NEW YORK RANGERS PROSPECT REPORT: DEC. 14

• Brett Berard was named to the United States’ roster for the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship, and he will be playing in the tournament for the first time in his career. The Rangers’ fifth round pick (134th overall) in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft is the second-youngest player on the United States’ roster and one of only six players born in 2002 who will represent the United States in the tournament.

• Dylan Garand was named to Canada’s roster for the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship, and he will be playing in the tournament for the first time in his career. The Rangers’ fourth round pick (103rd overall) in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft is the second-youngest player (and the youngest goaltender) on Canada’s roster for the tournament. Garand has the opportunity to become the second goaltender drafted by the Rangers in the NHL Entry Draft Era (since 1979) to play for Canada in the IIHF World Junior Championship, joining Dan Cloutier, who did so in 1995 (note – Doug Soetaert represented Canada in the tournament in 1975 as a 19- year-old before he was selected by the Rangers in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft; at the time, the eligibility age for the Draft was 20 years old).

• Braden Schneider was named to Canada’s roster for the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship, and he will be playing in the tournament for the first time in his career. The Rangers’ first round pick (19th overall) in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft skated in 60 games with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League (WHL) last season, registering seven goals and 35 assists for 42 points, along with a plus-nine rating and 42 penalty minutes. Schneider was selected to the WHL Eastern Conference’s First All-Star Team in 2019-20, and he was also named the winner of Brandon’s Mike Adamski Hardest Working Player Award.

• Hunter Skinner was named to the United States’ roster for the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship, and he will be playing in the tournament for the first time in his career. The Rangers’ fourth round pick (112th overall) in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft registered 32 points (six goals, 26 assists) and a plus-22 rating in 62 games with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) last season. Skinner ranked 13th among OHL defensemen in plus/minus rating in 2019-20, and he also tied for third among OHL defensemen who were in their U19 season or younger in plus/minus rating last season.

• Riley Hughes tallied a goal in each of his first two games of the 2020-21 season with Northeastern on Dec. 12 and Dec. 13 (each game was against Merrimack), and he also tied for the team-high with four shots on goal on Dec. 13. The Rangers’ seventh round pick (216th overall) in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft tallied four points (one goal, three assists) in his freshman year last season, and he was one of seven players (and one of three freshmen) who skated in each of the team’s 34 games during the season.

• Nils Lundkvist tallied a power play assist on the game-winning goal on in Lulea’s 3-2 win against Djurgardens on Dec. 12, and he also led all skaters with five shots on goal on Dec. 8 against Rogle. The Rangers’ first round pick (28th overall) in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft has registered 12 points (five goals, seven assists) and 63 shots on goal in 21 SHL games in 2020-21, and he has averaged 20:26 of ice time per game in the 21 contests. Lundkvist has notched an assist/point in three of the last four games (three assists), and he has also recorded eight points (three goals, five assists) in the last nine games. He is tied for second among SHL defensemen in goals and is tied for 10th among SHL defensemen in points this season, and he also leads SHL defensemen who are in their U21 season or younger in goals and points in 2020-21. His 63 shots on goal this season are the fourth-most by an SHL defenseman; he is averaging 3.00 shots on goal per game this season after averaging 2.04 shots on goal per game in 2019-20 (92 shots on goal in 45 games). Lundkvist leads Lulea in shots on goal, is tied for second in power play goals (three), and is tied for fourth in goals in 2020-21. He also ranks second on Lulea in average ice time this season, and his 20:26 average ice time per game is the highest among all SHL players who are 20 years old or younger. Lundkvist’s 37 career SHL assists and 58 career SHL points are each the fourth-most by an SHL defenseman while in his U21 season or younger in league history.

• Vitali Kravtsov registered an assist, tied for the team-high with three shots on goal, and posted a plus-one rating in 19:10 of ice time on Dec. 13 against Barys Nur-Sultan. The Rangers’ first round pick (ninth overall) in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft has recorded 14 points (nine goals, five assists), a plus-seven rating, and 81 shots on goal in 30 KHL games with Traktor this season. Kravtsov is tied for the team lead in even strength goals (seven), is tied for second in goals, is tied for third in plus/minus rating, and ranks fifth in shots on goal in 2020-21. Among KHL players who are in their U22 season or younger in 2020-21, he ranks first in shots on goal, ranks second in goals, and is tied for fourth in points and plus/minus rating this season.

• Adam Edstrom tallied an assist and posted a plus-one rating on Dec. 12 against IK Oskarshamn, and he also registered three shots on goal, was credited with three hits, and posted a plus-one rating on Dec. 10 against Skelleftea. The Rangers’ sixth

round pick (161st overall) in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft has registered four points (one goal, three assists) and a plus-four rating in 17 SHL games with Rogle this season. Edstrom ranks third on Rogle – and leads team forwards – in hits thus far in 2020-21 (25).