In this mock draft, I will be focusing on the New York Rangers, and how they could transform their prospect pool in the 2026 NHL draft. The New York Rangers have two 1st round picks, 4 3rd round picks, and two 6th round picks
in the 2026 Draft, a total of 11 picks.
Related: Seattle Kraken
5- Keaton Verhoeff (D)- University of North Dakota (NCAA)
Keaton Verhoeff is a great fit for the New York Rangers because he provides the rare combination of elite size, a booming right-handed shot, and top-pairing potential that perfectly aligns with the team’s long-term blueprint under head coach Mike Sullivan. Holding the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, the Rangers have a unique opportunity to land a cornerstone, all-situations defenseman. Right-handed defensemen with elite upside are the most prized and rare commodities in the NHL. While Adam Fox commands the top pairing, the Rangers lack high-ceiling defensive prospects on the right side. Verhoeff gives New York a legitimate future pillar behind Fox, securing their right-side depth for the next decade. Verhoeff possesses what many scouts call the heaviest and most dangerous point shot in the entire 2026 draft class. He scored 20 points in 36 games as an underage freshman at the University of North Dakota, proving his offensive instincts can translate against older NCAA competition. His ability to walk the blue line and act as a dynamic power-play quarterback offers the Rangers a terrifying secondary scoring threat from the point. Standing 6-foot-4 and 212 pounds, Verhoeff already possesses an NHL-ready frame. Unlike traditional “stay-at-home” giants, he uses his massive reach and strength proactively to swallow up oncoming rushes, crush cycles along the wall, and protect the front of the net. He brings the exact type of heavy, playoff-ready edge that the Rangers value in the grueling Eastern Conference. Because the Rangers have an established NHL blue line, they do not need to rush Verhoeff. Born in June 2008, he is one of the youngest players in the draft. He can return to North Dakota to smooth out his technical skating mechanics and decision-making under heavy pressure, allowing him to arrive in New York fully polished and ready to contend.
26- Yegor Shilov (C)- Victoriaville Tigres (QMJHL)
Yegor Shilov is a phenomenal late-first-round target for the New York Rangers because he gives them an elite, highly creative, play-driving center option that would immediately inject world-class skill and puck-handling depth into the middle of their pipeline.Generally projected to go in the 20-to-30 range in the 2026 NHL Draft, the 6-foot-1 Russian playmaker exploded for 33 goals and 82 points for the Victoriaville Tigres, leading all QMJHL rookies in scoring.
Scouts frequently mention that he plays with an effortless grace, manipulating defenders with body language and elite stickhandling. He perceives the game a step ahead, slowing the pace to a crawl to dismantle defensive shells. The Rangers’ elite offensive pieces thrive on deceptive, east-west puck movement and high-IQ passing lanes. Shilov plays this exact brand of cerebral hockey, attacking the middle of the ice rather than just operating on the perimeter.
Shilov is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous power play producers in the 2026 draft class. He is highly elusive when shielding the puck along the wall, using a deceptive, off-balance release that whips past goaltenders at unpredictable angles. New York would not need to use a premium top-10 pick on Shilov, as minor concerns regarding his straight-line speed and off-puck engagement make him a likely candidate to land right in the Rangers’ late-first-round wheelhouse. Shilov grades out as a highly projectable point producer who can translate his offense rapidly to the pro level. For a team looking to continuously re-tool its top-six forward depth without drafting in the lottery, he represents a major boom-or-bust steal.
62- Ethan Mackenzie (D)- University of North Dakota (NCAA)
Ethan MacKenzie is an excellent draft target for the New York Rangers in the middle rounds because he provides a highly intelligent, rapid-skating, left-handed defensive option who represents one of the absolute best value selections in the 2026 NHL Draft. MacKenzie’s most marketable trait is his high-tempo, high-intensity mobility. He plays an ultra-aggressive, pro-style gap control game, closing down opponents rapidly as they cross the blue line and step into the zone. Head coach Mike Sullivan’s systems heavily rely on defensemen who can skate out of trouble, transition the puck rapidly, and defend with intense pace. MacKenzie fits this modern archetype flawlessly. Because MacKenzie was passed over in previous drafts due to bad injury luck, he is a mature, 19-year-old breakout player who represents a “market inefficiency”. His elite play this season earned him a rare spot on Team Canada’s World Junior Championship roster as an undrafted player, proving his caliber against top-tier global talent. By drafting MacKenzie, the Rangers can let him develop alongside his future college teammate and fellow draft class standout, Keaton Verhoeff. North Dakota is an absolute powerhouse for maturing raw defensemen, allowing MacKenzie to build muscle on his 6-foot, 174-pound frame while facing elite NCAA competition. While the Rangers must use premium capital for a franchise pillar like Verhoeff early, grabbing an elite play-driver like MacKenzie in the 2nd or 3rd round allows them to secure a high-probability NHL defenseman at a heavily discounted draft cost. Drafting doesn’t have to be an either-or scenario; because of their wildly different draft projections, the Rangers could realistically walk away with both prospects to secure opposite sides of their future blue line.
