- Jun 12, 2025
- 25
- 15
Hey folks! For my first post, I decided to put together a list of the “best fits” for various teams, starting with my Rangers. This list is going to be based primarily on play style, potential, and team need, with a focus on players who will reasonably be available where they are picking.
New York Rangers
For the purposes of this exercise, I will assume they keep the 12th overall pick (like I’m hoping they do).
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Round One
Roger McQueen
While he will likely go before pick 12, there is a not insignificant chance, in my opinion, at least, that he drops on account of the injury he sustained. If he does drop, he’s basically Drury’s ideal guy. Big NA power forwards are his bread and butter, and I think with where the Rangers are as a team, they would be willing to take the risk of picking him for a shot at the upside of a premier top 6 center who is near NHL ready and has an outside shot of becoming an elite 1C built for playoff hockey. If he’s available at 12, don’t count on that draft clock ticking down too far.
Mason West
While up until recently, West has been lingering in the late second round on account of his unique two-sport profile, he confirmed at the Combine that he intends to pursue hockey professionally. If there are no red flags to hold up against that statement, which I have certainly not seen, I would very much imagine he jumps as high as the twenties-late teens on most boards, and even higher on mine. While him being a high school player certainly throws up some risk, his raw tools are simply unmatched in the draft in my opinion, and he fits the same profile as McQueen in terms of play style. Drury himself was a high school draftee (albeit in an age where such a thing was far more common), so don’t be shocked to see West in a Rangers sweater come draft day.
Kashawn Aitcheson
For the last of my first round Best Fits, I’d like to nominate a defenseman. While I’d personally much rather see the Rangers pick up a high ceiling center, Aitcheson is an incredible talent, and I’d hardly be upset coming away with him. Like the other two before him, he’s a big guy, something Drury clearly loves. He profiles very similarly to Jacob Trouba, who, for as poorly as his tenure ended here, was rightly beloved by the team and fans for his hard-nose play. Aitcheson also, in my eyes, seems to have a higher defensive ceiling than Trouba, which was always his biggest issue with us, so I believe he would be a great pickup at 12 if a high level center isn’t available.
Round Two
Haoxi Wang
Wang is as unique a prospect as you can find. Originally from Beijing, he brings a physical game and raw tools that you’d be hard pressed to match in this draft. While he is among the most unrefined of this year’s prospects, the possibilities he brings to the table are remarkable for a projected second round pick. He fills an area of need for the Rangers on the left side, and I think theres a solid chance that he ends up in New York.
Vaclav Nestrasil
While Nestrasil doesn’t have the ceiling of those above him, his hard nosed, high energy playstyle would make him right at home on the Rangers bottom six in a couple years beside the likes of Rempe and Edstrom. If those three end up on a line together, I feel bad for whoever has to face off against them.
Bill Zonnon
Quite similar to Nestrasil, albeit with less size but better tools, Zonnon would be equally at home in the Rangers bottom six. I also think he has a bit more upside than some others do, but nothing game breaking. Still, he would be an excellent complimentary piece for a Rangers team that loves high work ethic guys anywhere in the lineup.
Drew Schock
I’ve stuck to bigger guys thus far, so Schock is quite a departure. Still, he has the tools to make him an attractive option for Drury. He brings borderline elite legs and good if unspectacular vision, and isn’t the smallest guy in the world, even if he’s technically undersized by most definitions. He could make an ideal partner for Schneider or Emery in a couple years, so he profiles as the sort of guy the Rangers will at least consider with their second rounder.
Third Round
Pyotr Andreyanov
One of the more interesting goalies in this year’s draft, Andreyanov has enough skill to rival anybody, but is projected by most as a late third rounder at best due to being only six feet tall. As an undersized goalie myself (five foot ten), I of course think the trend of size over all is nonsense, but us little guys just have to deal with that, I suppose. Andreyanov has all the tools to make it, it just remains to be seen if he gets the opportunities, and I think the Rangers, with Allaire’s magic, ought to give him those opportunities.
John Mooney
At five foot seven, Mooney has the weight of the world against him making the NHL. Still, he has enough talent, particularly in his legs, that I think he has a shot at getting there. With two thirds now thanks to the Kreider trade, the Rangers can afford to take a gamble on his potential.
