The Rangers’ top two 2023 draft picks made an impact almost instantly upon joining the team.
Gabe Perreault figures out his game with every shift, culminating in his first hat trick Saturday against the Red Wings to reach 25 points in 49 NHL games.
Pearl River native Drew Fortescue and his homecoming for his debut provided one of the more feel-good moments of this lost 2025-26 season.
In the grand scheme of this evaluation period for the organization, however, the prospects who have been longing for their moment are making up for lost time with the Blueshirts. Each day is an opportunity for Matthew Robertson, Jaroslav Chmelar, Adam Sykora and Dylan Garand to finally work on carving their path at the NHL level — and they have each treated it as such.
After years stewing in the American Hockey League, the four have made notable impressions.
Sykora may be the most recent recall from the organization’s AHL affiliate, but the 21-year-old has arguably made the most lasting impression in the shortest amount of time. The 63rd overall pick in 2022 was in the midst of his third full season in Hartford when the Rangers called.
Adam Sykora #38 of the New York Rangers during the first period at Madison Square Garden, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in New York, NY. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
He has everyone rooting for him. No one’s demeanor has been more infectious.
Scoring again in Sunday’s 8-1 win over the Capitals, Sykora now has three goals and an assist through his first seven games.
His best buddy and Hartford roommate, Chmelar, has been in Hartford since making the jump from Providence College in 2023-24. Since the 144th overall pick in 2021 earned brief recalls in November and December, the 22-year-old has adjusted to the speed of the NHL and been much more effective in his fourth-line role.
It’s allowed Chmelar to position himself in the dangerous areas of the ice more, which has led to more offense. He earned the secondary assist on Sykora’s second-period score Sunday.
Between his 6-foot-4, 226-pound frame and his commitment to finishing checks, Chmelar hasn’t looked out of place on the ice.
Robertson has been with the Rangers since opening night, but he didn’t become a serviceable every-night defenseman until mid-November. The 2019 49th overall pick spent the previous four full seasons in Hartford without a call-up until the second-to-last game last season.
Rangers defenseman Matthew Robertson #29 scores the game winning goal during the overtime. The New York Rangers defeat Boston Bruins 4-3. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Now, Robertson has appeared in 59 of the last 60 games. He’s even gotten top four minutes at times, logging the fifth-most ice time among all Rangers defensemen so far this season.
There’s no question Garand earned at least one more game after his first two NHL performances.