Addressing the middle of the ice is an absolute must for the Rangers, especially from a long-term perspective. Mika Zibanejad and J.T. Miller won’t be in Manhattan forever, and at some point, a top-six center must come up through New York’s ranks. Beaudoin could very well be the franchise center of the future.

Considering Beaudoin is the second-highest-ranked prospect in the Rangers’ pipeline (behind the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, LHD Alberts Smits), there are enough reasons for fans in New York City to be anxious to watch him take the ice at Madison Square Garden. However, all signs point to his NHL debut having to wait—at the very least, until Beaudoin makes his first professional appearance in the AHL.

According to Dan Rosen of NHL.com, the 20-year-old center may not make his Rangers debut until the 2027-28 season. Perhaps Beaudoin debuts in 2026-27 but only plays a couple of games before returning to the AHL, where he is expected to have a strong first year with the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Beaudoin has yet to make pro debut

Spending the past four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Barrie Colts, Beaudoin has yet to join a professional hockey club for a full season. The OHL is one of three major junior ice hockey leagues under the Canadian Hockey League’s (CHL) umbrella.

Although he was drafted by the Utah Hockey Club with the 24th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and signed his entry-level contract shortly after, Beaudoin was never called up to the NHL or AHL by Utah. As a result, his contract slid past its first two seasons.

As he joins the Rangers, Beaudoin’s three-year, $2.92 million rookie deal remains untouched. This means he will become a restricted free agent in 2029, when the Ottawa native will be 23 years old.

Beaudoin’s stats

Beaudoin registered 88 points (33 goals and 55 assists) across 54 games with the Colts last season, as well as a seven-point performance with Canada at the World Juniors. Clearly, he has the ingredients to succeed, but it may come down to how the Rangers develop him, and that’s been an issue of its own in the Big Apple.

Fully bought into their retool, the Rangers are turning to their youth. That was made clear after New York re-signed Scott Morrow to a team-friendly contract. While patient, the Blueshirts will need their youngsters to take on bigger roles, and Sullivan didn’t hesitate to name Noah Laba as someone he believes can take over some of Trocheck’s duties.

“I think [Noah Laba] has good size, he can really skate and I think he has an aptitude for the game,” Sullivan stated, per NHL.com. “We liked the progress that he made in particular on the defensive side.

“I do think there’s an offensive dimension to his game that he can continue to evolve and build. We’re going to rely on putting him in defensive situations, difficult situations against other team’s best players, and we think he’s a guy that can handle that.”

Laba can shutdown threats

Obviously, it takes more than one player to contain the best scorers in the NHL, but great two-way centers often go a long way toward doing so. And Laba can certainly stand his ground.

There is plenty of room for improvement for Laba, but the Rangers have reason to be excited about their former fourth-round pick from 2022, who is expected to anchor the third line throughout the 2026-27 campaign.

For the time being, Mika Zibanejad and J.T. Miller are staying put in the top six, but the 23-year-old from Michigan could definitely make his case for such a role, especially if Sullivan believes in him, as he recently admitted, and is looking to figure out where Laba’s ceiling is.

Laba’s stats

Although he’s only played one season in the league, Laba has shown flashes of what he can do. His offensive production needs a bump, but defensively, there are virtually no notes for the sophomore center. In 74 games during the 2025-26 campaign, Laba scored nine goals and added 15 assists for 24 points.

While plus-minus is one of the most polarizing stats in hockey and one that is often disputed, the fact that Laba finished with a positive balance (+2) in that category is noteworthy. Despite New York’s disastrous, last-place season in the Metro Division, Laba was on the ice for more goals scored than allowed.

Variables include playing fewer minutes and facing relatively easier competition than players on the top lines, yet Laba’s mark deserves merit and may light the Rangers’ way going forward.

Laba’s role on NY Rangers

Perhaps Laba won’t provide the 53 points missing with Trocheck gone and in Salt Lake City, but he might help ease the pressure on the top six, take on some of the best centers in the NHL at the faceoff dot and help neutralize scoring threats.

The Rangers allowed an average of 3.04 goals per game last season. If they want to lower that mark, easing Trocheck’s absence will be key. The Blueshirts addressed their defensive corps in hopes of becoming a defense-first team, much like the majority of Stanley Cup contenders. Still, they need to propagate that mindset across the entire length of the ice, not just the blueline.

Thus, players like Laba may be in line for job promotions overnight. It’s a risky strategy, but in a city like the Big Apple, it’s always make or break, and it’s about time the Blueshirts get back on their feet.

