We are on the precipice of the busy week of the NHL season. With the draft on Friday and free agency starting next Tuesday, teams are making last-minute preparations. One decision the New York Rangers had to make was what to do with the 12th overall pick. After trading a lottery-protected pick to the Vancouver Canucks as part of the J.T. Miller trade, who ended up flipping the pick to the the Pittsburgh Penguins, they had to decide whether to send 2025's pick to Pittsburgh or keep it and send an unprotected 2026 pick to them instead.
On Tuesday, the Rangers made their decision, sending the 12th overall pick to Pittsburgh. This means that they will not be selecting a player on Friday, unless another trade is made. While this may seem like a short-term loss, it is a smart move for the long term.
Why keeping the 2026 first round pick opens more doors for the Rangers
For starters, the 2026 draft class is shaping up to be one of the strongest classes in years. Headlined by Gavin McKenna and Viggo Bjork, both of whom could be franchise players, many of the prospects are projected to be high-impact players. Many analysts are saying that the 2026 class could go down as one of the greatest we have ever seen. It feels like there is going to be a rush to get as many picks as possible for next year's draft.
Unlike the 2026 class, this year's class feels very top-heavy. There are several good prospects at the top of the draft, with a huge falloff after the first ten or so picks. Why would the Rangers keep a pick in a weaker draft class? If scouts are correct, the Rangers have much better odds of getting an NHL caliber player next year, regardless of where they pick, than they do staying at 12 this year.
The Rangers' 2026 first-round pick can also be a very attractive trade piece. As mentioned before, teams are going to want to get as many picks as possible for 2026. Whether it be during this offseason or at the 2026 trade deadline, that pick will have a lot of value. It can be used to acquire a high-impact player from a team looking to rebuild. A team like the Nashville Predators or Boston Bruins will be willing to move a key player on their roster if they know they'll have multiple picks in a loaded draft class.
It also allows the Rangers to send offer sheets to players. One of the rumors floating around NHL circles is that there will be lots of offer sheets extended to players this summer. With the Rangers expected to be aggressive this summer, they want to keep all options open. If they were to give up their first next year, they won't be able to extend offer sheets to some of the high-caliber players, closing an avenue for the team to get better.
Although it stinks that the Rangers will not be getting a top-15 player this season, this is a move for the long term. Some times you have to make hard short term decision in order for the team to have long term success.