The Rangers enter tomorrow's NHL draft with the first overall pick as well as pick #22. Unless something completely radical occurs, New York will virtually draft Alexis Lafreniere shortly after 7pm eastern time. What the Blueshirts will do with the second pick is up in the air. We have discussed a few options in the mock draft, all of which are clearly on the table.

Rangers pre-draft video. President John Davidson isn't tipping his hand. But as noted above, unless a shocker occurs, Lafreniere should be the selection. When/if that occurs, a new blog, including some scouting reports, on Lafreniere will be posted  

Who will it be? 😎

Rangers President John Davidson sat down to talk #1 & more.

WATCH: https://t.co/2pVCr69FCy pic.twitter.com/UaBpjo6jUh

— MSG Networks (@MSGNetworks) October 5, 2020

Besides 1 and 22, the team also picks  75, 84, 106, 137, 168, 199, 203 and 204. Don't be shocked if the Rangers package a pick or two to move up into the second round or in combination with a player to possibly acquire a second-line center. In addition, depending on how the first round plays out, New York could opt to move down in the first round and acquire an additional pick, maybe for example as proposed by Hockey Stat Miner, San Jose's picks 31 and 34, by dealing their second, first-round pick, 22nd overall.

New York enters the draft and the off-season with a few needs:
1) a second line center, especially if Ryan Strome is allowed to walk
2) a true, first-pairing left-handed defensemen
3) grit, focused most likely on bolstering the bottom-six

None of those needs are not likely to be directly met in the draft. Despite the presence of Quinton Byfield and Tim Stutzle, pivotmen at 2 and 3, I don't expect New York to pass on the best and highest-rated player in the draft, at least as of now, in Lafreniere to select one of those two. That remains true even though after the presumptive addition of the Rimouski product, New York will then have Chris Kreider, Artemi Panarin and Lafreniere at left wing.

Of course, this is just the start of the week. By the end of the second day of the draft Wednesday, qualifying offers are due. As of now, New York has not yet qualified Ryan Strome and with the 5pm deadline Wednesday less than two days away, it's unclear what the Blueshirts will do with Strome. Once the draft and qualifying offer period ends, Friday at noon begins free agency. As we get closer to Friday, we will discuss that more, but I don't expect the Rangers to be tremendously active factoring on the cost for the upper-tier players. Though, as we have seen, some speculation exists that New York might be players for Torey Krug or someone of that ilk.

All of this though is for another day. For now, the focus is on the first overall selection followed by pick #22. At the end of Tuesday, New York will at a minimum bolstered their prospect pipeline, and depending on what happens with #22, could also have augmented the current lineup. Of course, we all expect whoever is taken first overall to open the season with the parent club and be a difference maker. If the Blueshirts keep the pick, Connor Zary, Brendan Brisson, Mavrik Bourque, Ridly Grieg, Jan Mysac, the prominent names to be mentioned at that spot. The Draft Analyst was very high on Marat Khusnutidinov, though he would appear to be a slight stretch at 22.

It's a fun time and day to be a fan of the Rangers.

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