After the Rangers announced Morrow’s contract extension on their social media, news broke of the financial breakdown of the defenseman’s two-way deal. “Contract is $850,000 at NHL level, $125,000 if he’s in the AHL,” Vincent Mercogliano of The Athletic reported on his X account.

With Morrow expected to be a depth player, occasionally stepping in to an NHL role but mostly playing in the AHL, the two-way deal makes sense as he would make roughly 14% of his NHL salary when in the minor leagues. Money-wise, it’s sound business for the Blueshirts. However, sending Morrow down to the minors won’t be as easy as some might believe.

Morrow must clear waivers

The 23-year-old right-handed defenseman is waiver-eligible. Thus, in order for the Rangers to send him down to their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, Morrow must clear waivers. New York can assign Morrow to the AHL before the start of the season, but if he is called up at any point, he must go through waivers before being sent down.

That means the Rangers risk losing Morrow to another team. Morrow’s numbers may not jump off the page, but he is still young and signed to a very team-friendly deal, meaning one of the other 31 NHL teams may want to get its hands on him.

Regardless, waiver eligibility is an aspect of Morrow’s situation that not many seem to take into account when analyzing his one-year extension. Because his new deal is a two-way contract, many fans assume Morrow is waiver-exempt. That’s not the case.

Two-way contracts don’t exempt a player from going through waivers. All a two-way contract means is that a player earns a different salary in the NHL than he does in the AHL. Morrow’s case illustrates that to perfection.

Morrow’s future and his place on the NY Rangers

By the time the season ends, Morrow will become a restricted free agent (RFA), so the most likely scenarios in which New York could lose the former second-round pick from the 2021 NHL Draft, originally selected by Carolina, would be through waivers or an offer sheet next summer.

With a revamped defensive corps, the Rangers are confident in what they’ve built. That could hint that Morrow won’t be used much. However, Mike Sullivan and company will also want to see what they have in the young defenseman, and perhaps he turns out to be an in-house replacement for Braden Schneider, whom the Blueshirts remain on the fence about.

New York needs to see more from Morrow, but it must also give him more opportunities to showcase himself. Last season, he appeared in 29 games, recording six assists and no goals. The sample size remains small, but the climb will get steeper regardless.

Key year for Morrow

The fact that Morrow arrived in the return for the K’Andre Miller trade helps him little. Obviously, it may not be a fair evaluation or comparison considering Miller was part of a sign-and-trade and the Rangers’ main acquisition in return was a conditional first-round pick. Still, the trade package remains in the back of every fan’s mind in the City That Never Sleeps, and sooner or later, Morrow must show that his arrival in town was not a mistake.

No one is asking him to replace Miller’s production, not now, at least, but the fanbase hopes the Connecticut kid is part of the solution rather than another item on the long list of what could have beens at the front door of Madison Square Garden.

Schneider is a pending restricted free agent (RFA) in the NHL, meaning the Rangers run little risk of losing their young defenseman and would get a draft pick in return in the worst-case scenario. Still, the Blueshirts will likely hope to get a bit more in return for the 24-year-old blueliner.

At the very least, New York wants to set its own terms rather than conforming to the offer-sheet compensation set by the league. The signs point in the same direction, and that’s toward a trade. Whether it happens sooner or later remains to be seen.

“Braden Schneider is heading toward his last RFA summer, which should serve as a deadline of sorts,” Vincent Mercogliano reported on The Athletic. “An eventual trade for forward help remains a logical outcome, especially considering the new wave of defensemen who have recently been added to the pipeline.”

NY Rangers grow confident on defense

New York didn’t waste time during the NHL offseason. The blueline was an obvious area of need for Mike Sullivan and company, and Chris Drury and the front office made sure to fill every hole. Whether those solutions stick and meet expectations, only time will tell.

For the time being, however, it’s one less item on the Blueshirts’ to-do list. Thus, Schneider is no longer a vital part of the defensive corps, but he remains the team’s biggest (realistic) trading chip and the ace up their sleeve in a potential acquisition of a top-six forward, preferably a young buck.

The Rangers reportedly already know they must use their 2027 first-round pick on a center, one who could eventually replace Mika Zibanejad or J.T. Miller in the top six, but they could also explore the trade route for such a talent. Schneider may not be enough to acquire a top young prospect from another team’s pipeline, but no one really knows when it comes to trades in the NHL. To each their own.

Schneider’s contract and stats

After filing for arbitration, Schneider put the pressure on the Rangers and got himself a one-year, $5.5 million contract through the 2026-27 campaign. Considering Schneider has registered 87 points (20 goals and 67 assists) in 368 games with the Broadway Blueshirts, his $5.5 million cap hit may be more than what New York was initially willing to pay.

