the pipeline and will be a primary source of intrigue in the coming weeks. Some scouts believe the No. 5 pick from this year’s draft is ready to jump right into the NHL, but team president Chris Drury pumped the brakes a bit earlier this summer. I’ve heard from multiple people around the league who believe a short AHL runway would be beneficial, a stance I tend to agree with. Of course, Šmits’ performance at main camp will influence that decision.

Šmits appeared in Saturday’s scrimmage before being held out Sunday — a predetermined plan to protect a vital organizational asset — with uneven results. On one hand, the 18-year-old defenseman played with what Leach described as “stiffness,” which is to say he was a force along the wall, at the net and in other situations that required engaging opponents. He had some impressive battles Friday against Adam Sýkora, who’s as determined as they come, and asserted himself at times against the Flyers’ forward prospects on Saturday. Physically, he looks ready, with a hardness to the way he defends and a fluidity to his skating. At 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, Šmits eats up chunks of ice and controls territory. He also showed off a plus left-handed shot and a willingness to use it: On one shift Saturday, he had a wrister from the high slot blocked, then recovered it and hit the post from a tougher angle below the left circle.

Alberts Šmits and Adam Sýkora were battling through this shift, with Šmits showing his strength but Sýkora hanging tough. #NYR pic.twitter.com/H9pQrGmqn7

— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) September 11, 2026

But in terms of his feel for the game and decision-making, especially with the puck, it looked like development time will be required. Šmits had multiple turnovers on Friday, then opened Saturday’s game with a misfired pass immediately following a Dylan Roobroeck faceoff win. There were a couple other giveaways that led to extra possessions for Philly, so that’s an area you’d like to see cleaned up.

Of course, it was an extremely small sample size, which goes back to my earlier point about taking these observations with a grain of salt. But when I asked what he needs to show Rangers coaches at this camp, Šmits’ response was telling: “Everybody over here, they can take care of the puck and make good decisions.” The inference was that he needs to do the same.

2. Šmits wasn’t the only one bit by the turnover bug. The Rangers rookies coughed up the puck several times throughout the weekend, with Leach offering this assessment following Saturday’s loss.

“Our puck management was not at an all-time high, and it fueled a lot of their transition and our problems, especially in the second period,” he said. “We obviously tried to clean that up. In the third, it was a bit better, and you saw us in their zone a little bit more than what you had seen in the first two periods. Some of that is some rust. Some of that is some junior habits, some college habits, and our guys getting used to professional hockey.”

3. Defensive-zone breakouts were complicated by the fact that the Rangers only had one right-handed defenseman at rookie camp: 2025 sixth-round pick Evan Passmore. They had to dress five lefties for both scrimmages, which Leach called “a challenge.”

Fortescue and Felix Färhammar were primarily asked to play on their off-handed side, which resulted in obvious hiccups, but Šmits also took some turns on the right. He was paired with Fortescue on Saturday, with that duo on the ice for two of the Flyers’ three goals. (Šmits was on for all three.) The first one came on a chaotic sequence in front of the net, with center Carey Terrance inadvertently flinging the puck at his own net. But Šmits drifted out of position on the second goal from Cole Knuble, with Fortescue doing the same on the third goal from Alex Bump.

🚨 2-1! 🚨

Cole Knuble buries a beautiful feed from Alex Bump. 🤝

💻: https://t.co/E0eAQVNmdL | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/St0wBWoZlV

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) September 13, 2026

Philly held out notable prospects such as Denver Barkey and Porter Martone for the first game, but its remaining top line of Bump, Jett Luchanko and Knuble was the best forward trio on the ice Saturday. (It was a similar story when Barkey and Martone slotted in as Luchanko’s wingers on Sunday.) They gave the Rangers fits, while New York’s top line of Liam Greentree, Cole Beaudoin and Brody Lamb struggled to get going at five-on-five. It was pretty clear the Flyers’ top young forwards had an edge over the Rangers’ best up front.

4. At 6-2 and a chiseled 209 pounds, Beaudoin is a handful on the dots and around the net. But he wasn’t particularly effective with the puck and lagged behind at times in pursuit. Then he missed Sunday’s game due to an undisclosed injury and is being labeled day-to-day.

The 20-year-old center didn’t shy away from questions about his chances of making the NHL roster, which he plainly stated as his goal. That’s the right attitude for one of the key pieces acquired in the Vincent Trocheck trade, who had many admirers among coaches and scouts we spoke to for our prospect series. But a stint with Hartford is almost surely coming, regardless of the severity of Beaudoin’s injury.

5. Beaudoin and Greentree were part of a power play that was a bright spot on Saturday. Šmits served as the quarterback, with Roobroeck and Nathan Aspinall rounding out the top unit. They produced both New York goals, starting with a Roobroeck deflection late in the first period. Greentree had the primary assist, finding a seam with a wrister from the point. It came moments after he hit the post, with Greentree’s left-handed shot looking as advertised. It showed up again Sunday, when the 20-year-old winger netted the Rangers’ only goal.

