The Vancouver Canucks and Chicago Blackhawks have been locked in as the two worst teams in the NHL this season, but the third spot remained up for grabs on the final day of the season. That meant the race for Gavin McKenna remained unsettled until the final horn of the Calgary Flames' final game, and due to their late season surge, the Rangers have now been handed the third-worst record in the league.
Entering the final day of the season, the Blueshirts sat in 29th place in the league, fourth-worst overall, with 77 points. Calgary's win over the playoff-bound Los Angeles Kings also gave them 77 points, but because they had more regulation wins this season, they jumped ahead of the Blueshirts to push New York into the bronze medal position of the NHL Draft lottery podium.
New York Rangers' up to date NHL Draft lottery odds
Calgary's late season push lets the Rangers' front office off the hook, as the team ended the season with some victories that could have done serious damage to their lottery odds. While the Rangers only dropped one place, it means everything.
The Rangers' No. 1 overall odds have increased to 11.5% from 9.5%, their top three odds increased to 30.5%, and they are now guaranteed to draft within the top five. Had the Flames lost, the Rangers could have theoretically slid back to sixth overall.
Gavin McKenna remains top prize, but other quality names will be on the board in Rangers' range
The best-case scenario is simple: the Rangers defy the long odds against them, win the lottery, and select Gavin McKenna. The Penn State sensation is the consensus No. 1 prospect for a reason, having just finished a historic freshman season where he notched 51 points in 35 games, sweeping the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and scoring title in the process.
If they don't end up with McKenna, there are some other names of interest in that top-five range. Ivar Stenberg remains the top-ranked international skater, and he is a high-motor winger who recently led Sweden to World Junior gold and possesses the type of elite top-six skill that would be a worthy consolation prize.
If the Rangers decide to pick a defender, there's Keaton Verhoeff from North Dakota and Chase Reid from the Soo Greyhounds. Verhoeff is a sizeable 6'3", 208-pound right-handed defender who plays a pro-style game and could become a key part of a Rangers blueline that has some long-term question marks. Meanwhile, Reid is a high-ceiling puck mover whose offensive instincts mirror the modern NHL archetype, and he’s the type of high-value insurance policy the Rangers might need if the future of Adam Fox remains uncertain.
Lastly, there's always the chance the Rangers opt to take a center, and one such name of interest is a familiar one. Caleb Malhotra is the son of Manny Malhotra, the NHL veteran who the Blueshirts drafted seventh overall back in 1998.
At 6'1" 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.
No matter what happens, the Rangers are in a better spot having finished with the third-worst record in the league. There is no telling what will happen on lottery night, scheduled for May 5, but every additional percentage point helps as the Rangers look to take this retool to another level this summer.
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