The 2022 draft seems like a bit of a retrofit to the Rangers team, who essentially finished the rebuilding with the longest playoffs in seven years.
Rangers off-season to-do listRangers off-season to-do list to take care of, fill holes in the lineup, and make decisions regarding personnelAre not focused stocking their already somewhat full outlook cabinets. Unfortunately, the Rangers have only four picks in this year's draft set on Thursday and Friday in Montreal.
"We still want to keep moving forward," President and General Manager Chris Drury said in an end-of-season conference call with reporters when asked about club priorities. .. "Keep finding good players in every position. We're currently doing a lot of research and looking back, it's still pretty fresh. We're as good as we can to get better and get back into the playoffs. I'm going to do that. "
Since the famous reconstruction letter was sent in February 2018, the Rangers have drafted 17 and 35 players in the first three rounds. There are seven first round picks: Vitaly Kravtsov, Candre Miller, Nils Lundkvist, Kaapo Kakko, Alexis Raflenière, Braden Schneider and Brennan Ottoman. Four of those players are already considered regulars in the lineup.
Rangers are the first in 2022 due to conditions Lost Round Picks About Andrew Copp's deal, which Drury acquired from Jets in exchange for three draft topics and prospect Morgan Barron at this year's trading deadline. It was relatively expensive to rent, but it's worth it given the impact of the cup on the team's playoff run. Winnipeg also sent the Rangers a pick for the sixth round of 2023.
The three draft topics were the choice of two conditional second rounds and the fifth round of 2023. The second round pick of 2022 sent to Winnipeg was the first (No. 30) since reaching the finals of the conference and Copp playing at least half of the playoff game.
In another conditional second round pick, Jets had the option to choose Bruce's original 2022 pick or Rangers in 2023. Winnipeg has finally decided on the second round of the year (No. 55). The Rangers were acquired from St. Louis as part of the Pavel Buchnevich deal. This also brought about the re-signed Samuel Bryce.
The Rangers' best pick this year is number 63 in the second round, so the organization won't participate until the second day of the draft unless a trade occurs. Given that the club has now moved into winning mode, it seems unlikely that there will be a deal with the first rounder.
No. 63 is the only pick the Rangers have in the first three rounds. They will also draft at number 111 in the fourth round. Originally chosen by Jets, it traveled to New York via the Golden Knights as part of Brett Howden's deal. The Rangers also chose 159 in the 5th round and 191 in the 6th round.
Rangers have at least 8 to 10 picks in each of the last four entry drafts. The fact that there are only four people this year shows that their priority is now shifting here rather than developing young talent. Drury may have four options available as a trading sweetener for assets that may help Rangers perform another playoff.
Drury was announced at the NHL Awards Ceremony on June 21st as the finalist of Jim Gregory's General Manager of the Year Award, along with Julian Brizboa of Lightning and Joe Sakick of Avalanche. Rangers' first year boss Find out if he won the first day of the draft.