NY Rangers Were Smart To Pivot Away From Mason McTavish Trade Talks

Backing away from trade negotiations with the Anaheim Ducks was a smart move by the New York Rangers.

May 10, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish (23) during the second period against the Vegas Golden Knights in game four of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. / Corinne Votaw-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers were very active during the 2026 NHL Draft, making multiple trades throughout the event.

All in all, the team ended up completing three trades. However, there were plenty of other deals that the Rangers were looking to complete that didn’t get to the finish line. They were reportedly in on several players who got moved, but the one they were connected to the most was Mason McTavish.

The No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, he was made available by the Anaheim Ducks. It was reported that only the St. Louis Blues were competing with New York to get a deal done, and both of them had very different offers.

The Rangers reportedly had a player-centric offer on the table, while the Blues built their package around draft picks. Ultimately, it seems New York pivoted elsewhere, with St. Louis eventually landing him for the Nos. 15 and 29 picks in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Rangers were smart to move off Mason McTavish

Apr 24, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish (23) looks on during the second period against the Edmonton Oilers in game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

It was a smart move by the Rangers to pull away from those trade talks. McTavish certainly would have helped address their need for help in the middle, and at 23 years old, he has some upside to unlock.

However, the asking price was starting to get a little steep. If they had to attach the No. 26 pick to a player, such as Braden Schneider, for example, the reaction from the fan base toward team president and general manager Chris Drury would have been negative.

Parting with two first-round picks for a project player such as McTavish isn’t something New York was in a position to do. However, they did pivot to a much better deal, which did require them to part with two first-round picks. But, most importantly, they still held onto No. 5 in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Easily the biggest deal the team completed was a blockbuster with the Vegas Golden Knights, which netted them high-scoring forward Pavel Dorofeyev to address their glaring need for a top-six player.

Rangers made right move prioritizing Pavel Dorofeyev

Jun 4, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Vegas Golden Knights right wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) warms up before a game against the Carolina Hurricanes in game two of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center. / James Guillory-Imagn Images

Turning only 26 years old with back-to-back 35+ goal seasons under his belt already, the Rangers acquired him for the Nos. 26 and 92 picks in the 2026 NHL Draft and a conditional 2028 first-round pick that is top-10 protected.

That is a much better use of the team’s assets, bringing in an established talent who can raise both the team’s floor and ceiling. Dorofeyev also got the job done in the postseason, scoring 12 goals with four assists in 22 games.

New York ended up completing two more trades on the second day of the draft as well. They made a deal with the Nashville Predators to move Adam Edstrom. In return, they got Massimo Rizzo and the No. 148 pick. The selection was property of theirs for a few minutes before it was traded, along with No. 131, to the Seattle Kraken for the No. 102 pick, which was used on Spencer Bowes.