Editor’s note: For the second consecutive year, The Athletic’s Vincent Z. Mercogliano and Peter Baugh are doing a series ranking the New York Rangers’ top 10 prospects. The order is based on detailed analysis of the organizational pipeline, along with conversations with evaluators, coaches and many of the players. The aim is to balance where each prospect is on his development path while weighing projected upside over time.Only prospects who maintain rookie eligibility and are yet to reach their second contract are included, bumping previously ranked players such as Noah Laba, Scott Morrow and last year’s No. 1, Gabe Perreault, out of consideration.Each of the top 10 will be profiled in a series of stories that began Monday and concludes Sept. 4.No. 10: Adam Sýkora, LWNo. 9: Drew Fortescue, DHalf an hour had passed since the end of an Aug. 12 practice for HK Nitra, the reigning champions of Slovakia’s top league, but the Zamboni driver was still waiting for the ice to clear.Eventually, Tomáš Chrenko — a third-round pick in this year’s NHL Draft and The Athletic’s eighth-ranked New York Rangers prospect — was politely asked to leave.“He’s a guy who really likes to work,” said HK Nitra coach Erik Čaládi, shortly after delivering the message.The 18-year-old forward is coming off a year that he described as “like some American movie.” The highlights included scoring the overtime winner in HK Nitra’s Game 7 championship clincher and leading Slovakia’s World Juniors team in both goals (five) and points (eight).But moments after being drafted by the Rangers at No. 81, Chrenko was pushing to turn the page.“It started today,” he said then. “Right now, I’m getting to work.”The New York Rangers are in limboVincent Z. Mercogliano and moreHis father has seen this strive-for-more mindset evolve over the years. The elder Chrenko, also named Tomáš, played 20 professional seasons in Europe, mostly for the same HK Nitra organization where he now serves as general manager. His son was raised around hockey rinks and locker rooms, sparking an early passion.“He was playing and walking with the hockey stick since he was maybe a year-and-a-half old,” the father recalled.The younger Chrenko was also a talented soccer player who enjoyed doing anything competitive with his friends. His father believes that was important to him becoming a well-rounded athlete, but a heightened focus on hockey has recently taken hold.“When he was younger, it was just fun for him. … He loved to score goals, but he loved to play all kinds of sports,” the older Chrenko said. “But then, when he started to be part of national teams in Slovakia when he was 16, 17 years old, I think he realized that he can reach something more than just having fun with sports.”The next steps will be critical for a prospect with the potential to become something the Rangers’ pipeline is sorely lacking: a center who can drive offense.‘This winning aura’After splitting time between HK Nitra’s under-20 and men’s teams in 2024-25 — he dominated for the former with 30 goals and 31 assists in just 28 games — Chrenko spent last season as the top club’s youngest player. He accounted well for himself with 31 points in 44 games, and his 22 assists tied for third on the team. But his most memorable moment came during the championship series against HC Slovan Bratislava.