Filip Ekberg
Another gamble, Ekberg struggled in NA this year, but ended the year with a remarkable stretch of play that could lead to him shooting up the draft board if a team likes him enough. Still, if he’s available in the third, I think he profiles as a player the Rangers would be willing to take a risk on.
Jacob Rombach
Back to the big boys. Rombach, at nearly six foot seven, is certainly one of those. His tools don’t blow me away in any way, but he’s absolutely the type of guy that Drury would salivate over. I certainly wouldn’t want to be between him and the puck, for what that’s worth.
Fourth Round and Beyond
Petteri Rimpinen
Take what I said for Andreyanov and apply it here. Rimpinen is perhaps slightly more notable on account of his remarkable play at the World Juniors. Don’t be surprised if he jumps up on draft day on account of that.
Gabriel D’Aigle
One of the more polarizing players in the draft, you had people talking about him as a clear cut first rounder a couple years back, but his development has stalled since then. Still, with Allaire coaching him, who knows what could happen?
Louis-Antoine Denault
A six foot eight goalie. What else needs to be said? He’s almost guaranteed to be drafted based on size alone, and the Rangers have had a trend of taking a massive goalie late in the past few drafts.
Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen
The son of Manon Rheaume, the only woman to ever suit up in an NHL game and an absolute legend of women’s hockey (and childhood idol of mine), Dakoda is a smart defenseman who sticks to his man like glue. He’s not great with the puck, though, which has caused his stock to suffer given his unremarkable size. Still, he’s the type of smart player that Drury likes, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him as a rock solid bottom pair dman in a couple years.
Luka Radivojevic
He reminds me a lot of Adam Fox. That alone should cause him to be given a bit more credit by the Rangers than other teams, and I think he could easily fall to them in the fourth round at 111.
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Buffalo Sabres
Team 2! For my second post, I decided to do a team I’m quite familiar with: the Buffalo Sabres! Same criteria as the first one, so let’s just get right into it!
Round 1
Radim Mrtka
The Sabres have things fairly set up front (outside of needing a true 1C), even if they’re still looking to improve there (hopefully within via younger players developing). However, a key area of concern is on the right side defensively. The two 1st overall defensemen they’ve been blessed with are unfortunately both left handed, so barring swapping one of Dahlin or Power to the right side (something they’ve experimented with a bit), they need a top flight right handed dman. That makes Mrtka, the top ranked RD in this draft, almost a no-brainer. He will likely be available at 9 on account of his recent drop in favor (something I think is mostly smoke as opposed to actual issues being exposed), and he fits their needs almost perfectly. He may never be a true “2D”, but pair him with one of Dahlin or Power and he will be an excellent fit on the top pair of a cup contending team a few years down the road.
Jake O’Brien
While certainly a bit less likely to be there at 9 than Mrtka, O’Brian is the possible 1C of the future that the Sabres are looking for. He’s no Jack Eichel, but O’Brien projects as a near-sure top 6 center, and you’ll surely take that at 9th overall. His shot needs some work, and he isn’t the fastest skater, but he has one of the best minds in the draft, and his play with the puck is exquisite. If he’s there, they ought to give him a long look.
Roger McQueen
McQueen’s injury concerns are notable, and that might be a turnoff for a team like the Sabres who ought to be at least a little risk averse in the first round with their recent history. Still, he’s arguably the third best center in the draft, and that ought to get him some long looks from Sabres HQ. Refer to my description of him in the Rangers section for some more details!
Round 2
Cullen Potter
He’s likely gone before 39, but smaller players dropping is hardly unheard of. If he’s there, and you’re the Sabres, I say you take him and run. Potter is an electric talent, who brings energy, speed, and slick hands to rival anyone you can imagine. I’m also less pessimistic about his chances to make it at center than some others are, but it is notable that most project him as more of a winger in the NHL.
Jack Ivankovic
This choice depends a lot on what you think of Luukkonen. Personally, I’m not confident of his chances at being a starting goalie on a contending team, and Ivankovic projects as just that. He’s small, but he has incredible athleticism. He’s no Hasek, but thats not exactly a knock on him. If he gets a shot, I think he could surprise the small-guy naysayers.
