The New York Rangers certainly like the defenders at the 2026 NHL Draft, and after selecting Alberts Smiths at No. 5 overall, the Blueshirts selected Ben MacBeath at No. 64 overall at the end of the second round of the draft. The pick gives the Rangers a talented defender who is heading to the University of Denver, and it is a choice that made a lot of sense for their long-term plans.
MacBeath projects to be a good fit for future iteration of New York Rangers
New York is in an interesting spot as they execute their Letter 2.0 plan, and they see the defense as something that needs fixing. Adam Fox is an all-NHL defender, Vladislav Gavrikov has been a great fit alongside him, but beyond those two there are a lot of question marks. Smits is someone who will be in the mix. The Rangers hope EJ Emery could play a role at some point, but beyond that there are no true dependable pieces to be counted on for when the Rangers hope to be contending again.
MacBeath spent the 2025-26 season with the Calgary Hitmen in the WHL, and he finished the season with seven goals, 44 assists, and 51 points in 67 games. He is headed to the University of Denver this season, and he will play for David Carle who is the top coach in college hockey, and someone who makes players better.
At 6'2" and 187 pounds he has good size for the NHL, and there is still time for him to fill out a little more. His consolidated ranking at No. 45 on Elite Prospects' list makes him a bit of a steal at 64 overall, and many draft experts are loving this pick for the Rangers.
What people are saying about this pick
Ben Macbeath lasting this far is a bit nuts.
— Byron Bader (@ByronMBader) June 27, 2026
Good size dman, Western Canadian kid, two-way game with some nice production as well.
These guys typically go in the 1st round. Most every year.
Nice snag for the Rangers. pic.twitter.com/LylH9DGcVw
The @NYRangers wrap up the second round by selecting Ben MacBeath 64th overall 🤩 MacBeath was the 65th-ranked prospect on our final 2026 NHL Draft rankings 🔥
— Elite Prospects (@eliteprospects) June 27, 2026
Read more about his game here: https://t.co/fqNCB8j0zM pic.twitter.com/xVUZ1fvuy6
Elite Prospects also had this to say about his NHL upside and it is important to look at this aspect too.
If MacBeath is going to translate to the NHL, it will likely be in a defensive, puck-moving role, limiting space in transition and leveraging his mobility to kill possessions and break out pucks at pace. That will take major improvements to his aggressiveness and play reading – a large task for any prospect. If he accomplishes that, a bottom-four role isn’t out of the question.
Benjamin MacBeath is a solid pick by the Rangers, even if not the top of my list. They need defensemen who can skate, and he can absolutely skate. He plays a smart game. Second-pairing upside.
— Adam Herman (@AdamZHerman) June 27, 2026
In any case, the Rangers saw a major need, and they've done a good job addressing it in the second round. We shall see if they make the most of their remaining picks during today's Day 2 of the draft.
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