Still, with the salary cap rising and arbitration knocking on the door, the Rangers acknowledge it’s not terrible either. However, the team’s concerns are far from dissipated. The Rangers are still keeping a wary eye on their former first-round pick, and all the reports coming out of the Big Apple suggest the young defenseman will be traded.

Before or during the season, ahead of the deadline, as an RFA or as part of a sign-and-trade, there is no such thing as a wrong answer at this point.

“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.

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.

According to Herb Zurkowsky from the Montreal Gazette, the Rangers are one of the teams linked to Laine ever since free agency began in the NHL on July 1. Over a month has passed and not much progress has been made, but the Blueshirts could still be looking into the veteran winger.

When it comes to Laine, such a slow-cooking process was to be expected. Laine only played five games for the Canadiens last season and underwent core muscle surgery, so there are a lot of questions that need answering before any team makes him a contract offer.

If the once-lethal sniper can brush those concerns aside and prove himself, he could be an intriguing addition for a team like New York. That’s still a big if, and at a time when the Blueshirts need to bring certainties onto the roster rather than more question marks.

Do the Rangers need Laine?

Laine would bring many questions of his own if he were to sign in Manhattan. He has appeared in just 75 games over the past three seasons, which should raise concerns for any front office and coaching staff. However, there may be reason to believe the rest he had throughout the 2025-26 NHL campaign could pay off. Maybe Laine could come into the 2026-27 season energized. And for the Rangers, he could be a key addition.

Realistically, if he is at his best, Laine could be a 15-to-25-goal player for New York. As things stand, a third-line role would work best for both sides, with Laine also chiming in on the power play, where his sniper’s abilities would make him a headache for opponents.

However, it’s all potential. Everybody in the NHL knows what Laine is capable of in his prime; the gist of the problem is that Laine seems long gone from his peak form. It might take some time to get Laine back to playing with confidence, and an anxious market like New York may not give him that luxury. If the price is right, the Blueshirts could add Laine on a prove-it deal. The Rangers aren’t the only ones with that line of thought, however.

Maple Leafs showing interest

As reported by Zurkowsky, the Toronto Maple Leafs are another team interested in Laine. The Leafs’ appearance is unsurprising, considering they’ve been linked to Laine for some time now.

Still, it’s noteworthy that the interest remains the same despite the recent front-office overhaul in Hogtown. The Minnesota Wild, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Philadelphia Flyers are other franchises reportedly considering Laine.

“[New York] could use the remaining weeks of summer to explore a move that adds another young forward. One player who fits that strategy is Shane Wright,” Ryan McInerney wrote on Forever Blueshirts. “It’s believed that the Seattle Kraken are willing to work with the 22-year-old center toward finding a new team.”

Wright’s career highlights remain his time in the junior ranks and the journey that led to him being selected fourth overall in the 2022 NHL Draft. Since then, he’s struggled to make much of an impact. Through his first four years in Seattle, Wright has played 169 games, recording 36 goals and 42 assists for a total of 78 points. The Kraken expected much more from him.

Wright compared to 2022 NHL Draft class

Wright ranks fifth in points among players selected in the 2022 NHL Draft. He is behind Juraj Slafkovsky, Logan Cooley, and Lane Hutson. Moreover, he trails Cutter Gauthier—who was drafted one pick after him—by a wide margin.

The Anaheim Ducks forward (originally drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers) has 114 points despite playing fewer games and seasons than Wright. The Kraken didn’t expect Wright to be this unprepared for the NHL, and with him entering a contract year in 2026-27, Seattle may recognize it’s time to move on.

Wright’s contract situation

Wright is entering the third year of his entry-level contract. Under his rookie deal, he carries an $886,666 cap hit and will become a restricted free agent (RFA) next summer. Unless he finally breaks out next season, he won’t be in line to ask for much on his second NHL contract.

That could make Wright an appealing trade target for the Rangers, who may believe they can unlock his full potential. Although his production has left much to be desired so far, Wright won’t turn 23 until Jan. 5, 2027.

For Wright, his prime years are still ahead of him, and the Broadway Blueshirts may be the team that benefits from buying low. At the very least, giving it a try won’t be the worst thing in the world.

Where could Wright play for New York?

The 22-year-old center could join the Rangers as their third-line center. It would take an immediate breakout and a rapid rise for Wright to take over the second-line center role. For the time being, J.T. Miller is staying put in the middle of that line.

In more ways than one, however, Wright has the clock on his side. Not literally, since he has yet to sign a contract beyond 2027, but if he does the little things right in Manhattan—or Seattle, or wherever he ends up—he can buy himself time to continue developing.

