New York Rangers Draft Radar December Scouting Report

Welcome, welcome everyone to the next edition of the Draft Radar Scouting Report. Last time, we took a look at a couple of defensemen and a hardworking forward. So this time around we're going all in with our "hopes and dreams" edition. We'll turn our view to the top of the draft.

Let's face it, there is a real chance the Rangers fall in the standings in the coming weeks. Currently, they sit 16th overall in the league, but that comes with the caveat that they have played the most games of anyone in the NHL. Judging by their winning percentage of .524 the Rangers have the eighth-worst record, and their .512 points percentage is the 7th worst in the the NHL. So with that in mind, we're looking at the elite players, but with a fun twist. We'll focus on players currently competing in the 2026 World Juniors Championship. Before we dive in, let's review the prospects from last month.

Malte Gustafsson: Since Chris last checked in on Gustafsson's season, he had just been given a chance with HV-71's top team. He has since played six games for their SHL team and has registered one assist. He's getting consistent ice time playing in a more physical and faster-paced league, an excellent step for prospects looking to transition into an NHL career, albeit often affecting their point totals due to stiffer competition and less ice time.

Braidy Wassilyn: Wassilyn scored at a torrid pace in November, potting nine goals in 11 games, but has since cooled off going another nine games before his next goal. On the season, he scored 25 points in 32 games split between the London Knights and Niagara IceDogs. This is an improvement over his rookie year in the OHL, but to break into the first round, Wassilyn will need to kick it up a notch.

Albert Smits: If you've been watching the 2026 World Junior Championship, then you may have noticed Smits. The alternate captain for Latvia has one goal and two assists in three games. He played a big role in helping his country qualify for the next round of the tournament.

Gavin McKenna - Left Wing, Penn State University, NCAA

Coming into this season, Gavin McKenna was all but guaranteed to go first overall in the 2026 draft. But now, three months into the season, concerns have arisen about his performance in the NCAA. Before we get to that, let's take a step back and review how McKenna ended up playing in the NCAA as a 17-year-old.

McKenna went first overall in the 2022 Bantam Draft to the Medicine Hat Tigers in the Western Hockey League and never looked back. In his first full season in the WHL, he began the year at 15 and scored 97 points in 63 games. His speed and skating ability were off the charts, and defensemen all around the CHL were struggling to contain him. McKenna had the fancy stick work to move the puck through and around you and the elite edgework to beat you wide if needed.

The following year, the Tigers named McKenna an alternate captain, and he repaid their faith in him by recording 129 points in 56 games, a remarkable average of 2.3 points per game. McKenna's a natural-born playmaker, but also can deceptively beat a goalie a number of ways. His 41 goals that season were a testament to that. McKenna has been lauded as one of the best passers to come through the WHL, and combined with his acceleration and fluid stride, he was a force to be reckoned with, vastly separating himself from his peers on all draft charts.

After a 129-point season, McKenna chose a different path to further his development as a player and turned his eyes toward the NCAA. The reason was simple: to challenge himself and improve as a hockey player. McKenna had already proven he can dominate the WHL. The NCAA is a league with older players that distinguishes itself from the CHL in being much more physical. McKenna's brilliance in the WHL led pundits to believe he would dominate the NCAA in his freshman year and lead the league in points, much like former number one overall pick Macklin Celebrini had. However, that hasn't been the case.

McKenna is by no means struggling with the Penn State Nittany Lions, but his play has not lived up to the hype and expectations surrounding the young winger. Scoring 18 points in 16 games is nothing to sneeze at, but the pressure is on when your lucrative college recruitment offer set records in college hockey history. The primary concern with his play has been his 5v5 performance. He has often drifted and been a perimeter player, with numerous documented instances of puck-watching. It leaves many pointing at his size—McKenna clocks in at 5-11 and 170 pounds—as the reason he's been faltering, and that honestly could be a real factor.

He has since been named to Team Canada and will represent his country at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. He's expected to play a significant role for Canada, as they've disappointed in recent years. If McKenna can find some magic in this tournament, that may be enough to get some of the naysayers off his back, and he's already started reaching into his bag of tricks just three games into the tournament.

The fact is, McKenna could have stayed in the WHL, coasted on cruise control, and easily gone first in the upcoming draft. But the young player was inspired and determined to be the best player he could be—he'll even tell you that himself. McKenna wanted to identify his areas of weakness, challenge himself, and overcome them. There aren't many players who would make that choice with the draft on the line. Stumbling this year or not, McKenna will go at the top or close to the top of the draft, and it's no secret why. He'll get stronger and learn, and have a shot at being a superstar winger and the best player to come out of this draft, regardless of the position at which he's drafted.