NY Rangers Fans NHL Playoff Rooting Guide for Best Draft Pick

The NHL playoffs will have major implications on where the second first-round pick the New York Rangers own will land.

Jan 2, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Rangers fans cheer after the 2026 Winter Classic ice hockey game against the Florida Panthers at loanDepot Park. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

New York Rangers fans don’t have the pleasure of watching their favorite team participate in the NHL playoffs for the second consecutive year. 

However, they should still be tuned in and following because how things turn out in the postseason will have an impact on where the Rangers select in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft.

New York is already locked into a top-five selection after finishing in last place in the Eastern Conference with 77 points. They have the third-best odds to win the NHL draft lottery and land the first overall pick.

However, their second selection in the first round, which originally belonged to the Dallas Stars but was sent to the Rangers from the Carolina Hurricanes in the K’Andre Miller trade, does not yet have a landing spot.

Rangers fans have clear rooting interests in NHL playoffs

Jan 7, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty during the second period against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Wells Fargo Center. / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The range for that selection to fall, as shared by Vincent Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic on X, is Nos. 23-27. How the second round of the 2026 NHL Playoffs turns out will determine where that pick lands, and New York fans should be cheering on certain clubs to improve their positioning.

Rangers fans should be cheering against all of the divisional winners: the Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights, Hurricanes and Buffalo Sabres. The more of those teams that lose, the higher New York’s second selection will be.

That means the Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, Anaheim Ducks and Philadelphia Flyers should all have support of Rangers fans through the second round of the playoffs. Pulling for rivals such as the Candiens and Flyers is tough to do, but it is for the long-term betterment of the franchise.

Unfortunately, things haven’t gotten off to the best of starts in the second round. The Wild are down 1-0 after a crazy Game 1 loss by the score of 9-6. They are heading into Game 2, which will be played on May 5. 

FYI- This has nothing to do with tonight's NHL Draft Lottery, but the #NYR's second first-round pick -- which originally belonged to Dallas but came over from Carolina in the K'Andre Miller trade -- will land somewhere in the Nos. 23-27 range. It will depend on the results of the…

— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) May 5, 2026

The Ducks are also down 1-0 in their series with the Golden Knights after losing 3-1 and will play Game 2 in Vegas on May 6. Philadelphia is already in a 2-0 hole against Carolina. 

They excruciatingly lost Game 2, 3-2 in overtime. The Flyers return home looking for their first victory in Game 3 on May 7. 

Montreal will start its series with the Sabres on May 6 after eliminating the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round with a 2-1 victory in Game 7 on the road.

While things aren’t off to a great start in favor of the Rangers, there is plenty of time left for these teams to get back on track.