Rangers Dilemma: 2025 1st Round Pick

[FunkySeeFunkyDo]

The Rangers gave up a first round pick when they traded for JT Miller. That pick was acquired by Pittsburgh when Pittsburgh sent Marcus Pettersson to Vancouver. There is a condition on the pick: if the Rangers finish with the 13th pick or lower after the lottery in 2025 they can keep the pick and send an unprotected 2026 first round pick instead. Given the Rangers are going to finish with the 10th-13th pick(they may be able to finish 9th, but I don’t think so) in 2025 and they don’t win either draw of the 2025 draft lottery—what should they do / what will they do with their 2025 pick?

 

[M88K]

Keep it of course.

 

[Coffee]

Keep it and give next years lotto pick to Pittsburgh.

It’s the right thing to do. Plus they snag a nice player this year

 

[centipede2233]

Yea I’d say keep it. You really set yourself in the wrong mind set by sending a top 10-13 pick this year and then leaning on tanking next year. They have talent, and they could make the playoffs next year.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Keep it duh.

 

[bobholly39]

It would be hilarious if they somehow lose out on the #1 overall pick next year

 

[Zirakzigil]

They keep 2025 and send McKenna to the Pens with their 2026

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDo]

I guess I’m too risk adverse. While you wouldn’t expect the Rangers to be as bad this past year, they might be? What if Shesterkin gets hurt? On the other hand giving up 10-13 says a lot about what you think of the team’s chances.

 

[Static]

They should move it because they cannot develop top 10 picks.

 

[Empoleon8771]

They should send it and will probably send it IMO

The Rangers have been a bad team for years propped up by Shesterkin. I think it would be really brazen for them to keep a #12 pick this year and give up an unprotected 2026 pick with how old the roster is and how badly they finished this year. Would feel like the Penguins holding onto their 2024 1st and giving the 2025 1st to San Jose.

 

[Zeeker]

They should send it and will probably send it IMO

The Rangers have been a bad team for years propped up by Shesterkin. I think it would be really brazen for them to keep a #12 pick this year and give up an unprotected 2026 pick with how old the roster is and how badly they finished this year. Would feel like the Penguins holding onto their 2024 1st and giving the 2025 1st to San Jose.

Agreed that they should send it.

I think more likely, they keep it and make some desperate win now moves next year that will mortgage their future and put them in an even worse long term position.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Keep it. Not even a question.

The chances it'll be any higher of a pick next year are very low.

And quite possibly it's in the late 20's next year, and this sounds like a silly discussion.

 

[quietbruinfan]

They should keep it. They quite obviously quit on their coaches. The talent is old, but still there and they have Perrault and Othmann. A new coach should get them to the playoffs next year.

 

[wetcoast]

Keep it and give next years lotto pick to Pittsburgh.

It’s the right thing to do. Plus they snag a nice player this year

Probably this although the 26 draft has a deeper first round and Pittsburg might be better of with the 26 pick.

 

[wetcoast]

Keep it. Not even a question.

The chances it'll be any higher of a pick next year are very low.

And quite possibly it's in the late 20's next year, and this sounds like a silly discussion.

I think that they will keep the pick but they have an aging team with contracts and the 26 draft goes deeper in the first round than the 25 one and Pittsburg might get a bigger win in 26 IMO.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I think that they will keep the pick but they have an aging team with contracts and the 26 draft goes deeper in the first round than the 25 one and Pittsburg might get a bigger win in 26 IMO.

Hypothetically if I take your argument at face value, a deeper draft is only worth it if we're talking about the same or very close to the same pick slots. The player at 5 in the worst draft is better than the player at 12 in the best draft and the player at 18 in the worst is better than the player at 32 in the best.

And no, it won't get much worse than this year. This was about as bad as this roster can perform. They are not going to be picking in the top few spots next year, unless they win the lottery, which will be a minimal chance, as it is this year. Worst case scenario they pick around where they do this year, and that's with it going as bad as it can.

Also, people say every single year the next draft is better. I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[BoHorvat 53]

Depends entirely on how the org feels about the team for next season. If the org does think they'll be good next season/bounce back, it would make sense to keep this year's pick to pick a prospect in the top-10/fringes of it since in this situation they're working off the basis that they think they won't get a chance to draft that high next season. But, it's more likely that this is a sign of things to come. Zibanejad turns 32 in 2 days, Trocheck turns 32 this summer, Kreider turns 34 in 2 weeks, JT Miller is 32, Panarin turns 34 at the start of next season. The defense and goaltending are still in their 20s which is good, but their forward group is a huge concern. They probably should just concede this season's 1st since you don't wanna give up McKenna incase they do have the season from hell, but something tells me they'll keep this year's 1st and concede next year's 1st.