NY Rangers Over the Moon With Ben Macbeath Draft Selection

The New York Rangers' Director of Amateur Scouting has revealed what went into their selection of defenseman Ben MacBeath.

Jun 26, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; The logo for the NHL draft during the first round at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Rangers selected Calgary Hitmen defenseman Ben MacBeath at No. 64 overall back in the recent 2026 NHL Draft.

Entering the draft, MacBeath was known as more of a hidden gem; he was ranked No. 22 among North American Skaters by NHL Central Scouting after scoring seven goals while posting 51 points in 67 games in the Western Hockey League with Calgary, which was his first WHL season. Though he's not an undiscovered talent — having led the Hitmen this most recent season with 44 points.

Standing at 6'2" and weighing 187 pounds, the left-handed blueliner brings some much-needed depth to the Rangers prospect pool of defenseman.

He's also known for prioritizing his skating techniques while balancing puck control, in addition to maintaining his ability to be a scoring threat on the ice.

Director of Amateur Scouting Reveals Rangers' Excitement Over Ben MacBeath

Mar 16, 2025; New York, New York, USA; A New York Rangers flag is seen in the crown during the first period against the Edmonton Oilers at Madison Square Garden. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Rangers' Director of Amateur Scouting John Lilley said the Rangers were very excited to select MacBeath to join the Blueshirts, and were a bit surprised he was still available for them on the board.

“We were very excited to get him at 64,” Lilley said per a recent interview with The Athletic. “I know it’s a little bit of a cliche to say we didn’t think he’d be there, but we were a little surprised he was there. He had a really good season.”

Following the first day of the draft, the Rangers would go on to prioritize some hidden gems in adding eight more prospects — Tomáš Chrenko, Spencer Bowes, Darian Anderson, Danai Shaiikov, MacBeath, Charlie Morrison, Andre Mondoux and Ivan Patrikhayev.

Lilley would also go on to say that patience was key to how they approached this year's draft as a whole.

“We waited patiently because we felt we had a good list,” Lilley said. “The way teams were going, they were going kind of off the players that we valued.”

Welcoming Ben MacBeath to the #NYR family! pic.twitter.com/zLbETMJtWe

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) June 27, 2026

Before he focuses on his future with the NHL and the New York organization, MacBeath will attend the University of Denver and play for the defending NCAA champions under Head Coach David Carle.

MacBeath has said that he sees playing for Denver as a big opportunity for him to get better before eventually going pro.

“I admire their winning culture, and it’s something I want to be a part of,” MacBeath also said to The Athletic regarding his choice to go to the University of Denver. “To have that competition, obviously, you’ve got some really elite guys going in. I’m excited to compete against them and learn from them. So I think it’s been a really good environment. Obviously, it’s a pretty high-end coaching staff, so I’m really excited to learn from them. I couldn’t be more excited to go.”

One thing is for sure: MacBeath will certainly take his opportunity with the Rangers when his time does come following the 2026 Draft.