NY Rangers Will Have Interesting Dilemma With 5th Pick in NHL Draft

The New York Rangers will have a big decision to make with the fifth overall pick in the NHL Draft.

NY 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. / Peter Carr/The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With the NHL Draft starting up on Friday, the New York Rangers will be on the clock with the fifth overall pick. Following some struggles, this selection feels like a very important one for the team. 

It was certainly not a good year for the Rangers in the 2025-26 campaign, and their record resulted in them having a top-five pick in the upcoming NHL Draft. New York has been retooling the past couple of years, trying to get younger, free up cap space, and build toward the future. 

Due to them having two first-round picks, they will have that opportunity this week. Of the two picks, the fifth overall is going to be key for the team. Landing an eventual impact player with this selection is going to be key, and the Rangers would like to start to turn things around soon. While they won’t be able to control who is taken with the first four picks, they are likely to have an interesting choice to make when they are on the clock. 

Rangers Have Interesting Dilemma With 5th Overall Pick 

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

When New York is on the clock, they are going to have no shortage of players to choose from. However, what they prioritize will be interesting. With the first four picks, there is an expectation that the top three forwards will be off the board by the time they are on the clock. 

Gavin McKenna is expected to go first overall, Caleb Malhotra will likely be joining his dad with the Vancouver Canucks, and Ivar Stenberg getting past the Chicago Blackhawks would be a shocker. 

For the Rangers, that will leave them with a few talented defensemen to choose from and one center who could be a dark horse. Due to the team lacking prospects at the center position, they would be wise to consider taking Viggo Bjorck with the fifth pick. Despite him not being the biggest player, he has shown a great ability to be a playmaker and could really help a positional need for the franchise. 

While Bjorck makes sense, New York will also have to consider some of the defensemen. This is a strong class in that area, and multiple prospects could become first-pair players in the NHL. For a team that is desperate for some young talent, going with perhaps one of the defensemen who might be a bit safer also makes sense. 

Overall, it is going to be a tough decision for the franchise to make and one that could have a major impact going forward.