67- Landon Amrhein (RW/LW)- Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
Landon Amrhein is a compelling target for the New York Rangers because he offers a rare combination of massive NHL-ready power-forward size and high-end deceptive playmaking that projects as an ideal middle-round steal in the 2026 NHL Draft.As a 6-foot-4, 192-pound forward playing for the Calgary Hitmen in the WHL, Amrhein is generally ranked as a third-round talent ranging from No. 54 to No. 86 overall. He registered a highly encouraging rookie season with 10 goals and 31 points in 64 games, establishing himself as a modern, high-IQ offensive weapon. Traditional players of Amrhein’s size are often pigeonholed as simple, net-front “crash and bang” grinders. EliteProspects scouts note that his true separator is his vision and patient puck-manipulation. He excels at delaying his attacks, using hook passes, and slipping pucks through defenders into high-danger funnels. Head coach Mike Sullivan thrives with players who possess the physical frame to handle heavy wall play but have the smarts to execute quick, sophisticated give-and-go sequences. Amrhein provides that rare duality. Amrhein already has the 6-foot-4 reach and core frame to protect the puck along the boards, absorb heavy hits, and control the cycle. Putting him in a developmental system alongside a primary playmaker like Yegor Shilov would give the Rangers a terrifying, multi-dimensional forward pairing for the future. Because Amrhein is still growing into his frame and fine-tuning his explosive straight-line speed, his draft stock sits comfortably in the late second-to-third-round territory. Teams often overpay or reach early for size. If the Rangers can secure elite positional pillars like Keaton Verhoeff at the top of the draft, executing a pick on Amrhein in the mid-rounds allows them to take a calculated, high-upside gamble on a winger with massive physical and technical growth potential.
77- Jonas Lagerberg Hoen (LW/RW)- Leksands IF U20 (J20 National)
Jonas Lagerberg Hoen is a stellar target for the New York Rangers because he offers a 6-foot-2, right-shot, volume-shooting winger profile with first-round raw talent who could become a massive mid-round draft steal. Projected primarily as a second- or third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, the Swedish forward playing for Leksands IF U20 is a pure, unadulterated sniper. Though a knee injury sidelined him during portions of the 2025–26 season, his unique offensive ceiling represents a perfect “home run swing” for the Rangers’ pipeline. In his draft-minus-one season at the J20 level, he posted an extraordinary, anomalies-driven stat line of 27 goals and only 3 assists. He has an aggressive attacking mindset, constantly looking to funnel pucks to the net. Scouts highlight his outside-leg wrist shot and crafty curl-and-drag releases off the rush as elite tools that pierce goaltenders from deep ranges. Lagerberg Hoen is highly proficient at blasting heavy one-timers from the left flank during man-advantages. Pairing a pure, trigger-happy finisher like Lagerberg Hoen with a highly creative playmaker like Yegor Shilov (whom the Rangers could target earlier in the draft) would give New York a balanced, highly dangerous future special teams unit. Scouts note his defensive positioning is advanced, as he actively patrols the lower half of the defensive zone to support his defensemen. He possesses a high-end competitive motor, giving him a safe floor as an energetic, middle-six winger. Because a knee injury disrupted his draft year, Lagerberg Hoen’s draft stock sits lower than his raw skill dictates, putting him right in the No. 40 to No. 80 overall range. For a Rangers team looking to accumulate high-ceiling talent without spending top-10 draft capital, drafting him allows management to exploit a classic draft market inefficiency.
81- Callum Croskery (D)- Soo Greyhounds (OHL)
Callum Croskery is a fantastic mid-to-late-round target for the New York Rangers because he offers a highly projectable, intelligent, left-handed defensive anchor whose underlying metrics and international pedigree hint at a much higher NHL ceiling than his current public draft rankings suggest. Projected primarily as a third-to-fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft (ranked No. 80 by EliteProspects and No. 94 by Daily Faceoff), the 6-foot-1, 187-pound blueliner overcame an early-season wrist injury with the Soo Greyhounds to post a stellar 23-point rookie campaign and anchor Team Canada’s top four at the U18 World Championship. Croskery’s core strength is his rare ability to completely control the tempo of oncoming rushes without overextending himself; he is a master at absorbing rushes, maintaining a flawless stick gap, denying middle ice access, and keeping the entire play in front of him. Head coach Mike Sullivan’s aggressive system depends on defensemen who can independently kill plays at the blue line. Croskery provides that structural reliability, making him the perfect stabilizer to balance out high-event, offensive-minded defensive partners. Croskery is exceptionally athletic and boasts a highly muscular, mature build. He uses his strong skating base to spin away from forecheckers, retrieve dumps, and orchestrate controlled zone exits. Public scouting reports note that while his raw OHL box-car point totals were modest due to his missed developmental time, his advanced analytical profile and two-way metrics were incredibly strong all season. Croskery is currently committed to Boston College, one of the top premier developmental powerhouses in college hockey. By drafting Croskery, the Rangers secure his NHL rights while allowing him to transition from the OHL to the NCAA ranks. He can spent the next 2–3 years adding explosive lateral agility to his game while playing in a world-class program. This long-term developmental track means New York doesn’t have to burn a contract spot early while he continues to mature into a top-four NHL role.
