NY Rangers Should Trade Up in Second Round of NHL Draft for Talented Center

Should the New York Rangers try to move up in the second round for a talented center?

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. / The Journal News-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers are getting set for the second day of the NHL Draft, and there are still going to be some opportunities for them to improve. 

On Friday night, the team had a great evening. To kick things off, the Rangers were able to pull off a blockbuster trade with the Las Vegas Golden Knights for the talented young winger Pavel Dorofeyev. 

New York was a team seeking to improve their top six and get help in the scoring department. With Dorofeyev being a winger on the right side, he is going to be able to help with that. 

The 25-year-old is coming off a 37-goal campaign, and it was the second year in which he reached the 30-goal mark. This was exactly the type of player that the team needed to bring in, and it was an impact addition. 

Furthermore, what was also nice about the selection was that they didn’t have to part ways with the fifth overall pick in order to secure it. New York ended up using that pick on defenseman Alberts Smits, who is going to be able to potentially come in and help right away. 

Now, as the team prepares for rounds two through seven of the NHL Draft, they will have the chance to continue to add to their prospect pool. As always, some first-round caliber talent wasn’t drafted, and this could present the Rangers with a chance to move up to try and grab it. 

Rangers Should Move Up for Brooks Rogowski

Alberts Smits / Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

The towering center has been deemed a good potential fit for New York with their need to improve up the middle. After not being drafted in the first round, the Rangers could try to move up and grab him in the early part of the second round. 

Currently, New York still has three picks in the third round after dealing one to the Golden Knights, and also one in the second. If the Rangers choose to do so, they certainly have the ability to either move up in the second round or perhaps grab another second-round pick. 

Improving the prospect pool is still going to be a goal for the team despite a strong night on Friday. Adding a player like Rogowski would give them some much-needed help up the middle for the franchise, which is a position of need. Furthermore, with Vincent Trocheck and Braden Schneider still not being traded, there is a chance that they could be receiving more draft compensation this year if they elect to move either of those players.