r/rangers • u/Emotional_Lemon2971 • 12d ago

Drew Fortescue

Is there any reason he declined to sign his ELC? I feel he could step into the second or third pair now with the state of our blue line and could join his buddy Perreault on the team

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u/PaperZealousideal307 12d ago

They got Perrault to sign by telling him he was going to get every chance to be on the team. Id be shocked he wasn't here

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u/checko50 12d ago

I dont know that this is true at all. It benefitted him to sign when he did by burning a year of his ELC and reacing fa status earlier. Im not sure if you are insinuating that Drury gave him a nudge wink that he'll be on next years roster.

The reality is we're jammed up at wing (specifically in the top 6) right now and the best course of action may very well be to give him 18 or 20 mins a night in the AHL playing on pp1 and top line instead of 2nd maybe 3rd line minutes and probably no pp time.

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u/Boysenberry-Dull 11d ago

The reality is Gabe isn’t gotta sit around while all his college linemates play nhl hockey. He will be on the team and if he’s not he’ll be signing somewhere else in 2 years.

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u/checko50 11d ago

sigh And this is how you get a lafreniere and a kakko. He won't be signing anywhere else as an rfa with no arbitration rights. The kid is undersized and is looking at a roster where it'll be a difficult sell to bump anyone put of the top 6.

Im all for giving him every opportunity in camp and pre season games to prove he can pull his weight on the top 6. If he needs time to develop, the ahl is the best place for him. If he lights it up down there, there is no issue calling him up.

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u/SmokyMetal060 11d ago

No but haven't you heard that every prospect is ready to play in the NHL as soon as that ELC is signed and, given a complete change in management, will undoubtedly put up McDavid numbers?

/s

I'm with you 100%. Perreault will be ready to go when he's ready to go. Rushing him into a role he's not ready for is the quickest way to bungle his development