The New York Rangers will select ninth and then have two picks in the mid to late 20s depending on where the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins finish in the postseason.
The New York Rangers are in a unique position where for once they can worry about building the team going forward. For far too long the team has mortgaged its future to pay for the present. Years of deadline moves have left the prospect cupboard barren. Although the moves made sense at the time, none of them ever resulted in a Stanley Cup.
In the salary cap world of the NHL, first round picks are arguably the most valuable asset. Due to the salary rules, extremely talented players can be under contract for only $925,000 for the first three years of their career. This is why Connor McDavid, the best player in hockey, got paid pennies this season. In terms of building a team, cap friendly players allow a team to have depth in its roster.
In the case of a top ten pick, a team almost surely gets a blue-chip prospect. Translating a player’s amateur production to the NHL isn’t always easy though. For some players, it can be two or three years before they make the show. This June, the Rangers will be selecting at ninth overall. This is more than high enough to get a talented player to jump into the NHL lineup next season.
On top of that, the over two first-round picks present an opportunity to stock up prospects. The Rangers only have a handful of prospects who are even in the ballpark of being NHL ready. Being that the team was terrible last season, it really needs reinforcements.
The real problem
Rangers General Manager Jeff Gorton alluded to the fact he might be willing to move up in the draft after the lottery order was revealed. The problem with this move is the impracticality of the cost. The top end of this year’s draft features a litany of elite prospects that bad teams desperately need.
For a team like the Montreal Canadiens that have no notable prospects in its pool, what will picks 26 and 30 do for them? All of the teams at the top of the draft, except for the Carolina Hurricanes, have substantial roster construction to still do before being serious contenders. The best way to turn a team around quickly is to get an elite player at the top of the draft.
Furthermore, Gorton will be better served to keep his picks to use himself or to trade for NHL ready talent. The Rangers are not as far off from competing as some of the other teams in the top ten of the draft. Packaging the ninth pick with the two in the 20s could net a significant NHL talent from the right team.
Next: Henrik Lundqvist has earned the right to choose his future
There is still plenty of time ahead before the entry draft on June 22nd. At last year’s draft, Gorton swooped in at the 11th hour and moved up to number seven overall when traded Derek Stepan to the Arizona Coyotes. No matter what, the Rangers will be better next season.