NY Rangers' Chris Drury Should Have Received Better Grade for 2026 NHL Draft

General Manager and President Chris Drury did a passing job in this year's 2026 NHL Draft for the New York Rangers due to the priority he placed on replenishing his prospect pool with defensemen.

May 8, 2025; Tarrytown, NY, USA; New York Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury speaks during a press conference to introduce new head coach Mike Sullivan at the MSG Training Center in Tarrytown, New York May 8, 2025. Mandatory Credit: Peter Carr/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In late June, ESPN put out a list giving grades to general managers across the NHL for their performances in the 2026 NHL Draft, with New York Rangers' General Manager and President Chris Drury receiving a passing grade.

ESPN's Rachel Kryshak gave Drury a C+, largely in part to the Rangers successfully replenishing their prospect pool with defensemen. However, Kryshak also noted that Drury did lose points for leaving top prospects Chase Reid and Carson Carels on the board. The value Drury was able to snag Ben MacBeath was also pointed out in addition to the third-round selections of Charlie Morrison and Tomas Chrenko going over well.

Kryshak wrote that the Rangers' first-round pick of Alberts Smits was still solid, but the Blueshirts could have overall done more in the most recent League draft.

"Smits should be a good top-four defenseman, but the Rangers had the opportunity to draft a potential star and opted for the safety net. They got good value on Ben MacBeath at the end of the second round, and I really liked the Charlie Morrison and Tomas Chrenko selections in the third," said Kryshak. "But when you pass on some of the best talent at the top of the draft in favor of a more NHL-ready player, you lose marks on your process."

However — and in large part due to drafting Smits — Drury did still pass. Here's why.

Why Chris Drury Succeeded in Drafting Alberts Smits

Smits was drafted at No. 5 overall and became the highest drafted prospect from Latvia in the NHL's history.

Jun 26, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Alberts Smits reacts beside NHL commissioner Gary Bettman after being selected with the fifth pick in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft by the New York Rangers at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He was originally the No. 2 ranked international skater and tallied 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in 38 games in Finland’s top professional league after starting last season among the top junior league (10 points in five games) with Jukurit of Liiga.

He led all Jukurit defensemen in goals, ranked third in points and tied for fourth in assists.

Smits is known for his high-hockey IQ in addition to his ability to read plays and tendency to position himself effectively in both zones. As such, he was awarded the E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence — which is presented annually to the NHL Draft prospect who best exemplifies commitment to excellence through strength of character, competitiveness and athleticism — before being drafted by the Blueshirts.

The first-rounder signed his three-year, entry-level contract with the Rangers and Drury on July 15.