The New York Rangers have had some rough experiences selecting in the first round of the NHL Draft in recent years. Still, they will keep rolling the dice. When it comes to their first-round selection in 2027, a report hints at which direction the organization may take.
“New York will have their first-round pick in 2027, and that is going to be key. The team might have to use that on the best center available,” as stated by Nick Ziegler on Sports Illustrated. “The Rangers seemingly have a wide range of where they might land in the draft next year.”
After watching Chris Drury and the front office go through with their offseason retool, fans aren’t sure what to expect from the Rangers in the 2026-27 NHL season. If the moves for Pavel Dorofeyev, Sean Durzi, Marcus Pettersson, and Oliver Bjorkstrand pay dividends, and the Blueshirts can mitigate the departures of Vincent Trocheck, Will Borgen, and others, then New York could be in for a rebound year. Who knows? Maybe even the playoffs.
However, there’s also a scenario in which the Rangers spiral out of control and are in for a repeat of last season. That means New York is just as likely to end up with a top-five pick as it is to miss the draft lottery entirely.
Mika Zibanejad (left) and J.T. Miller (right).
Regardless of what happens, the Blueshirts will still need to address the middle of their lineup, especially with the future in mind, as the Rangers lack a proven top-six center for years to come. Not even the buzz that the Rangers are among the frontrunners for Patrik Laine changes that fact.
NY Rangers need help at center
The Rangers currently feature Mika Zibanejad and J.T. Miller anchoring their top two forward lines. For the time being, they are more than enough talent for the Blueshirts to feel confident.
Both Zibanejad and Miller are under contract through the 2029-30 NHL season, and while that locks them down for the medium term in Manhattan, it’s no answer for the truly long term. Moreover, both Zibanejad and Miller are 33 years old, meaning they could be in for a considerable decline in production.
New York needs to inject youth into its top six, especially at center. That’s why a move for a player like Shane Wright would be reasonable, and why it makes sense that New York was reportedly pushed to go after the Seattle Kraken’s 22-year-old center. If that’s not the case, then the draft is the best alternative for the Rangers.
NY Rangers face different options to address center need
Obviously, it will all vary based on where the Rangers finish in the 2026-27 NHL season, but taking the best center available may still be reasonable. The Rangers could wait for their first-round pick next year to develop into an NHL-ready player, as Zibanejad and Miller can carry the top-six workload, for better or worse, in the meantime.
All that matters is that the Blueshirts find their answer. For the time being, Noah Laba isn’t quite at a top-six level, and there are no certainties to fill that role in the organization’s prospect pipeline, either.
Free agency would be another option, but there aren’t many intriguing centers set to become UFAs in the summer of 2027. In 2028, it could be much different, as centers like Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews may become free agents, and fans in New York know just how many times the Rangers have been linked to them. Perhaps it will finally come true.
New York must take action
Still, the Blueshirts must take matters into their own hands rather than speculate about the future of arguably the two biggest faces of the league. In more ways than one, drafting a center with the first-round pick in 2027 is the best decision New York could make, and one that could help Drury keep his job even if the 2026-27 season turns into a disaster in the Big Apple.