Cameron Schmidt
One of the smallest players in the draft, I think a team like the Sabres would be a great fit for Schmidt. His tools are no-doubt elite, and if he was three or four inches taller, he’d be in the low teens at least. In Buffalo, theres less pressure for him to play right away, giving him time to develop and maybe even grow a bit. Three or four years from now, he could make a legendary late season addition to a playoff run.
Third Round
Luka Radivojevic
Another RD, Radicojevic projects as a third pairing PP QB, which is something the Sabres could certainly use. Refer to my section on him for the Rangers for more info!
Caeden Herrington
Herrington is a frustrating player. He has amazing offensive tools, but is so poor defensively that he almost becomes a net liability on the ice. Still, he’s young, and the Sabres have shown themselves capable of developing defensemen, so I think he’s got the potential to become a steal with them if his defensive plays improves to even slightly below NHL average.
Theodor Hallquisth
A hard-nosed no-nonsense defenseman, Hallquisth has shown some offensive capabilities as of late that could lead to him being gone by the time the Sabres pick. Still, if he’s there, I think he is one of the better options they would have with their third round pick.
Fourth Round and Beyond
Viktor Klingsell
Another undersized winger, Klingsell is quite similar to Schmidt, albeit not as talented. Still, I could see him as an excellent third line PP specialist in the NHL, and he has an absolute laser of a shot, which is always attractive to teams.
Lasse Boelius
Boelius is a LD, which might make some Sabres fans upset, but he plays a strong defensive game, and that is something you can never really have enough of. He projects as a solid third pairing dman, and you can’t be mad about that in the fourth round.
William Bundgaard
Bundgaard is your prototypical bottom 6 forward that teams overpay for at the deadline. He defends well, carries the puck out of the zone, and dumps and chases. You can never complain about that, especially if you get it without paying a massive markup in February.
Tommy Lafreniere
(No relation to Alexis) Lafreniere is a hard working forward who has some offensive kick to his game, the type of guy who becomes a beloved player even if he never tops 40 points in a year, and the type of guy who scores a clutch game seven overtime goal. He may go in the third round or even earlier, but if he’s there late, he’s certainly worth taking.
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And there we have it! I hope you enjoyed this, and feel free to drop any opinions, critiques, or anything in the comments! If you’d like to see me do my next installment on a particular team, just let me know and I’ll see what I can do! I love this sort of thing and would be more than willing to do the research. Thanks for your time!
New York Rangers
For the purposes of this exercise, I will assume they keep the 12th overall pick (like I’m hoping they do).
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Round One
Roger McQueen
While he will likely go before pick 12, there is a not insignificant chance, in my opinion, at least, that he drops on account of the injury he sustained. If he does drop, he’s basically Drury’s ideal guy. Big NA power forwards are his bread and butter, and I think with where the Rangers are as a team, they would be willing to take the risk of picking him for a shot at the upside of a premier top 6 center who is near NHL ready and has an outside shot of becoming an elite 1C built for playoff hockey. If he’s available at 12, don’t count on that draft clock ticking down too far.
Mason West
While up until recently, West has been lingering in the late second round on account of his unique two-sport profile, he confirmed at the Combine that he intends to pursue hockey professionally. If there are no red flags to hold up against that statement, which I have certainly not seen, I would very much imagine he jumps as high as the twenties-late teens on most boards, and even higher on mine. While him being a high school player certainly throws up some risk, his raw tools are simply unmatched in the draft in my opinion, and he fits the same profile as McQueen in terms of play style. Drury himself was a high school draftee (albeit in an age where such a thing was far more common), so don’t be shocked to see West in a Rangers sweater come draft day.
Kashawn Aitcheson
For the last of my first round Best Fits, I’d like to nominate a defenseman. While I’d personally much rather see the Rangers pick up a high ceiling center, Aitcheson is an incredible talent, and I’d hardly be upset coming away with him. Like the other two before him, he’s a big guy, something Drury clearly loves. He profiles very similarly to Jacob Trouba, who, for as poorly as his tenure ended here, was rightly beloved by the team and fans for his hard-nose play. Aitcheson also, in my eyes, seems to have a higher defensive ceiling than Trouba, which was always his biggest issue with us, so I believe he would be a great pickup at 12 if a high level center isn’t available.
