NHL Entry Draft: 2026 NHL Draft pick watch: Rangers with 5th pick after Lottery

[MrAlmost]

Interesting comment by Carels. Trying to stay close to home for the Jets or Flames maybe?

 

[UnSandvich]

“I think my biggest strength in my game is my IQ: the way I see the ice and my decision making,” he said. “Areas to improve on are my first three strides, getting quicker in areas and then just being more consistent with urgency.”

At least Rudolph recognizes that his play can lack urgency at times. If we were picking lower in the top 10, depending who was off the board I'd definitely have him in my top few guys

 

[80shockeywasbuns]

They don't all feel this way. The stuff people have dropped over the last few days (including the links with quotes from actual scouts/ execs) have people on record who have their doubts about this player.

We also know how people value pure upside and we've seen teams take gambles in the past that don't pan out (the more I've watched him, the more I think that his true upside is overrated.)

OTOH, I don't think he's as boom or bust as I did before (he defends too well to be a true bust) but I still have a tough time envisioning him topping out as more than a #4 who needs transition support.

Would you want them to take Smits at 5? Hes the only one I’ve heard nothing bad about and every nerd online loves him. Not really getting much hype though

 

[I Eat Crow]

Would you want them to take Smits at 5? Hes the only one I’ve heard nothing bad about and every nerd online loves him. Not really getting much hype though

He supposedly interviewed poorly at the combine with no elaboration as to why. I'd likely chalk it up to culture shock and misunderstandings with things taken out of context.

My want list is this order, assuming McKenna, Stenberg, Malholtra, Reid are off the board:

1. Carels
2. Bjorck
3. Smits
4. Lawrence
5. Verhoeff

 

[80shockeywasbuns]

He supposedly interviewed poorly at the combine with no elaboration as to why. I'd likely chalk it up to culture shock and misunderstandings with things taken out of context.

My want list is this order, assuming McKenna, Stenberg, Malholtra, Reid are off the board:

1. Carels
2. Bjorck
3. Smits
4. Lawrence
5. Verhoeff

Smits Bjorck and Lawrence I would be very happy with. Some of the things I’ve read about Reid/Carels really scare me at pick 5

 

[GoAwayRempe]

My biggest worry with Verhoeff is that I honestly don't see the backup plan equaling out to a Top 4 guy. The combination of mediocre skating (no I'm not talking about straight line speed, even Matt Rempe skates fast in a straight line), the lack of playmaking manipulation, and the panic I've seen from him in the D Zone is very worrying. If he doesn't fix those, you're looking at a Ben Chiarot, with a ceiling of Jacob Trouba-lite. I think all of the other top D (Reid, Carels, Smits, Gustafsson, and Rudolph) have the skating and puck IQ that they'll end up as Top 4 guys of some level, Rudolph lower on the list if his compete doesn't improve.

Verhoeff's ceiling is Shea Weber-lite, but I don't think he comes anywhere close even in his best career years.

He defends better than Trouba and Chiarot - Those guys bleed shots/chances against.

He's not the most creative mind of all time but I've seen some playmaking out of him. I'd wager that he'll get most of his assists off of his shot, whether that be via a rebound or a deflection. Again, all good.

Getting the puck up ice doesn’t even have to be a massive strength. I just wish I saw more involvement and better success when he did try.

Would you want them to take Smits at 5? Hes the only one I’ve heard nothing bad about and every nerd online loves him. Not really getting much hype though

Id be more than cool with it.

Similar strengths to Verhoeff but he’s got way more burst.

 

[McRanger92]

Carels comment about not liking cities seems calculated. I’m really hoping Reid falls to us. He’s a no brainer

 

[NickyFotiu]

Interviewing the Rangers’ top options at No. 5: What I learned from the NHL Draft Combine

For a team in a self-declared retool such as New York, nailing the chance to infuse its prospect pool with high-end talent is imperative.

www.nytimes.com

Carels: “I’m just a country kid, not too used to big cities,” the 17-year-old said, sporting a belt buckle engraved with a cattle head. “But when you’re in the country, you kind of learn how to fight adversity. I think there would be a lot of things I don’t agree with in a city, but I know I could live there and be a part of there and play hockey every day. That’s kind of the thing that took my mind off that.”

Carels is off my list.

Some of the best athletes of all time were "country" kids including some NY players.

My dads favorite NY Yankee was a country kid called Mickey.

