Rangers Eye Top Pick—and Gavin McKenna—in NHL Draft Lottery
The New York Rangers head into Tuesday’s NHL Draft Lottery with a strong shot at landing the No. 1 overall pick for the second time in six years, giving them a real opportunity to select top prospect Gavin McKenna.
After finishing with the worst record in the Eastern Conference and third-worst overall, the Rangers are already locked into a top-five pick. They hold an 11.5% chance at the top selection, which would allow them to draft McKenna when the event takes place at KeyBank Center on June 26.
For a franchise trying to retool while staying competitive, the potential payoff is significant—especially considering the recent impact of No. 1 picks like Juraj Slafkovský, Connor Bedard, Macklin Celebrini, and Matthew Schaefer.
The Rangers previously benefited from lottery luck in 2019 and 2020, landing top-two picks in consecutive years. However, those results have been mixed. Kaapo Kakko, selected second overall in 2019, is no longer with the team, while the long-term outlook for 2020 No. 1 pick Alexis Lafrenière is still being evaluated.
McKenna, a highly skilled winger, is widely viewed as NHL-ready with a particularly high ceiling, even if he may not dominate immediately in his rookie season. His offensive toolkit and long-term upside have made him the consensus top prospect in this year’s class.
If the Rangers don’t land the top pick, they still have an 11.2% chance to select second overall, where Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg is expected to be chosen.
The lottery, which will determine the order of the first 16 picks in the 2026 NHL Draft, includes all non-playoff teams. Using a weighted system based on regular-season standings, lower-ranked teams receive better odds at higher picks.
Beyond McKenna and Stenberg, several top defensemen—including Carson Carels, Chase Reid, Daxon Rudolph, and Keaton Verhoeff—are expected to go early. Up front, prospects like Caleb Malhotra, Ethan Belchetz, and Nikita Klepov could also be in the mix within the top five.
With a favorable lottery position and a chance to secure a franchise-altering talent, the Rangers are once again in position to reshape their future.
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