Not many centers in their early 20s hold down top-six roles across the NHL, so Wright has time to find his footing. Moreover, if the Rangers trade for him, it will be because they see untapped potential, and Chris Drury and company will aim to get the most out of his development, even if he wasn’t drafted by the organization.

The Rangers made their intentions clear throughout the NHL offseason. Their flurry of moves on the blue line showed just how big of a void the Blueshirts faced on defense. However, they may have plugged one hole only to create another.

New York did acquire forwards—mainly Pavel Dorofeyev—but it still has a group full of question marks, especially when looking ahead to the future. The Rangers have yet to establish their identity under Sullivan, and they will only have so much time before they are forced to make roster decisions through re-signings and cuts.

“You better get it done this year because two years down the road, this team could look completely different again,” Marty Biron said about the Rangers’ offensive identity on Rangers Recon.

Rangers have a handful of unsigned players

The Rangers are entering the 2026-27 NHL campaign with nine forwards on contract years. The majority of them are restricted free agents (RFAs), while only three will become unrestricted free agents (UFAs): Oliver Bjorkstrand, Taylor Raddysh, and Joseph Veleno.

Among the RFA forwards, New York must figure things out with Will Cuylle, Tye Kartye, Matt Rempe, Noah Laba, Jaroslav Chmelar, and Gabe Perreault. Some re-signings, such as Cuylle’s and Perreault’s, should require little thought and could be taken care of during the season. Others, however, may go down to the wire.

Regardless, after a shift in the landscape surrounding RFAs, with many using their July 1 status as leverage to entertain offer sheets and force their organizations’ hands, the Blueshirts can’t take any chances. If Perreault has a full breakout season, he could draw interest from outside teams. That’s something New York can’t risk, so re-signing its former first-round pick as soon as possible is paramount.

NY Rangers’ core four

The Rangers have only four forwards signed through the 2029-30 season. As things stand, that’s their core. It consists of Dorofeyev, J.T. Miller, Mika Zibanejad, and Alexis Lafreniere. Even with their long-term contracts, there is speculation surrounding their futures.

The Rangers must figure out their offensive identity before long. Will they embrace a heavy-hitting style, or will they rely on the shiftiness and speed of their undersized skaters? Whichever path New York chooses, it had better hope it turns the tide right away.

The clock is ticking. The retool must yield results immediately, or bigger changes will be coming to the Big Apple. And this time, a retool may not suffice, leaving the Rangers with no choice but to rebuild—yet again.

“I think we have got to come back with vengeance,” Rempe said about the Rangers’ upcoming season, per Mollie Walker of the New York Post, at the Shoulder Check Showcase annual event.

Coming from Rempe, those words should send chills down the spine of every player in the NHL. Not many will want to be on the ice when Rempe takes his first shift of the season on Sept. 29 against the Boston Bruins. That is, of course, if he makes the active roster for opening night—and that’s still a big if.

Rempe’s spot is on the line

Rempe will have to prove his worth when the Blueshirts take the ice for training camp. Although he is impossible to miss thanks to his 6-foot-9 frame, Rempe was noticeably absent for much of last NHL season. The forward admitted he still has work to do before he is fully recovered from his left thumb injury, but has made significant progress and is no longer dealing with pain.

As a result of the injury and the subsequent surgeries, Rempe appeared in only 26 games last season. Even when he was available, however, he wasn’t at his best, so there’s reason to believe Mike Sullivan may have scratched him or even sent him down to the AHL for stretches of the season anyway. It’s impossible to say for certain, though.

Regardless, it’s clear Rempe must turn the tide heading into the 2026-27 season. If he can’t provide the team with more than fights, big hits that often lead to costly penalties, and his high-energy—yet risky—style of play, then he may not have a permanent spot in the lineup, and New York could be better off without him.

Rangers face big decision, even bigger season

That’s for Sullivan and his staff to evaluate, but Rempe must enter training camp and the preseason like rent is due—because, in a way, it is. This is the final season of his current contract in the Big Apple. Next summer, Rempe will become a restricted free agent, and uncertainty looms over his future.

Vengeance, redemption, a breakout season—you name it. That’s what’s at stake for Rempe. And for the Rangers as well. Last season reached historic lows at Madison Square Garden, and the Blueshirts won’t be allowed to put yet another lackluster act in Broadway.

However, if he fails to find his footing and the clock starts ticking, a trade may become the wisest option for the Blueshirts. If that happens, three teams with young rosters and a major need on the blue line could come knocking on Chris Drury’s door.