Good forechecking effort from Sýkora and Chrenko set up Greentree for the tying goal, but Flyers scored with 0.5 left in the second period. Philly takes a 2-1 lead into the third. pic.twitter.com/bcBxgWjrFG

— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) September 13, 2026

Greentree was New York’s biggest scoring threat in both games, but one scout in attendance, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to freely discuss another team’s player, wanted to see better “problem solving and creativity off the wall” to help diversify his offensive profile. Greentree spent the summer training at Prentiss Hockey Performance in Stamford, Conn., where he worked side-by-side with Rangers captain J.T. Miller and several other potential teammates. He called it an “unbelievable” experience and had this to say about his offseason goals.

“For me, a big thing was skating and getting my speed up,” Greentree said. “I feel faster. I feel, you know, a little lighter, so I feel good. I’m trying to play a little physical, too, and I think I did that (Saturday). As long as I’m doing that and I’m skating hard, I think I’ll be good.”

6. The second New York goal was scored by Aspinall, whom Leach pointed to as a standout. He ripped a left-handed wrister from the top of the left circle, with Flyers goalie Carson Bjarnason unable to make the save despite a relatively clear sightline. (Šmits earned his second assist on the play.)

OHL 2nd place points leader gets the #NYR within one, what a snipe. pic.twitter.com/d0IBJSFlnn

— David 🏒 (@DaveyUpper) September 13, 2026

The 2024 fifth-round pick could be a hidden gem. He exploded for the Flint Firebirds last season, finishing second in the OHL with 94 points (33 goals and 61 assists) in 65 games. Now he’ll join a crowded group of AHL forwards, with Beaudoin, Greentree, Roobroeck, Sýkora, Terrance and Brody Lamb among those vying for opportunities. But Aspinall’s scoring touch and imposing 6-7 frame make him one of New York’s most unique prospects.

7. Roobroeck was a moose around the net, which is where the 6-7, 222-pounder scored his goal, and was relied on for key faceoffs. He seems to have surpassed Terrance in the center prospect pecking order.

Terrance, who was acquired last year as part of the Chris Kreider trade, struggled in Saturday’s game. His gaffe led to the Flyers’ first goal from Matthew Gard, then he nearly handed them another with a turnover behind the Rangers net that resulted in a couple quality scoring chances. New York goalie Callum Tung bailed him out with two nice saves.

8. Sýkora wasn’t particularly noticeable in Saturday’s game, but I thought he was one of the best players on the ice for Friday’s practice. The 22-year-old winger’s motor is always running high, so you know he’s going to bring it every shift. Being a relentless forechecker and reliable defender are his paths to sticking in the NHL after an 11-game taste last season, which showed up Sunday when Sýkora helped force the turnover that led to Greentree’s goal. But he’s made real strides with his puck skills in the last year or so. The 2022 second-round pick will likely never be a dynamic puck-handler or volume scorer, but he’s more of a threat to enter the offensive zone with possession than he was in his first few pro seasons.

“I feel like that was my problem: Just chip the pucks in, chip the pucks out,” Sýkora said. “That was kind of my mindset. But the coaches were telling me, ‘Sometimes you’ve got maybe more time than you think.’ So I think that was a huge step for me. Just kind of settle things down. Look for some passes. Don’t just throw the puck away. That’s what I was learning last season in Hartford.”

9. Two under-the-radar prospects caught my eye at various points: winger Darian Anderson and defenseman William Trudeau.

Leach mentioned Anderson as a pleasant surprise, with this year’s sixth-round pick getting up and down the ice well while showing some presence with the puck. (Remember: He played at OHL Flint with fellow Rangers prospects Aspinall and Jacob Battaglia.) 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. The 23-year-old, who was acquired from the Montreal Canadiens in a July trade for Brett Berard, has never posted more than 27 points in an AHL season, so I wouldn’t go too wild here. But he earned his way onto the top pair and PP1, replacing Šmits in both spots for Sunday’s game.

10. We’ve been critical of the Rangers’ player development over the years, and rightfully so. But it’s also hard to expect great results after going five years without any premium picks. From the time director of amateur scouting John Lilley took over in 2022, through 2025, New York selected only two first-rounders and never picked higher than Gabe Perreault at No. 23 in 2023, which is looking like a savvy choice. Here’s another stat that looks pretty good given all the picks Drury traded away: Since 2019, the Rangers have had 13 players selected in the second round or later appear in an NHL game (Fortescue and Sýkora among them), tied for the most of any team in that span.

This weekend once again highlighted the need for high-end talent, particularly at center. But Lilley, who spoke Friday and pointed to “skill, will and compete” as the primary traits he searches for in prospects, deserves credit for uncovering some late-round contributors.