As the Cup has been awarded, the NHL Entry Draft is right around the corner. Unless you’re Florida fresh off elimination or Vegas still celebrating, preparing for the Draft has been among the top of the priority list for the remainder of the league and the Rangers are no exception. With five selections currently in their possession, the Rangers will choose once in the first round, once in the third and thrice across rounds five and six. There’s plenty of time for trades to take place which could result in them having more or less but given where the team currently is, I wouldn’t expect them to be looking to add more unless they decide they really like a certain prospect outside of their current selection areas. That being said, let’s take a look at some names projected to go later in the first round that could be in the Rangers wheelhouse.
The first question that has to be presented is what will the Rangers plan of attack be? I’m hesitant to suggest the Rangers should go into the draft with the mindset that they should focus on a specific position but I would say, restocking their depth on defense is certainly high on their list of needs. Once you get past Zac Jones and Matthew Roberston, the Rangers depth charts on defense are pretty bleak. Obviously, if an excitable name projected to go in the top 15 falls to the Rangers at 23rd overall, there’s no question that’s the pick they need to make. Nevertheless, assuming there aren’t major surprises, let's take a look at some names that could be available to the Rangers in the first round and who they should consider.
Tanner Molendyk, Defense
Tanner Molendyk is probably one of the ten best defensemen in this draft class but given the amount of high end talent at the forward positions and the more favored defenders ranked ahead of them, there’s a good chance he will be available once the Rangers are up to bat.
A strong two way defender, Molendyk saw a lot of ice time in the WHL with the Saskatoon Blades. He’s a great skater who works hard and has top-four potential. At 6”0, 180 lbs, he’s got a solid build to him with plenty of room to bulk up. In 67 games played last season he registered 37 points, just a tad over half a point a game. Molendyk certainly has potential and could be a great get if available late in the first round.
Mikhail Gulyayev, Defense
If the Rangers are indeed keen on defense, Mihail Gulyayev would be another left handed shot defenseman who could have their interest. Gulyayev has great skating abilities and a high hockey IQ that led to him averaging a point per game in the Russian junior league last season. He’s a highly offensive defender who has potential to be an NHL regular but likely has some work to do on his defensive side of his game. There’s a really good chance he’ll be available as he’s projected to go late in the first round but you will have to account for questionable availability as it’s becoming more and more of a challenge to get guys from Russia to North America. The good news is, whoever the Rangers draft here isn’t going to be expected to make the jump, so if they like what they see in Gulyayev, he could be an investment worth making.
Colby Barlow, Right Wing/Left Wing
While the Rangers are pretty well versed in winger depth, Colby Barlow could pan out to be the kind of player the Rangers are looking for. Compared to Jason Zucker, Barlow is a winger that can play either side, competes hard and brings an all around style of play to the lineup. He’s a strong utility type of player who plays a north/south game, can kill penalties and has a good shot to back it all up. He’s coming off a 79 point season which is well over a point per game in the OHL with Owen Sound. At 6”0, 190lbs, he’s got good size that will only increase in the coming years. The one downside is that he plays a style of game the Rangers need now but is likely a couple of years out from sniffing the NHL. Still, if he is available when the Rangers are heading up to the podium, he could be the best all around option.
RIley Heidt, Center, Left Wing
Riley Heidt is admittedly a name I’ve been pretty high on for a while but has since fallen deeper into the projections. He’s a proven goalscorer with fantastic hands and hockey IQ but his showing at the World Juniors may have hindered his promise. He was benched during crunch time of a bronze medal game which puts some question into his work ethic and compete levels. However, what he may lack in speed and tenacity, he makes up for with elusive skating abilities, puck handling and play-making abilities. There is plenty of work surrounding his game to be done and given the Rangers history with development, he may not be the best project to take on. However, if he’s caught the eye of Rangers scouts early on, they could look to go with him Wednesday Night.
