Former top prospect walks away from the New York Rangers, leaves America

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Josh Tupper
June 14, 2024 (12:52)

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Karl Henriksson, a prospect for the New York Rangers, is said to have left North America after giving up on his NHL goal. Henriksson has committed to compete in the SHL.

Karl Henriksson was picked by the New York Rangers in the second round, and they had great expectations for him. Henriksson, a product of the Swedish Junior League's Frolunda, was chosen 58th overall in the 2019 NHL Draft. The cunning center seemed to have everything it took to be an NHL player.

The youngster appeared to be on the upswing after recording 13 goals and 49 points in his draft year. After four years, Henriksson traveled to North America to play with the AHL Hartford Wolfpack. Henriksson participated in 134 games over his two seasons in the AHL, scoring 18 goals and 40 points overall.

Even though Henriksson was never given the chance to play in the NHL, some fans believed he was close to doing so. Now that he's decided to depart North America and join with the Swedish Hockey League, it looks like he won't get the chance.

Looks like #NYR    prospect Karl Henriksson is leaving the organization and going back to the SHL.

There were high hopes for the 2019 second-round pick, but the offensive side of his game never quite clicked. Only 40P in 134 career AHL games.

Many people are not surprised by this statement, given their recent success. The Rangers have long had trouble selecting players wisely, but they also seem to perform even worse in terms of player development. The Rangers will eventually need to hit on some draft picks if they hope to contend for a long time, so it will be fascinating to see whether they can change that going ahead.