Round Two
Haoxi Wang
Wang is as unique a prospect as you can find. Originally from Beijing, he brings a physical game and raw tools that you’d be hard pressed to match in this draft. While he is among the most unrefined of this year’s prospects, the possibilities he brings to the table are remarkable for a projected second round pick. He fills an area of need for the Rangers on the left side, and I think theres a solid chance that he ends up in New York.
Vaclav Nestrasil
While Nestrasil doesn’t have the ceiling of those above him, his hard nosed, high energy playstyle would make him right at home on the Rangers bottom six in a couple years beside the likes of Rempe and Edstrom. If those three end up on a line together, I feel bad for whoever has to face off against them.
Bill Zonnon
Quite similar to Nestrasil, albeit with less size but better tools, Zonnon would be equally at home in the Rangers bottom six. I also think he has a bit more upside than some others do, but nothing game breaking. Still, he would be an excellent complimentary piece for a Rangers team that loves high work ethic guys anywhere in the lineup.
Drew Schock
I’ve stuck to bigger guys thus far, so Schock is quite a departure. Still, he has the tools to make him an attractive option for Drury. He brings borderline elite legs and good if unspectacular vision, and isn’t the smallest guy in the world, even if he’s technically undersized by most definitions. He could make an ideal partner for Schneider or Emery in a couple years, so he profiles as the sort of guy the Rangers will at least consider with their second rounder.
Third Round
Pyotr Andreyanov
One of the more interesting goalies in this year’s draft, Andreyanov has enough skill to rival anybody, but is projected by most as a late third rounder at best due to being only six feet tall. As an undersized goalie myself (five foot ten), I of course think the trend of size over all is nonsense, but us little guys just have to deal with that, I suppose. Andreyanov has all the tools to make it, it just remains to be seen if he gets the opportunities, and I think the Rangers, with Allaire’s magic, ought to give him those opportunities.
John Mooney
At five foot seven, Mooney has the weight of the world against him making the NHL. Still, he has enough talent, particularly in his legs, that I think he has a shot at getting there. With two thirds now thanks to the Kreider trade, the Rangers can afford to take a gamble on his potential.
Filip Ekberg
Another gamble, Ekberg struggled in NA this year, but ended the year with a remarkable stretch of play that could lead to him shooting up the draft board if a team likes him enough. Still, if he’s available in the third, I think he profiles as a player the Rangers would be willing to take a risk on.
Jacob Rombach
Back to the big boys. Rombach, at nearly six foot seven, is certainly one of those. His tools don’t blow me away in any way, but he’s absolutely the type of guy that Drury would salivate over. I certainly wouldn’t want to be between him and the puck, for what that’s worth.
Fourth Round and Beyond
Petteri Rimpinen
Take what I said for Andreyanov and apply it here. Rimpinen is perhaps slightly more notable on account of his remarkable play at the World Juniors. Don’t be surprised if he jumps up on draft day on account of that.
Gabriel D’Aigle
One of the more polarizing players in the draft, you had people talking about him as a clear cut first rounder a couple years back, but his development has stalled since then. Still, with Allaire coaching him, who knows what could happen?
Louis-Antoine Denault
A six foot eight goalie. What else needs to be said? He’s almost guaranteed to be drafted based on size alone, and the Rangers have had a trend of taking a massive goalie late in the past few drafts.
Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen
The son of Manon Rheaume, the only woman to ever suit up in an NHL game and an absolute legend of women’s hockey (and childhood idol of mine), Dakoda is a smart defenseman who sticks to his man like glue. He’s not great with the puck, though, which has caused his stock to suffer given his unremarkable size. Still, he’s the type of smart player that Drury likes, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him as a rock solid bottom pair dman in a couple years.
Luka Radivojevic
He reminds me a lot of Adam Fox. That alone should cause him to be given a bit more credit by the Rangers than other teams, and I think he could easily fall to them in the fourth round at 111.
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Buffalo Sabres
Team 2! For my second post, I decided to do a team I’m quite familiar with: the Buffalo Sabres! Same criteria as the first one, so let’s just get right into it!