Matthew Wood, Right Wing
I’ll be honest, I’m sleeping on Matthew Wood. The UCONN product had a great Freshman season, putting up a point per game average and made some noise at the 2023 U18 World’s. He’s a bigger bodied player and has the skill to back it up but his skating abilities are far from where they need to be at the NHL level. Rangers fans know how important skating can be, especially in young players as that’s also a shortcoming for Alexis Lafreniere that has yet to really be addressed. Now there’s a good chance Matthew Wood is already gone by the time the Rangers are up, even though I don’t have him going in the first round at all in my mock draft. He has inconsistencies and despite being from Connecticut myself, being a star at UCONN just doesn’t dress to impress. The Rangers are thin at Right Wing which could make him a good option, although there could be plenty of better ones, even if they are projected to go in the second round.
Ethan Gauthier, Right Wing
For any Rangers fans that might miss Julien Gauthier, don’t worry! There’s another one. Cousin of once upon a Ranger Julien, Ethan Gauthier is projected to be a fringe first round/second round selection. He’s about five inches shorter than cousin Julien but plays like he’s 6”4 and has really strong puck skill. He’s a creative player, great 1-on-1 and makes his presence known in the offensive zone. The Rangers do already have some smaller guys who play like they’re big in Adam Sykora and Bobby Trivigno which could turn them off to drafting another one. Although between the season he had in the QMJHL with the Sherbroke Phoenix and all his individual attributes, he might be a player you don’t want to pass up on.
Arttu Karki, Defense
A product of the Finnish Jr. League, Karki stands out not only in size, but with his overall game. He’s a big bodied, left handed shot defender with a cannon of a shot, strong ability to rush the puck out of the zone and make plays. Similarly to Gulyayev, he has some work to do defensively as he’s been critiqued for being a completely different player in his own end, lacking tenacity and being a little too halfhearted. Still, he was a top four defender for Tappara Jr. Which was one of the best teams in the Finnish Jr. League so the praise around this player is deserved, it’s up to the Rangers to decide if they want to take on a defensive project.
Mathieu Cataford, Center, RIght Wing
Coming off a 75 point season with the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL, I’m not sure why Cataford isn’t higher up on most mock drafts. He’s a great two way forward who can play center or wing, works hard, skates like a pro, has great vision, there aren’t many shortcomings to his game whatsoever. At 5”11 he isn’t overly small, he likely won’t breakout as a top six forward but can very well be a strong middle six guy which between his role and ability to play right wing is right up the Rangers alley. Other than Tanner Molendyk and Colby Barlow, Cataford would be one of the names from this list I’d be most excited about as a Rangers fan.
William Whitelaw, Right Wing, Center
Whitelaw’s another name I’m curious on why he isn’t ranked higher. A product of the most prestigious hockey academy in Shattuck St. Mary’s, William is committed to the University of Wisconsin. He just turned 18 back in February so will definitely take some time to start sniffing the NHL, but he’s among the top skaters in the draft, has a great shot and borderline elite talent in his puck handling. At 5”9, he is on the smaller size which NHL GM’s love to worry about but his contributions in the USHL speak for themselves. He has the potential to be a bit of a late bloomer, especially if he has a big year at Wisconsin. Taking him 23rd overall would certainly be a reach but considering the Rangers don’t have a second round pick, they might end up reaching on a guy regardless. At any rate, Whitelaw will be an interesting pick to keep an eye on in the years that follow the 2023 Entry Draft.
Theo Lindstein, Defense
Lastly, Theo Lindstein could be a great pick up on defense if Molendyk isn’t available. The young Swede has a respectable resume up to this point which includes playing on Sweden’s U18 team as a 16 year old. Between that and splitting time between the SHL and Sweden’s Junior League, Lindstein could push for an NHL gig sooner rather than later. He’s one of those defenseman that you won’t always hear about throughout a game and for the right reasons, similarly to Ryan Lindgren. He’s more defensive than offensive, makes very smart plays and is quite responsible both in transition and in his own end. There are some concerns with his puck handling abilities as his hands aren’t the greatest but of all things to have a young player focus on, that’s one of the better problems to have. The Rangers don’t have the best track record with drafting Swedish players but hopefully that can change if they go with Theo Lindstein.
Chris Feldman
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