For all the talk around the Rangers’ newest blue-line jewel, it was the older prospect who did the raving.
EJ Emery, New York’s No. 30 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, had plenty to say Monday about Alberts Smits, the Rangers’ No. 5 selection less than a week ago. Emery and Smits are both at Rangers development camp this week, two first-round defense prospects on different tracks but, at least in the imagination, maybe headed toward the same NHL future.
“He’s big. He’s a young kid that’s going to be incredible, he’s going to be an awesome player,” Emery told reporters Monday. “I’m super excited to be here with him and get to know him a little bit.”
That kind of reaction fits the moment. Smits, who turns 19 on Dec. 2, arrived with a far louder draft pedigree and a fast-moving resume.
He played in two European pro leagues last season and represented Latvia at the Milan-Cortina Olympics and IIHF World Championship as an 18-year-old. There’s a chance he signs his entry-level contract and pushes for a spot on the Rangers’ defense corps in training camp this fall, though he wasn’t saying Monday whether that’s the plan.
Emery’s path looks very different. He’s 20, about a year and a half older than Smits, and is set to start his junior season at North Dakota. His development has been more gradual, which is no surprise given the Rangers made clear when they drafted him that they wouldn’t rush him.
The 6-foot-4 Emery said he put on 10 pounds of muscle over the past year, and he feels the difference already.
“I can feel it with the skating and having that extra power, especially defending against players, boxing out,” Emery explained. “You can feel that extra size and all the work I put in to do that.”
North Dakota made the Frozen 4 last season and is considered one of the favorites for the NCAA title in 2026-27. Emery said he “can’t be more excited to play with” Carson Carels and Keaton Verhoeff, two more first-round defensemen from this year’s draft.
For now, Emery says his focus is still squarely on college hockey.
“Right now, I’m just focused on UND and winning a National Championship there,” Emery stated. “I’m going to take it day by day and when we get to that, we get to that.”
Still, it’s not hard to look at Emery and Smits on the ice this week and see the long view. One day, the Rangers could have both on the blue line. Maybe even together.
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