Blockbuster Trade Condition Forces Rangers Into High-Stakes Draft Decision

While many expected the New York Rangers to be a Stanley Cup contender in 2025, they couldn't even reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and now, they've got some huge decisions to make this summer.

Already, the team have named a new Head Coach in former Penguins bench boss Mike Sullivan, and now, they've got another huge decision to make involving their Metropolitan Division rivals.

After sending a first-round pick to Vancouver in the J.T. Miller deal, that pick was re-routed to Pittsburgh in exchange for Marcus Pettersson and Drew O'Connor, with the Rangers given the option to give the Penguins either their 2025 or 2026 first-round draft pick.

Now, that decision becomes even tougher, with the draft lottery now behind us, revealing that the Rangers have the No. 12 overall pick, and now they'll have to choose whether or not to give up a fairly good pick or risk losing a higher pick next year.

While the Rangers brought in young names like Brennan Othmann and Gabe Perreault late in the 2024/25 campaign, this is still a team that needs to get younger, so it would make sense for them to hold onto this pick, especially if they believe the 2026 one will be much later in the draft.

That comes with risk however, so this will be a very interesting decision to keep an eye on from New York, with the team needing to reveal their decision 48 hours or more before the 2025 NHL Draft.