“I’ve wondered about defense-needy teams like the Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks,” Vincent Mercogliano wrote on The Athletic about a potential trade involving Schneider.

Ducks, Sharks, and Blackhawks make sense

Should any of the Ducks, Sharks, or Blackhawks call the Rangers to ask about Schneider, it wouldn’t be surprising. The three boast young lineups in which the offense features an elite center and enough talent—albeit to different extents on each team—to send chills down the spine of opposing defenses.

Another thing the three potential landing spots for Schneider have in common is that each has broken the piggy bank to extend its franchise center. Macklin Celebrini’s new contract with the Sharks set a record-breaking average annual value (AAV), while Leo Carlsson and Connor Bedard will still earn more than Celebrini next season. Still, there is a glaring void on the blue line for all three clubs, especially when it comes to depth.

Indeed, each team has—or at least hopes it has—its franchise life-changing defenseman: Anaheim has Jackson LaCombe, San Jose drafted Keaton Verhoeff, and Chicago traded for Bowen Byram while hoping Artyom Levshunov develops into an elite blueliner. Going further down the pairings, however, that’s where trouble lies for the Ducks, Sharks, and Blackhawks.

Schneider could still enter his prime

Schneider, who is still only 24 years old, could turn out to be a crucial depth addition, and a long-term one at that. For him, a change of scenery may be all he needs, and for the Rangers, trading him wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world—provided they receive a fitting offer.

The Blueshirts know, even if they can’t figure it out themselves, that Schneider is fixable. Thus, they can’t demand top dollar, but they won’t settle for peanuts in return, either. Finding that sweet spot in between is what it’s all about.

Perhaps it will be Anaheim, Chicago, or San Jose that comes through with the right offer. Or maybe a dark horse takes Schneider off the Blueshirts’ hands. The defenseman being re-signed in the Big Apple remains an option on the table, though it continues to inch closer to the edge with each passing day.

New Rangers in New York

New York revamped its defense during the offseason and, in fact, is in greater need of help in its top-six forward group. With Schneider, patience appears to be running low, and the fact the two sides agreed only to a one-year deal—largely to avoid arbitration—could indicate trouble.

Moreover, Mike Sullivan is trying to establish a new Rangers identity that hinges on Igor Shesterkin’s long-term commitment and a solid defensive corps. If Schneider finally breaks out and establishes himself, great. But if not, the Blueshirts have a backup plan. They made sure to lay the foundation during the offseason. Drafting Alberts Smits was further proof of that.

Unlike what happened with Schneider, New York will hope not to burn out its first-round defenseman this time around. At least, that’s easier said than done while the regular season still feels distant. Once the puck drops and the team needs answers, the original plan may be tossed out the window.

In the past, the Rangers have seen young players wear down under lofty expectations right from the start. With Smits, New York wants to get it right, and reports indicate Mike Sullivan and company are setting a clear ceiling for him. The higher a rookie flies, the harder the fall can be, and the Blueshirts want to avoid that scenario.

“The third-pair left defense spot is probably the highest Smits would get with a fully healthy defensive corps. That would bump Matthew Robertson to the extra defenseman,” Peter Baugh wrote on The Athletic.

NY Rangers addressed their defense

It was one of the main issues fans wanted fixed ahead of the 2026-27 NHL season. On paper, the Rangers have accomplished their goal. Their blue line now features several new faces while retaining cornerstone pieces like Adam Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov.

If the Rangers are serious about their new team identity—one built around Igor Shesterkin’s long-term commitment and a strong defensive foundation—then this offseason has them moving in the right direction. With the additions of Marcus Pettersson and Sean Durzi, along with the re-signing of Braden Schneider, even if only on a one-year deal, New York’s defensive corps is set.

NY Rangers plan to give Smits time

Whether Smits breaks out in training camp or needs more time, the Rangers aren’t burdening their first-round pick with sky-high expectations from day one. Sure, they’d like to see encouraging progress from the Latvian teenager, but they knew they were making a developmental selection when they turned in his name at the 2026 NHL Draft.

Smits could be in the lineup on opening night of the 2026-27 NHL season or begin the year in the AHL with the Hartford Wolf Pack, and the Rangers would likely be satisfied with either outcome. New York would love for Smits to suddenly blossom into an NHL regular and put up Matthew Schaefer-like numbers as a rookie, but that’s unrealistic—even in a city like the Big Apple.

At the end of the day, Smits is only 18 years old, and his only games in North America have come while representing Latvia at the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship and the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. The Rangers have made mistakes in the past, but they appear determined not to repeat them in the way they develop their top selection from the 2026 NHL Draft.