With a long and illustrious franchise history, the Rangers have had more than a few draft picks in their history.
Like any other franchise, they’ve found their fair share of successes and had their fair share of absolute busts, too. (Pavel Brendl or Jamie Lundmark: who is the worst pick in Rangers history?)
But who are the 30 best picks in the history of the New York Rangers?
From Mike Richter to Brad Park and Steve Vickers to Alex Kovalev, this is your comprehensive list for the best picks the Rangers have ever made. Of course, when you put together a list like this, there are bound to be a few names on the list that might not stand out, but most assuredly deserve a spot.
Keep in mind: some of the greatest Rangers ever weren’t picked by the team, nor did they even start their career in New York. That includes Mark Messier, Rod Gilbert and many other Ranger greats. So think about that before you tell us how much this list sucks in the comments.
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Here’s our criteria: obviously, picks who suited up and contributed heavily to the actual on-ice success of the Rangers will make this list but those who were picked and eventually traded for assets that helped the Rangers succeed on the ice were considered for the list as well.
So for every pick like Brian Leetch that had an impact while in a Rangers sweater, there is someone like Doug Weight who could make the list for bringing back something good in trade.
Without further ado, here are the 30 best draft picks in the history of the New York Rangers.
Next: #30 Kim Johnsson