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The New York Rangers had a brutal 2024-25 season, on and off the ice. The Blueshirts were rife with drama in the locker room. Franchise icon Chris Kreider was publicly made available for trade. Captain Jacob Trouba was essentially forced out of town by the team. And forward Kaapo Kakko was traded after criticizing his usage.
Rangers coach Peter Laviolette made shocking comments before the end of the season, as well. Laviolette was fired following the regular season due to the disappointing season. Moreover, New York had a scandal break out after the year had completed. Sexual assault allegations against star winger Artemi Panarin surfaced over the last few weeks.
There has been a lot said about this team over the last few months. However, the team is focusing some of its energy on the upcoming 2025 NHL Draft Lottery. The lottery takes place on May 5th before some of the postseason action begins. New York, along with other teams that missed the playoffs, will learn where their first-round pick will fall.
The Rangers could start building back toward postseason success at the 2025 NHL Draft. And that starts with the lottery. Before this occurs, though, let's take a look at a three-round mock draft for the Rangers.
Round 1, Pick 11: Jackson Smith, LD, Tri-City Americans (WHL)
The Rangers could address a number of areas with a high draft pick in 2025. However, for this Rangers mock draft, the team is going to address their blueline first. And there are a few reasons why.
New York could experience some turnover on the back end. K'Andre Miller is a trade candidate following the 2024-25 campaign. The team has already traded Ryan Lindgren, sending him to the Colorado Avalanche at the trade deadline. Beyond any changes, the team heads into 2025 with Carson Soucy as the top-pairing defender on the left side.
Adding a premium defensive prospect makes sense. Jackson Smith is the best left-shot defender not named Matthew Schaefer in this class. The Americans star combines his excellent puck-moving ability with his impressive size. He is a poised player in tough situations, and he can contribute at both ends of the ice. Smith could end up as a top-pairing defenseman in the right situation.
Round 2, Pick 43: Nathan Behm, LW, Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
The Rangers need to take some swings on promising talent in the 2025 NHL Draft. New York is looking to find some talent with upside given the selections they have. In the second round, there is one player that could get overlooked by other teams.
Nathan Behm is a polarizing player. On some nights, the Blazers star outpaces his peers by an impressive margin. He flashes game-breaking ability while making a significant impact for his squad. However, there are nights where this game-breaking ability is nowhere to be seen. His inconsistency could see him fall down draft boards.
However, there is something intriguing about how Behm approaches the game. If he can string together dominant performances, there is a chance he plays a significant role in the NHL. The upside is there, but he needs a team that is willing to cultivate his skill set and put him in positions to succeed.
Round 3, Pick 70 (via SEA): David Lewandowski, C, Düsseldorfer EG (DEL)
This Rangers mock draft ends with another forward prospect. David Lewandowski is an intriguing player coming out of the German pro league. He is a prototypical power forward, playing an incredible physical game while generating scoring chances for his teammates.
His game is a bit different from other power forwards. Lewandowski does not possess the best shot in the world. This must be improved if he wants to play a significant role in the NHL. Still, he could easily carve out a role on the middle-six if his playmaking translates as it seems it could.
