NY Rangers Expect Recent Draft Pick To Be at Camp

Which new draft pick for the New York Rangers is expected to be at camp this fall?

Apr 5, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan speaks to reporters after an 8-1 win against the Washington Capitals at Madison Square Garden. / Danny Wild-Imagn Images

With the dust starting to settle from the 2026 NHL Draft, the New York Rangers ended up making nine selections to help bolster their prospect pool. While most players were taken to develop for the future, one might be ready to go right away in the NHL. 

Coming into the draft, the Rangers were a team that had two first-round picks with the fifth and 26th overall selections. New York knew that they were going to be able to add some impact talent, and that is exactly what they did. 

While they may not have used the 26th pick on a prospect, they were able to send it as part of a package to the Las Vegas Golden Knights for forward Pavel Dorofeyev. The talented 25-year-old is a great scorer and fills a massive need for the Rangers. 

However, while the Dorofeyev trade rightfully got a lot of the attention, they did hold on to their fifth overall pick and selected defenseman Albert Smits. There was a lot of discussion about who New York was going to take with the selection, and it was a major surprise to see Daxon Rudolph as the first blue liner taken. 

While Chase Reid and Carson Carels were available, the Rangers elected to go with Smits. One of the potential reasons why they were high on him compared to others was that he is going to potentially be able to come in and help right away. 

Smits Expected To Be at Camp

Rangers Director of Amateur Scouting and Player Personnel John Lilley said he expects Alberts Smits to be in camp in the fall.

— Colin Stephenson (@ColinSNewsday) June 27, 2026

It certainly didn’t take long for John Lilley to talk about the fifth overall pick being at camp with likely a good chance of making the team. New York is a team that is retooling, and that likely went into the decision to take Smits, who could help right away compared to having to wait a few years. 

While the team is heavily invested in Vladislav Gavrikov on the left side, depth behind him was certainly a need. Smits will have a chance to play behind him in one of the pairings if he is deemed ready, and the team also drafted four other left-handed defensemen to improve their prospect depth. 

Overall, while some of the other prospects might have higher ceilings, Smits’ ability to come in right away and play is a major luxury for the Rangers. This is a team that needed talent, and the fifth overall pick will be a player to watch during camp.