The ping-pong balls were not kind to the Blueshirts tonight. Despite entering the evening with the third-best odds and an 11.5% chance at the top pick, the New York Rangers suffered the double jump nightmare, sliding the maximum two spots to land at No. 5 overall in the 2026 NHL Draft. The Rangers had three of the four numbers they needed before the final ball was selected during the draw for No. 1 overall, and the balls didn't bounce their way.
#NYR were right there until the end, but Maple Leafs win the first-overall pick
— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) May 5, 2026
They were in a similar scenario for the second lottery, once again with three of the four they needed, and then the San Jose Sharks jumped all the way up to win the second lottery and the No. 2 overall pick at the upcoming draft.
Rangers miss out on chance to draft Gavin McKenna
The most painful part of the slide is the loss of a chance at Gavin McKenna. The Penn State star was seen as a potential reset button for the organization, as he is a dynamic winger capable of being a great addition to a top six that is on the older side and could use some help beyond Gabe Perreault and Alexis Lafrenière. By falling to five, the Rangers are now guaranteed to miss out on both McKenna and likely Swedish sensation Ivar Stenberg.
Focus could now shift to defense
With the Rangers sliding all the way down to No. 5 overall, it is possible the organization will take a look at defensemen. There are a couple who might be on the boards, especially if the draft is forward heavy to start. Some potential names of note include Chase Reid (Soo Greyhounds) who is a puck mover with offensive skills, Carson Carels (Prince George) is a left handed defender with top-four upside, and there is also Keaton Verhoeff (North Dakota) who is a 6'4" defender the organization is familar with given that EJ Emery already plays there.
Potential family reunion?
If he is still available, there is always the potential the Rangers draft a rising forward who they have some history with. Caleb Malhotra is the son of Manny Malhotra, the NHL veteran who the Blueshirts drafted seventh overall back in 1998. At 6'2" and 183 pounds, Caleb is coming off a massive breakout season with the Brantford Bulldogs, where he racked up 29 goals and 55 assists for 84 points in 67 games. He is also committed to Boston University for the 2026-27 season. Considering BU is the alma mater of Chris Drury, Mike Sullivan, and David Quinn, that level of organizational familiarity makes him a fascinating fit for the Letter 2.0 vision.
Some many options await
Falling to No. 5 gives the Rangers some options to think about. They could wait to see how things progress on draft night, there's always a surprise or too, and there's always a chance the Rangers could think about trading the pick to move back if they don't see the value at the current slot. There's a ton of time to think about the fallout of this, and stay tuned for more coverage in the coming weeks.
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