While the NY Rangers have just four picks next weekend, it doesn’t mean we can’t have fun and concoct a seven-round, or six-round, to be more accurate, NHL Mock Draft. This one is a simulation through FC Hockey, meaning I couldn’t just pick anyone I wanted in this draft scenario.
But, as the headline suggests, I ended up with far more value than I otherwise would have thought for having such few picks, three of which were in the fourth round or later. So, who ended up in the New York Rangers system in this mock draft simulation, and why did I roll with them over others?
30th Overall: Sacha Boisvert, C/North Dakota
Since I had zero control over this simulation, I had no idea what to expect, but Sacha Boisvert was one prospect I was hoping to be available at No. 30. I like the fact he already possesses a 6’2 frame, one that, when he adds more muscle, will allow him to be a physical player when he’s ready to make the jump into pro hockey.
If I were making a prediction, it’s that he will have four years to add another 20-25 pounds, more than enough time since he’s just entering his freshman season at the University of North Dakota. Boisvert’s leadership and productivity also stood out, and the way his overall output evolved is another reason I selected him at No. 30 in this simulation.
In 2022-23, he found the back of the net 17 times for the Muskegon Lumberjacks with 45 points total in the regular season. Last year, he finished with more goals (36) than assists (32), giving him 68 points on the year.
127th Overall: Clarke Caswell, LW/Swift Current Broncos
Clarke Caswell was one of the prospects on my shortlist for the middle rounds, as the Swift Current Bronco gave us 26 goals and 77 points last season in 68 games, a noticeable improvement from what he finished with in 2022-23, with 29 points and nine goals.
He doesn’t have Sacha Boisvert’s build, but it’s not something I’m too concerned about, as few prospects who will be available at No. 127 and beyond have such a nose for finding and maintaining puck possession.
159th Overall: Frankie Marrelli, D/Ottawa 67’s
Another one gracing the shortlist, Frankie Marrelli was a player I thought would be off the board by now, but sometimes these simulations can surprise us. He’s someone who could turn into a two-way player following a decent debut season in the OHL when he finished with nine goals and 25 points across 60 contests.
But it’s easy to get the impression that Marelli would rather be a hitter and someone who craves a “defensive defenseman” style of play who just happens to have adequate puck skills. If there is someone in the final 100 picks with steal potential, I could confidently say Frankie Marrellli could be one of those players.
191st Overall: Miroslav Satan, C/Slovakia
I wanted to roll with a high-potential player with my final pick, and few possess more potential than Miroslav Satan. He already possesses outstanding length at 6’7, even if he has plenty of room to pack muscle onto his 190-pound frame, but the former already allows him to play an excellent defensive game.
It doesn’t mean he can’t score, though, something he demonstrated through 26 regular season games for HC Sloven Bratislava when he finished the year with 14 goals and 30 points in the regular season before adding another three goals and eight points in 13 games of international play.
(Statistics powered by Elite Prospects)