Round 1
Radim Mrtka
The Sabres have things fairly set up front (outside of needing a true 1C), even if they’re still looking to improve there (hopefully within via younger players developing). However, a key area of concern is on the right side defensively. The two 1st overall defensemen they’ve been blessed with are unfortunately both left handed, so barring swapping one of Dahlin or Power to the right side (something they’ve experimented with a bit), they need a top flight right handed dman. That makes Mrtka, the top ranked RD in this draft, almost a no-brainer. He will likely be available at 9 on account of his recent drop in favor (something I think is mostly smoke as opposed to actual issues being exposed), and he fits their needs almost perfectly. He may never be a true “2D”, but pair him with one of Dahlin or Power and he will be an excellent fit on the top pair of a cup contending team a few years down the road.
Jake O’Brien
While certainly a bit less likely to be there at 9 than Mrtka, O’Brian is the possible 1C of the future that the Sabres are looking for. He’s no Jack Eichel, but O’Brien projects as a near-sure top 6 center, and you’ll surely take that at 9th overall. His shot needs some work, and he isn’t the fastest skater, but he has one of the best minds in the draft, and his play with the puck is exquisite. If he’s there, they ought to give him a long look.
Roger McQueen
McQueen’s injury concerns are notable, and that might be a turnoff for a team like the Sabres who ought to be at least a little risk averse in the first round with their recent history. Still, he’s arguably the third best center in the draft, and that ought to get him some long looks from Sabres HQ. Refer to my description of him in the Rangers section for some more details!
Round 2
Cullen Potter
He’s likely gone before 39, but smaller players dropping is hardly unheard of. If he’s there, and you’re the Sabres, I say you take him and run. Potter is an electric talent, who brings energy, speed, and slick hands to rival anyone you can imagine. I’m also less pessimistic about his chances to make it at center than some others are, but it is notable that most project him as more of a winger in the NHL.
Jack Ivankovic
This choice depends a lot on what you think of Luukkonen. Personally, I’m not confident of his chances at being a starting goalie on a contending team, and Ivankovic projects as just that. He’s small, but he has incredible athleticism. He’s no Hasek, but thats not exactly a knock on him. If he gets a shot, I think he could surprise the small-guy naysayers.
Cameron Schmidt
One of the smallest players in the draft, I think a team like the Sabres would be a great fit for Schmidt. His tools are no-doubt elite, and if he was three or four inches taller, he’d be in the low teens at least. In Buffalo, theres less pressure for him to play right away, giving him time to develop and maybe even grow a bit. Three or four years from now, he could make a legendary late season addition to a playoff run.
Third Round
Luka Radivojevic
Another RD, Radicojevic projects as a third pairing PP QB, which is something the Sabres could certainly use. Refer to my section on him for the Rangers for more info!
Caeden Herrington
Herrington is a frustrating player. He has amazing offensive tools, but is so poor defensively that he almost becomes a net liability on the ice. Still, he’s young, and the Sabres have shown themselves capable of developing defensemen, so I think he’s got the potential to become a steal with them if his defensive plays improves to even slightly below NHL average.
Theodor Hallquisth
A hard-nosed no-nonsense defenseman, Hallquisth has shown some offensive capabilities as of late that could lead to him being gone by the time the Sabres pick. Still, if he’s there, I think he is one of the better options they would have with their third round pick.
Fourth Round and Beyond
Viktor Klingsell
Another undersized winger, Klingsell is quite similar to Schmidt, albeit not as talented. Still, I could see him as an excellent third line PP specialist in the NHL, and he has an absolute laser of a shot, which is always attractive to teams.
Lasse Boelius
Boelius is a LD, which might make some Sabres fans upset, but he plays a strong defensive game, and that is something you can never really have enough of. He projects as a solid third pairing dman, and you can’t be mad about that in the fourth round.
William Bundgaard
Bundgaard is your prototypical bottom 6 forward that teams overpay for at the deadline. He defends well, carries the puck out of the zone, and dumps and chases. You can never complain about that, especially if you get it without paying a massive markup in February.
Tommy Lafreniere
(No relation to Alexis) Lafreniere is a hard working forward who has some offensive kick to his game, the type of guy who becomes a beloved player even if he never tops 40 points in a year, and the type of guy who scores a clutch game seven overtime goal. He may go in the third round or even earlier, but if he’s there late, he’s certainly worth taking.
—————————————————————
And there we have it! I hope you enjoyed this, and feel free to drop any opinions, critiques, or anything in the comments! If you’d like to see me do my next installment on a particular team, just let me know and I’ll see what I can do! I love this sort of thing and would be more than willing to do the research. Thanks for your time!
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