NY Rangers Should Consider Moving 5th Overall Pick After Dropping in Draft Lottery

The New York Rangers should consider moving the fifth overall pick following a drop in the NHL Draft Lottery.

Apr 24, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; NHL commissioner Gary Bettman speaks to the media before game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights at Delta Center. / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers have seen one of the first important parts of the offseason come to a close, with the NHL Draft Lottery now set. 

Despite having the third-worst record in the league, the ping pong balls were not in favor of the Rangers on Tuesday night. New York will be selecting fifth overall, dropping two spots with the Toronto Maple Leafs and San Jose Sharks jumping them for the first and second overall picks. 

It was undoubtedly a disappointing night for the Rangers, but the fifth overall pick is still a very valuable asset. However, with them dropping a couple of spots from where they were likely hoping and expecting to be, it will be interesting to see what the plan is now. 

This offseason feels like a pivotal one for a team that is hoping to snap a two-year playoff drought. If they do try to make a splash, using the pick could be on the table. 

Rangers Should Consider Moving the 5th Overall Pick

NY Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury speaks during a press conference / Peter Carr/The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Due to the team dropping two spots in the NHL Draft Lottery on Tuesday night, it opens up a new conversation for the team to have. More than likely, if the team were to be in the Top 3 of the NHL Draft like their record indicated they should have been, the pick likely would have been deemed untouchable. 

With the top two picks considered to be Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg, they potentially could have come in right away and helped the Rangers a bit. However, with this being a team that is retooling and not rebuilding, the drop in the lottery might make them consider moving the fifth overall pick if the right player is available on the trade market. 

In order for New York to consider doing so, it would have to be for a star-caliber player. While the Stanley Cup Playoffs continue on, some of the big names that are starting to be mentioned in rumors already are Connor McDavid, Brady Tkachuk, and Auston Matthews. 

While it would undoubtedly take more than just the fifth pick to get one of those players, it would be a good starting point. However, a lot depends on what the Rangers really deem as a retooling. The team could very easily use the fifth pick on the best player available and hope to develop him over the next couple of years. 

That is certainly a viable plan and one that makes sense, but if they want to contend and a star player is available, the team should consider moving it in order to get a deal done.