There is something to be said on how the New York Rangers use their draft picks. Many have flourished into fantastic Blueshirts players, and many others have faltered.
Let's try to put an interesting spin on this and rank the three best to ever come out of the NHL Draft.. This should be an easy one, but there might be a hard decision between two franchise legends.
3. Mike Richter
The first of two goaltenders on this list, Mike Richter, was drafted by the Rangers in the 1985 NHL Draft. He was a second round pick out of Wisconsin selected 28th overall, and selected one pick after Hall of Famer Joe Nieuwendyk.
Richter is considered the second-best goaltender in franchise history, and one of the very few to bring a Stanley Cup to Madison Square Garden. His career stat-line reads at 301-258-73 with 24 shutouts. He spent his entire 14-year career with the Blueshirts, and has his career cut short due to injury.
2. Brian Leetch
This is where it gets tricky. Brian Leetch was drafted by the Rangers in the first round of the 1986 NHL Draft and holds a ton of franchise records. He was a revolutionary blueliner, with an emphasis on an offensive game from the back-end. He was the driving force of the 1994 Rangers, and was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy for his playoff excellence. Leetch also captured a pair of Norris trophies at the league's top defender during his tenure on Broadway.
He holds the record for most assists in team history with 741, and fell just short of being the second ever Ranger to reach 1,000 points, joining "Mr. Ranger", Rod Gilbert. Had Leetch not been traded on his birthday, and been able to remain a career Blueshirt, he'd easily have set some additional records.
1. Henrik Lundqvist
There is nobody who personified the New York Rangers like Henrik Lundqvist. And, he came as a very unlikely draft pick, as he was drafted in the seventh-round of the 2000 NHL Draft.
Lundqvist is the top goaltender in Rangers history, as he has the top spot in almost every single category. He was the lifeblood of this team for a decade and a half, and his late-round pick proves that talent can be found anywhere. Not only was Lundqvist considered the Rangers' best netminder, he is one of the greatest in league history to strap on the pads.
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