Sharks Taking Defenseman in NHL Draft Could Help NY Rangers

If the San Jose Sharks take a defenseman in the NHL Draft, it could help the New York Rangers.

Mar 14, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; View of a San Jose Sharks logo on a jersey worn by a member of the team during the third period at Bell Centre. / David Kirouac-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers are getting set for the offseason, and they will be focusing on the upcoming NHL Draft. 

Following some bad picks over the last 10 years in the lottery, the Rangers are going to be on the clock this year with the fifth pick. New York was hoping to be higher, but they had some bad luck with both the San Jose Sharks and Toronto Maple Leafs jumping ahead of them. 

Due to there being four teams ahead of New York, there is a lot of speculation about how the NHL Draft could shake out. While it seems highly likely that Gavin McKenna will be the first overall pick, there are some question marks about what will happen next. 

The Sharks are the real wild card in the process at two, and what they do will send a ripple effect through the Top 10. Furthermore, that will have a major impact on the Rangers drafting fifth. 

Corey Pronman of The Athletic (subscription required) recently polled some NHL scouts and executives about what the Top 10 of the NHL Draft would look like. For the Rangers, it appears that it will be highly likely that defenseman Chase Reid will not be available for them when they are on the clock. 

Reid To Sharks Seems Likely

Nov 16, 2025; New York, New York, USA; General view of a flag being waved by New York Rangers staff during the second period against the Detroit Red Wings at Madison Square Garden. / John Jones-Imagn Images

San Jose got very lucky with a massive jump up to the second overall pick, and as a young team that was close to making the playoffs last year. With a young core that is developing and getting better, they will be looking to add another young impact player. 

With a lot of talent at forward already, the Sharks going with a defenseman here makes sense, and Reid is being considered the best player at the position. For the Rangers, what the Sharks do will have a major impact on them. If they do elect to go with a defenseman like Reid, it helps increase the chances of them potentially landing either Ivar Stenberg or Caleb Malhotra. 

While New York does need some help on the blue line and a player like Reid would be a good addition, their priority has to be to improve at forward. While it is still no guarantee that a player like Malhotra or Stenberg would be available for the Rangers at five, the Sharks going with Reid would help make it more of a possibility. Furthermore, if New York really loves one of the players, a trade-up could also be in the works.