Top first-round draft prospects ranked where New York Rangers will pick
The New York Rangers are currently preparing for the 2023 NHL Draft which takes place in Nashville on June 28th through the 29th. They’re set to make their first selection at spot 23 and GM Chris Drury’s brief draft history suggests he will take the best player available over organizational needs.
Here’s the Rangers current selections barring any trades:
- 1st Round – 23rd Overall
- 3rd Round – 91st Overall
- 5th Round – 152nd Overall
- 6th Round – 178th Overall
- 6th Round – 183rd Overall
Top prospects for New York Rangers
Based on TSN’s Bob McKenzie final prospect ranking here are five players close to where the Rangers will be picking.
21. Calum Ritchie (C/RW, 6-2′, 184 lbs)
Projected to be a top-six forward, Ritchie posted 24 goals and 59 points in 59 games for the OHL’s Oshawa Generals. Per multiple scouting reports, it’s his combination of skating and hockeyIQ that makes this Canadian kid a likely first-round pick. If possible, I can see the Rangers trading up a few spot in order to draft Ritchie.
22. Daniil But (LW, 6-5′, 203 lbs)
A highly gifted offensive player, he notched 15 goals and 26 points in as many games for MHL’s Yaroslavl (Russian juniors). Scouts see his size as a plus, while his vision makes him a standout.
23. Mikhail Gulyayev (D, 5-11′, 172 lbs)
If the Rangers are looking for a potential top-four left defenseman, Gulyayev may be worth some consideration. After scoring 25 points in 22 contests for Omsk in the MHL, he’s considered a surefire first-rounder by many scouts. A complete two-way defenseman that sees the game better than his opponents.
24. Eduard Sale (F, 6-2′, 175 lbs)
This Czechia native may be a future compliment to fellow countryman Filip Chytil’s shooting style. The scouting report states he’s an excellent passer, but has a good enough shot to respect. He registered, 2 goals and 4 assists in 6 games for his homeland in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
25. Quentin Musty (F, 6-1′, 200 lbs)
There’s a lot this kid from Hamburg, New York does well on the ice. This past season, he notched 26 goals and 78 points in 53 games for the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves. He also played for Team USA in the Hnlika Gretzky Cup registering 5 points (1 goal, 4 assists) in 4 matches.
Chris Drury Draft Picks with Rangers
This will be president and general manager Chris Drury’s third draft at the helm of the Rangers. Let’s take a quick look at his previous two.
| PLAYER (2021 DRAFT) | POS | RD | PICK | STATUS |
| Brennan Othmann (OHL) | F | 1 | 16 | ELC |
| Jayden Grubbe (WHL) | C | 3 | 65 | Traded |
| Ryder Korczak (WHL) | C | 3 | 75 | ELC |
| Brody Lamb (USHL) | F | 4 | 104 | Unsigned |
| Kalle Vaisanen (FIN) | F | 4 | 106 | Unsigned |
| Talyn Boyko (WHL) | G | 4 | 112 | ELC |
| Jaroslav Chmelar (FIN) | R | 5 | 144 | Unsigned |
| Hank Kempf (USHL) | D | 7 | 208 | Unsigned |
The 2021 Draft saw the Rangers make a total of 8 selections, with 6 of them from North America. Of those picks, 3 of them have been signed to their entry-level contracts and 1 traded this offseason.
| PLAYER (2022 DRAFT) | POS | RD | PICK | STATUS |
| Adam Sykora (SVK) | F | 2 | 63 | ELC |
| Bryce McConnell-Barker (OHL) | C | 3 | 97 | ELC |
| Noah Laba (USHL) | F | 4 | 111 | Unsigned |
| Vittorio Mancini (NCAA) | D | 5 | 159 | Unsigned |
| Maxim Barbashev (QMJHL) | F | 5 | 161 | Unsigned |
| Zakary Karpa (NCAA) | C | 6 | 191 | Unsigned |
In 2022, the Rangers only had 6 picks with no first-round selection after acquiring Andrew Copp at the NHL Trade Deadline. Of those choices, 4 were born in North America. Furthermore, 2 have already been signed to their entry-level contracts.
Notes: In addition to TSN’s rankings, Elite Prospects was also used for reference.
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