Blueprint for the Future: Who the Rangers Could Take at Every Spot They Pick in the 2025 Draft
With eight picks in this year’s draft, the Rangers have plenty of chances to fill key prospect needs. Here are some options for who they could target at each spot.
In a previous article, I wrote about what the New York Rangers’ biggest needs were heading into this draft class. With those needs in mind, here are three options for the Rangers at every pick they have in this draft class.
Round 2, 43rd Overall
I did a more in depth piece on this where I made mention of five options the Rangers could have with this pick. I still stand by the opinion that this is where the Rangers should really look to target a center, even if it means trading up in the draft to do so. Jack Murtagh and William Moore, who you can read more about here, are still at the forefront of that wishlist but in the interest of exploring more options, here are a few more centers to consider:
Max Psenicka was originally on my list for Rangers’ second round options. He’s a big-bodied, right-handed defenseman who skates well for his size and could hold his own in all areas of the ice. At 6-5 and 177 pounds, he’s incredibly athletic but has lots of room to bulk up and plenty of room to improve on the offensive side of his game. Still, he’s early in his development having come over to the WHL from Czechia and could be a worthwhile project to take on.
Matthew Gard could make a ton of sense for the Rangers as well. A left-handed center that clocks in at just under 6-5, what Gard lacks in hockey sense and skating abilities he makes up for in compete and offensive production. He was just over a half-point-per-game player with the Red Deer Rebels last season, which may not be much to write home about, but is certainly respectable. He’s not the type to drive offense on his own but could become an effective third line center down the road.
Ethan Czata is very similar to Gard in the sense that his compete level is one of his most enticing qualities. One of the most consistent descriptions I’ve read about him is that he's the type of player that NHL teams would value greatly. He’s a bit smaller than Gard (6-1, 175 pounds) but plays a similar type of game as him: he's physical, goes to the net, and can become a solid bottom six center. His hockey IQ isn’t the strongest, nor is his all-around skill, but he is incredibly responsible in both ends of the ice.
