NY Rangers Selecting This Forward in 2026 NHL Draft Would Be a No-Brainer

If this forward in the NHL Draft is available, the New York Rangers shouldn't think twice.

Jun 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; The video board shows the 20th overall pick for the Columbus Blue Jackets is about to be announced in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft at Peacock Theater. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers have a very busy offseason coming up, and what they are able to accomplish in the NHL Draft will be important. 

Coming into the NHL Draft Lottery, the Rangers were undoubtedly hoping to get a little luck and move up a couple of spots from their projected spot of third. Unfortunately, it ended up being a worst-case scenario for the team, with two franchises jumping ahead of them and New York landing at fifth overall. 

This was the worst that the team could have gone to, and it ended up being the scenario that played out. With the fifth pick, who is going to be available will be a bit of an unknown. New York is going to have their work cut out for them in terms of scouting, with a plethora of players who could be available. 

The Rangers have had some missteps drafting in the lottery the last few years, and the team will be trying to avoid that. While there is no guarantee that he will be available, the perfect fit for New York would be center Caleb Malhotra. 

Malhotra is Ideal Target

Oct 23, 2025; New York, New York, USA; A flag commemorating the New York Rangers 100th season at Madison Square Garden. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

While there is going to be a lot of speculation about how the NHL Draft will shake out, there aren't too many certainties for the potential draft order. With the Maple Leafs being on the clock first, it appears that Gavin McKenna will be the first overall pick. 

However, after that, things can get interesting. The San Jose Sharks are a true wild card with the second overall pick. With the team being close to being a playoff contender, they could trade the pick or perhaps draft more for a positional need than the best player available. If that ends up being the case, a player like Caleb Malhotra could potentially fall to the Rangers at fifth. 

When looking at the prospect pool for New York, there is a clear need for help up the middle, and that won’t get any better if they elect to trade Vincent Trocheck. Center is clearly the position that needs to be improved at multiple levels, and Malhotra would be a perfect fit. 

Unfortunately, his stock appears to be rising, and whether or not he will be on the board at number five remains to be seen. However, as a talented player and one at a position of need for the Rangers, it would be a no-brainer to take him.