Entering the upcoming 2025 NHL Draft, the New York Rangers have a very clear need for a younger center to add to the roster.
With a depleted prospect pool down the middle, President and General Manager Chris Drury and the rest of the front office should have a strong idea of what center they need to draft in order to accomplish their goals. Why not go after a center in the NHL.com's top 50 prospect rankings?
Eric Nilson is that center.
Who is Eric Nilson?
Nilson is a 6-foot, 165-pound right-shot center from Calgary, Alberta. And although he recently turned 18-years-old, he's not to be counted out.
Nilson most recently spent this past year with Djurgardens IF in the Swedish J20 National League and contributed 12 goals and 26 assists in 37 regular season games. In the postseason, Nilson scored six goals with seven assists in nine games.
The 6'0" player is ranked by some hockey evaluators in the top 40 in scouting reports, with some even ranking him within the top 50 of the upcoming NHL Draft, and a late first-round to early second-round selection as center.
Not to mention — he comes from a hockey family. His father, Marcus Nilson, was drafted as the No. 20 overall pick in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft and went on to play for the Florida Panthers and the Calgary Flames.
This makes even more sense when you look at one of his greatest skills which is his hockey IQ in the sense the always seems to be in the right place on the ice and is capable of playing at center or wing.
Eric committed to Michigan State in May 2025 and instantly gives whatever franchise picks him a cerebral, high-motor two-way weapon.
The Rangers have the No. 12 pick in the first round, No. 43 pick in the second round, No. 70 pick in the third round, No. 89 in the third round which was acquired in the Chris Kreider trade, No. 111 in the fourth, No. 139 in the fifth, Nos. 166 and 171 in the sixth, and — finally — No. 203 in the seventh round.
Now — given his skillset and knowledge of the game Eric is expected to get picked somewhere between the No 25 and No. 30 pick overall.
We'll just have to wait and see where Drury lets the chips fall.