Emery was selected with the No. 30 overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft in The Sphere.
The last time the New York Rangers picked a UND-bound player was 2013.
That was Adam Tambellini, a third-round pick. Tambellini lasted one semester at UND before bailing for Canadian major juniors over Christmas break.
Two years earlier, the Rangers picked another UND-bound player, J.T. Miller, with the No. 15 overall pick. Just weeks after the draft, Miller also pulled the plug on college and went to play Canadian major juniors.
On Friday night in The Sphere, the Rangers selected UND incoming freshman defenseman E.J. Emery with the No. 30 overall pick in the first round.
This time, they made it clear they're happy Emery is attending UND and they expect him to stay there for a while.
"I think it's great that he's going to North Dakota," said John Lilley, the Rangers' director of player personnel and amateur scouting. "The history there is terrific. Really good coaching staff. Always is a team in the mix in the NCAA tournament."
Lilley said the Rangers plan to be patient with Emery's development.
"He will determine his path, how quickly he develops," Lilley said. "But there's certainly no rush with him. He's the 30th pick overall, not the third. It's going to take him time, just getting bigger and stronger and rounding out his overall game. He's going to take time. We're in no rush with him. We're happy to get him in the pipeline. We'll see how long it takes, but we know he's going to put the work in to get there eventually."
New York was drawn to the 6-foot-3, 183-pound defenseman for his play in his own end.
"He's an excellent skater," Lilley said. "His defensive game, we as a staff, thought was one of the best in the entire draft. He ends plays, and to me, is an elite defender."
Emery didn't generate a lot of offense last season — he finished with no goals and 16 assists in 61 games — but that didn't concern New York. The Rangers think there's potential to add that to his game.
"He had six assists in seven games at the Under-18s," Lilley said. "He moves the puck. That part of his game is coming. It's there. I thought he got better during the year jumping in the play and things like that. I wouldn't say he's strictly a defensive defenseman, but that is really what we value in his game is his ability to end plays and move the puck up to the forwards with a clean first pass.
"I don't think he's ever going to run a power play, but with that said, I think there's more to come in that regard (offensively)."
Lilley said there's room for Emery to grow physically.
While Emery has exceptional athletic talents — he set an NHL Combine record for the longest horizontal jump at 123 inches — Lilley said Emery has room to grow physically.
"He's an exciting young man and he's got a bright future going to North Dakota," Lilley said. "He's a guy that's going to take some time. He's young. He's still got to grow into his body. But just athletically, his raw tools and raw talent are very good.
"His body hasn't physically matured. He's just becoming a man. It's there. He just has to put the work in and get man strength. I think all of us know you don't stay the same weight when you're 18 as you do when you're 23, 24, 25. But the foundation is there for sure."
Lilley said Rangers scouts Larry Bernard and Derek Richard met with Emery over the course of the season and took a lot of notes.
"He's a very good kid," Lilley said. "He comes from a good family. He's humble, hard-working and his character checks out with the coaches at USA Hockey. We're happy to have the player and the person."