 

[Levitate]

Interviewing the Rangers’ top options at No. 5: What I learned from the NHL Draft Combine

For a team in a self-declared retool such as New York, nailing the chance to infuse its prospect pool with high-end talent is imperative.

www.nytimes.com

Carels: “I’m just a country kid, not too used to big cities,” the 17-year-old said, sporting a belt buckle engraved with a cattle head. “But when you’re in the country, you kind of learn how to fight adversity. I think there would be a lot of things I don’t agree with in a city, but I know I could live there and be a part of there and play hockey every day. That’s kind of the thing that took my mind off that.”

Carels is off my list.

lol f***in "country" people and their dipshit ideas of what city life is like.

He'll figure shit out if he gets drafted by San Jose, Chicago, the Rangers, whatever. It's not like you can't have your home out in the "country" for the offseason, or that there aren't quiet places to live near cities (even if they're not "country")

hockey players from bumf*** canada being drafted by teams in major american (or canadian) cities isn't something new. they'll figure it out

 

[Dark and Drury]

Some of the best athletes of all time were "country" kids including some NY players.

My dads favorite NY Yankee was a country kid called Mickey.

Oh, I absolutely have nothing against country kids. I have a problem with the closemindedness here: "I think there would be a lot of things I don’t agree with in a city"

Edit: and maybe I am being unfair because I live in the city and there a lot of things I don't agree with about living in the city. but... I am just hoping that they aren't things that are dealbreakers and would make him want to move on the from the Rangers the first chance he gets.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Oh, I absolutely have nothing against country kids. I have a problem with the closemindedness here: "I think there would be a lot of things I don’t agree with in a city"

Edit: and maybe I am being unfair because I live in the city and there a lot of things I don't agree with about living in the city. but... I am just hoping that they aren't things that are dealbreakers and would make him want to move on the from the Rangers the first chance he gets.

That is fair and so is your concern. I think many Rangers live outside of the city so maybe he will be fine.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

Carels comment about not liking cities seems calculated. I’m really hoping Reid falls to us. He’s a no brainer

In a sea of bland answers, that stood out to me too.

 

[kovazub94]

Interviewing the Rangers’ top options at No. 5: What I learned from the NHL Draft Combine

For a team in a self-declared retool such as New York, nailing the chance to infuse its prospect pool with high-end talent is imperative.

www.nytimes.com

Carels: “I’m just a country kid, not too used to big cities,” the 17-year-old said, sporting a belt buckle engraved with a cattle head. “But when you’re in the country, you kind of learn how to fight adversity. I think there would be a lot of things I don’t agree with in a city, but I know I could live there and be a part of there and play hockey every day. That’s kind of the thing that took my mind off that.”

Carels is off my list.

This actually makes me want this kid more.

 

[Levitate]

Oh, I absolutely have nothing against country kids. I have a problem with the closemindedness here: "I think there would be a lot of things I don’t agree with in a city"

Edit: and maybe I am being unfair because I live in the city and there a lot of things I don't agree with about living in the city. but... I am just hoping that they aren't things that are dealbreakers and would make him want to move on the from the Rangers the first chance he gets.

The thing with cities is just that there's more people and therefor more people who have different life experiences than you and have been shaped in different ways than you. It's not some monolithic "city people are like this!"
For all the investment banker wall street types in NY I'm sure there are tons of bluecollar "salt of the earth" types scraping by. Or just...regular people. Not rich, doing their best, have different beliefs about different things, but you'll get a mix in a city. And if you don't like the mix you can probably find a place that's close enough to what you enjoy and live there.

I feel like the unsaid thing here is "those f***in' liberals and their far left agenda in big cities that I don't agree with!" but shit tons of pro athletes live in big cities and are notoriously "conservative" (for whatever that means these days) and plenty of hockey players on all teams have come from small towns in rural areas and can relate to a kid being drafted by a big city team and help him out

 

[MrAlmost]

Im not sure exactly what he means, though I have assumptions, but I know Staal grew up and worked on a farm and got drafted to big NYC and did so fine that he works for the rangers post playing career. Though he never basically said straight up I dont want to live in a big city. I would counter that with kid, youre 17. You dont know shit right now.

 

[Overcast]

Interviewing the Rangers’ top options at No. 5: What I learned from the NHL Draft Combine

For a team in a self-declared retool such as New York, nailing the chance to infuse its prospect pool with high-end talent is imperative.

www.nytimes.com

Carels: “I’m just a country kid, not too used to big cities,” the 17-year-old said, sporting a belt buckle engraved with a cattle head. “But when you’re in the country, you kind of learn how to fight adversity. I think there would be a lot of things I don’t agree with in a city, but I know I could live there and be a part of there and play hockey every day. That’s kind of the thing that took my mind off that.”