92-Yaroslav Bryzgalov (C)- Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
Yaroslav Bryzgalov is a highly logical target for the New York Rangers because he checks the exact boxes of massive, playoff-ready power-forward size combined with highly deceptive playmaking vision that teams covet in the middle rounds of the 2026 NHL Draft. Ranked No. 85 by EliteProspects and No. 90 by NHL Central Scouting, the 19-year-old Belarusian forward broke out following a transition to the Medicine Hat Tigers in the WHL. Standing 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, his underlying metrics present a rare combination of physical force and finesse. While a player of Bryzgalov’s imposing 6-foot-4 frame is typically expected to strictly function as a crash-and-bang net-front presence, his true asset is his high-IQ manipulation of defenders. Brygalov is highly skilled at zipping touch passes through tight forechecks, spinning pucks off the wall, and manipulating defenders with look-offs and shot-passes to open cross-slot lanes. This brand of deceptive, east-west puck movement meshes perfectly with the offensive philosophies preferred by the Rangers’ top-six forward core. To consistently survive the grueling Eastern Conference postseason, the Rangers constantly look to insulate their high-skill creators with heavy, hard-to-play-against forwards. Bryzgalov provides that exact physical insurance. He uses his reach to protect the puck aggressively under pressure, swallow up opposing puck carriers in the neutral zone, and clear out space. By drafting him in the 3rd round, By drafting him in the 3rd or 4th round, the Rangers do not need to use a contract spot immediately. They can let him spend the next two to three seasons in college hockey building lower-body skating power and accelerating his straight-line foot speed. This maximizes his potential to project as a highly polished, heavy middle-six contributor once he turns professional.
131- Alex Kostov (RW)- Flint Firebirds (OHL)
Alex Kostov is a highly strategic target for the New York Rangers in the later rounds because he offers NHL-ready power-forward size, a right-handed shot, and massive overage production value that makes him a low-risk, high-reward prospect for the pipeline. The 6-foot-4, 207-pound Flint Firebirds winger exploded during his final year of draft eligibility. He tallied over 20 goals and nearly 50 points, including a spectacular 18-game point streak that tied for the longest in the OHL this season. The Rangers continually look to balance out their high-skill, perimeter-oriented prospects with players who can survive the heavy trench warfare of the Eastern Conference postseason. Kostov already possesses an NHL-sized frame. He uses his weight to anchor himself in front of the net, dominate small-area puck battles, and establish a heavy cycle along the boards. As a natural right-wing with a right-handed shot, he addresses an organizational depth area behind the NHL roster, providing a physical profile the Rangers lack on that side. Because Kostov was passed over in previous drafts, his public draft stock sits in the comfortable 4th-to-6th round value range. Players who experience a late developmental spike—like Kostov did this season by climbing into the top-10 of OHL scoring metrics during his streak—are classic market inefficiencies. The Rangers can spend low-cost draft capital to secure a prospect whose actual hockey tools are playing at a much higher tier. Kostov has committed to play NCAA hockey at Quinnipiac University. Quinnipiac is a national powerhouse famous for taking raw, heavy-bodied wingers and transforming their skating mechanics and linear foot speed. By drafting him, the Rangers don’t have to burn an immediate entry-level contract spot. They can let him marinate under a premier collegiate coaching staff for 2–3 years, fixing his stride while he faces older, stronger NCAA competition.
162- Aiden O’Donnell (LW)- Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
163- Brian McFadden (D)- Thayer Academy. Mass. (USHS-Prep)
193- Juuso Ainasto (G)- Jokerit U20 (U20 SM-sarja)
Draft Summary
5-Keaton Verhoeff
26- Yegor Shilov
62- Ethan Mackenzie
67- Landon Amrhein
77- Jonas Lagerberg Hoen
81- Callum Croskery
92- Yaroslav Bryzgalov
131- Alex Kostov
162- Aiden O’Donnell
163- Brian McFadden
192- Juuso Aimasto
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