The New York Rangers should use assets to move up in the draft with their second pick
With the New York Rangers making headlines for recently winning the first overall pick in this year’s draft, it has overshadowed the fact that the team also has a second pick in the first round. After dealing Brady Skjei to the Carolina Hurricanes for the later of the Hurricanes or Maple Leaf’s first round pick, the Rangers now know they will be receiving Carolina’s original pick.
It looks like that pick will fall in the second half of the draft. It is most likely to fall in the 20’s range (this will depend on how far the Hurricanes go in the playoffs) and while having a later first round pick is still nothing to dismiss, the team should look into trying to trade up to get a better draft position.
The reason the team should do this is to have a better chance of targeting a highly skilled center, a position that the team lacks depth in. In theory, if the Canes draft pick were to end up in the 20-25 range and the Rangers were to use it to trade up to get into the 10-15 range, it opens up many more options.
The Rangers currently possess a number of players with uncertain futures, but who still have potential and are cost controlled. This could be an opportunity for them to trade from areas of depth or uncertainty, as well as possibly help save salary cap space for next season. Combining one of these players with the second pick in the first round, they may find a team willing to give the Rangers a better spot.