Why NY Rangers Should Be Optimistic About Prospect Pool

The New York Rangers have reason to be optimistic about their prospect pool heading into the new season.

Jun 26, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; NHL prospect Alberts Smits before the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Rangers are getting set for the start of training camp right around the corner, and the team will be hoping that this coming campaign is better than the last. 

Following a really poor 2025-26 season, the Rangers are a team that worked hard this summer to get better. New York entered the offseason with a nice mix of draft capital and cap space, which fit into their plans of improving. 

The Rangers seemingly saw their title window close a couple of years ago, and they have been trying to get a bit younger. With some poor drafting and development of young talent, it left the franchise in the state that it has been in, and that is without the needed young talent. 

However, even though things haven’t been great in the prospect pool for the team, there is reason to be optimistic going forward. Chris Drury and the front office have put a focus on improving in this area, and the Rangers have made some nice strides. 

Rangers Should Be Optimistic About Prospect Pool

Jun 28, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Liam Greentree is selected by the Los Angeles Kings with the 26th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft at The Sphere. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports / USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Even though this is an area that the team has struggled with in recent years, things are looking up for New York. While the Rangers were aggressive in their pursuit of adding talent this summer, they also kept an eye toward the future. 

With the fifth overall pick, New York selected defenseman Alberts Smits. The big blueliner is a player who potentially might be ready to help the Rangers right away, and if he’s not in the Opening Night lineup, it won't take long for him to make an impact. 

Furthermore, the team also used a majority of their draft picks on other blueline players to help really strengthen the prospect pool on defense. 

Up front, the duo of Liam Greentree and Cole Beaudoin are going to be key for the Rangers long-term. Greentree was the top prize in the Artemi Panarin trade, and Beaudoin came over as part of the package that sent Vincent Trocheck to the Utah Mammoth. 

While Beaudoin likely won’t be in the NHL this coming season, Greentree and Smits could be in the mix. New York hasn’t done the best job of developing young talent in recent years, which makes this new crop of prospects coming up important. 

Hopefully, this will be the next new core of the Rangers, and some of the other young, more established talent in the NHL will continue to get better as well.