Who should the New York Rangers take with their draft picks in the 2025 National Hockey League Entry Draft this week? For starters Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury has until Wednesday afternoon to inform the Pittsburgh Penguins whether or not he intends on keeping the first-round pick this year.
If Drury decides to keep the pick, then they will give the Penguins the 2026 first round pick. Handing over the first-round pick this year sends everyone involved with the Rangers the message that Drury does not believe his team can win in 2025-2026.
Not to mention how empty the Rangers’ prospect pool is at the moment. Keeping the pick would give the Rangers a total of nine picks in this year’s draft. They would have picks in every round plus an extra selection in both the third and sixth rounds.
Who should the Rangers take starting at number 12? The Rangers need defensemen and a bunch of them who hopefully can shore up a struggling defensive corp.
The good news is at 12 the Rangers should be able to find that defender as the draft projections show that there be some good options. These are in alphabetical order not preference.
Kashawn Aitcheson (Barrie OHL) 26-33-59. The numbers look nice, but it is his physical brand of defense that stands out. Aitcheson has a bit of a mean streak to his game which the Rangers could always use. The fear is Pittsburgh will take him before the Rangers
Radim Mrtka (Seattle WHL) 3-32-35. In this case the numbers are misleading as Mrtka did that in just 43 games. What stands out the most is Mrtka is monster sized at 6’6 210. A solid two-way defender who can also run a power play from the point. Needs to work on his physical play. Will most likely be gone if he drops grab him.
Cameron Reid (Kitchener OHL) 14-40-54. Not the most offensive-minded defenseman of the bunch but perhaps the smartest. Reid has clearly the best hockey IQ of the bunch when added to his skating ability makes him a good selection. Most scouts are not a fan of his but we are because of his hockey IQ.
Jackson Smith (Tri-City WHL) 11-43-54. Has a signed letter of intent to play at Penn State next year which would give the Rangers two free years of development. 6’3 200 lefthanded shot and an excellent three zone player. If he falls to the Rangers, then this will be a top pair defenseman by 2027-2028.
The Rangers thanks to the Ryan Lindgren trade got back their own second round pick which is 43rd in this year’s draft. If they do not take one of the two defenders playing in the Canadian juniors, then they need to take someone from the juniors here.
Go look at what the Rangers have at Hartford on defense to understand why. Not one of those listed on the Hartford roster should be viewed as a future Top Four defenseman for the Rangers. The three non-roster defenders are all playing in the NCAA which makes adding someone who can join the team sooner, not later a priority.
Henry Brzustewicz (London OHL) 10-32-42. Forget the stats, just know that Brzustewicz plays for Dale Hunter at London which means he plays solid defense, or he does not play. The younger brother of Calgary Flames defender Hunter Brzustewicz, if he is like his brother then the Rangers would be getting better than average defender.
Carter Amico (Boston University Hockey East) Forget his numbers as Amico’s season was hurt by a knee injury otherwise he might have been a first round pick. At 18, Amico is 6’5 225 pounds and stronger than an ox. Even better is he having the same kind of mean streak that 2024 first round pick E.J. Emery has. Skates well for a player his size and going to play at Boston University will speed up his development.
Julius Saari Jokerit (Mestis)- The Rangers have a thing for players from Finland so why not draft a defenseman. In this case because Saari checks all the boxes for a defensive minded defenseman. Not much on offense but you will not see him making mistakes on defense. Smart fundamentally
Got a clip of him here which will show why to like him.
Come back tomorrow for rounds three and four.
