The New York Rangers have landed an improved first-round draft pick after the Dallas Stars were eliminated from the playoffs.
On July 1, 2025, the Rangers traded defenseman K’Andre Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes for defenseman Scott Morrow, a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, and a second-round pick in the 2006 draft. The condition for the first-round pick was that it would be the better of the Hurricanes’ and Stars’ first-round pick, which the Hurricanes previously acquired in the Mikko Rantanen deal at the 2025 NHL trade deadline.
Now that the Stars have been eliminated from the playoffs, while the Hurricanes are still alive, the Rangers have officially acquired the Stars’ first-round pick, which will be several spots higher than what the Hurricanes end up with. The complete draft order has not been determined yet, as the playoffs are still ongoing and the NHL 2026 Draft Lottery will be held next Tuesday.
NY Rangers Have Two First-Round Picks This Year
The Rangers now officially have two first-round picks in this year’s draft. The Stars’ pick will be somewhere in the high 20s, while the Rangers’ other pick could be as high as 1st overall, depending on whether they get lucky and win the draft lottery.
Should the Rangers get the No. 1 overall pick, they are expected to take Penn State University forward Gavin McKenna, who is seen as the best prospect in the draft. But even if the Rangers don’t win the lottery, they are guaranteed to pick somewhere in the top five, so they will get the chance to land a fantastic prospect regardless of whether or not they win the draft lottery.
In addition to the two first-round picks that the Rangers have this year, the team also has a second-rounder, four third-rounders, a fifth-rounder, two sixth-rounders, and a seventh-rounder. The Rangers could choose to use all of these draft picks to restock their cupboard of young prospects, or they could potentially package several of these picks to move up in the draft.
Rangers Need All the Help They Can Get
The Rangers are one of the NHL’s Original Six franchises and are considered one of the league’s most desirable teams for players. But the last few years have not gone well for New York, as the team missed the playoffs the past two seasons after winning the Presidents’ Trophy in 2023-24. The way the team has taken such a step backwards after being one of the NHL’s elite squads just two seasons ago has been utterly shocking, but there is hope the squad can turn things around next season and get back into the playoff mix.
The addition of two premium prospects with their two first-round picks, especially if they land the No. 1 overall selection, will certainly help the Rangers out. Plus, they will have salary cap space, so they can pursue either free-agent signings this summer or take on contracts in a trade. The Rangers were terrible this season, but there is hope and optimism that they can retool quickly and become a Stanley Cup contender once again.
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