Carels is off my list.

I feel like the "..but I know I could live there and be a part of there and play hockey every day" part of this quote is getting overlooked. Both quotes said in the same breath, but one puts him on the DND list while the other still makes him the main target at 5th overall. I wonder how his dinner/interview with NYR went.

Here's some quotes from that article from the other top D prospects when asked about playing for the Rangers, just to fan the flames a little bit :

- Reid: “Obviously, playing in New York, you have good fans out there, and it’s a fun city to be in obviously,” he said. “I think all around, I’d love to live there and play there.”'

- Smits: “Of course it would be good to play in that kind of city in front of those fans,” he said. “It would be a great experience.”

- Verhoeff: Verhoeff said he had video calls with the Rangers over the course of the season and met with them at the combine, too. He has visited New York, where his sister used to live, and has taken note of how the city has rallied around the Knicks, who are in the NBA Finals.

“That town lights up when their teams are doing well and things are going well,” he said.


Welcome to the New York Rangers, Keaton Verhoeff.

 

[leetch99]

Gavin McKenna was like 2.5 pts/g post WJC lol. Even if you wanted to remove his 8 point effort against Ohio State he still sat at 2 pts/g. What ever adjustments he needed to make to the NCAA, he made them to the tune of being utterly dominant at this level too.

Penn State wasn't some super team either.

When they held the Canada Games on PEI back a few years ago....he ripped it up.....some great young kids playing in that event as well . He will be an NHL star . You guys that follow the kids likely know many of these . https://www.hockeycanada.ca/national-championships/men/canada-winter-games/2023/stats/player-stats

 

[The Crypto Guy]

I feel like the "..but I know I could live there and be a part of there and play hockey every day" part of this quote is getting overlooked. Both quotes said in the same breath, but one puts him on the DND list while the other still makes him the main target at 5th overall. I wonder how his dinner/interview with NYR went.

Here's some quotes from that article from the other top D prospects when asked about playing for the Rangers, just to fan the flames a little bit :

- Reid: “Obviously, playing in New York, you have good fans out there, and it’s a fun city to be in obviously,” he said. “I think all around, I’d love to live there and play there.”'

- Smits: “Of course it would be good to play in that kind of city in front of those fans,” he said. “It would be a great experience.”

- Verhoeff: Verhoeff said he had video calls with the Rangers over the course of the season and met with them at the combine, too. He has visited New York, where his sister used to live, and has taken note of how the city has rallied around the Knicks, who are in the NBA Finals.

“That town lights up when their teams are doing well and things are going well,” he said.


Welcome to the New York Rangers, Keaton Verhoeff.

Yup. Welcome Verhoeff!!!

 

[GoAwayRempe]

Save us, San Jose

 

[Mugless]

That comment from Carels doesn't bother me in the slightest. Half the league comes from barren Canadian wastelands like Moose Jaw and Pigs Knuckle.

 

[Clark Kellogg]

 

[UnSandvich]

At this point, I'm resigned to us picking Verhoeff at 5, and him busting harder than Kravtsov. Granted I think theres a good chance of that happening to matter where he's picked, but if it's us it's a f***in guarantee

 

[McRanger92]

The hope with Verhoeff I imagine is that he becomes a Pietrangelo/Ekblad type. I won’t mind it if Reid is picked already. I’ve felt for months that Reid has the best chance to be another Schaefer/Makar type offensive player

 

[haohmaru]

lol f***in "country" people and their dipshit ideas of what city life is like.

He'll figure shit out if he gets drafted by San Jose, Chicago, the Rangers, whatever. It's not like you can't have your home out in the "country" for the offseason, or that there aren't quiet places to live near cities (even if they're not "country")

hockey players from bumf*** canada being drafted by teams in major american (or canadian) cities isn't something new. they'll figure it out

I mean, biases/preferences aside, NHL franchises are for the most part in metropolitan areas. You're not playing on the Columbia Icefields of Alberta anywhere in the NHL and going home to your ranch after practice.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

At this point, I'm resigned to us picking Verhoeff at 5, and him busting harder than Kravtsov. Granted I think theres a good chance of that happening to matter where he's picked, but if it's us it's a f***in guarantee

At least you have an open mind and arent writing off a kid who isn't even 18 yet…