The New York Rangers hold two first-round picks at the 2026 NHL Draft. With just under a month to go until the next Blueshirts are announced, the predictions and projection rumors are flying around the internet like wildfire.
Of course, only President and General Manager Chris Drury and a few other select front office members know who they will be taking with those two pivotal picks. But writers and fans can get in on the fun as well.
Vincent Mercogliano of The Athletic painted what could be the best-case scenario in his recent piece. The fifth and 26th picks are going to be crucial for the Rangers, and they cannot mess these up.
Defense first, center second
The two areas that need the most help for the Rangers are the blue line and the center position. That is painfully obvious by how both areas were showcased last season in a terrible light.
When looking at the needs for this team in a ranking, it has to be like this. Defense first, then focusing on bolstering down the middle second. It cannot be the other way around, as the bulk of the solid defensemen in this upcoming draft are going to be taken in the first five picks.
Grabbing someone like Chase Reid is going to be tough, as he has been labeled as the top get from this group of defensemen. But if he were to fall to the Rangers at No. 5, Drury has to snag him.
He is a big body, and furthermore, he knows how to advance up the ice with the puck. That is a desperate need for the Rangers, as the hope for Braden Schneider to fall into that hockey archetype is starting to wane.
Nobody knows what is going to happen with Vincent Trocheck this summer, and that influences how the Rangers select their next potential center. Mika Zibanejad still holds true as a first line center, barring Trocheck's impending move, and then from there it gets tricky. J.T. Miller would be the 2C, followed by, potentially, either Noah Laba or the 26th pick in this draft.
If the Rangers are truly in a retool, why not let their next era of players get started by giving them some key minutes to accelerate the process? Mikkel Eriksen is another name to look out for next season, but he may not be ready to make the jump yet.
That is the blueprint to follow for June 28. If not, this franchise may not move an inch forward toward being a contender again.
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