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Here are all of the Rangers' picks from the 2026 NHL Draft...
Smits, 18, is a 6-foot-4 blue liner out of Latvia, who represented his country at the 2026 Winter Olympics. He played professionally with Jukurit in Finland's Liiga and for Municah in Germany's DEL.
He was the recipient of the E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence ahead of the draft, presented annually by the candidate who "best exemplifies commitment to excellence through strength of character, competitiveness, and athleticism."
In 52 professional games over the past two seasons, he has seven goals and nine assists. Smits got a taste of playoff action with Munich and tallied six points (two goals, four assists) in 11 games.
** New York also made a big splash on Day 1, acquiring winger Pavel Dorfeyev in a blockbuster deal with the Knights. Dorofeyev quickly inked a seven-year extension as part of the deal, and picks No. 26, 92, and a top-10 protected 2028 first-rounder went back to Vegas **
Just like they did with their first-round selection, New York is taking a swing to bolster their left side of the blueline long-term. MacBeath is a 6-foot-2 defenseman who put up a whopping 51 points at just 18 years old last season with the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL.
The Hockey News: MacBeath is considered one of the fastest-rising defensemen available in the draft. The 18-year-old had an incredibly impressive rookie campaign with the Hitmen, recording 51 points. This strong offensive output allowed him to finish 12th among rookie skaters and 16th among all defenders in the WHL. On the international stage, MacBeath also suited up for Team Canada at the World U18 Championship, finishing the tournament with a plus-five rating.
The Rangers have always done well taking goalies in the draft, and they grab one here in the third round. Shaiikov is still just 19 years old so Rangers fans likely won't see him for quite some time, but that's perfectly fine with New York set between the pipes with All-Star netminder Igor Shesterkin.
Shaiikov finished with a 2.78 GAA and .90 save percentage in 50 games last season.
Morrison is the third left-handed defenseman Chris Drury and the Rangers have grabbed in their first four picks. Unlike MacBeath, he isn't much of a producer on the offensive end, finishing with just 13 points in 41 games. He did average over 22 minutes of ice time this season, though, and contributes on the penalty kill.
TSHL: If Morrison is around, expect things to get a little rough. A defense-first blueliner, he stands out in many of the aspects of the game that are valuable in his own zone. The defenseman, who will play for UConn next season, loves to apply pressure on puck carriers. Morrison is capable of delivering solid body checks, but he is particularly effective at pinning opponents along the boards, using his stick to disrupt plays, and clearing the puck from dangerous areas. He was also head coach Éric Veilleux’s go-to option on the penalty kill with the Quebec Remparts.
New York addresses another position of need, grabbing a center in the third round. Chrenko is undersized at 5-foot-11, but his offensive ability makes him an intriguing high-upside swing. The 18-year-old finished with nine goals and 31 assists across 44 games last season at Slovakia's highest level.
Inside the Rink: Chrenko’s offensive game is built on hockey IQ and versatility. While he is not the flashiest individual talent, Chrenko molds his skills into a well-balanced offensive attack. As a playmaker, he has a strong ability to find teammates in the inner slot and other dangerous areas. Chrenko is also very effective as a supporting player, often acting as the connective piece during o-zone cycles.
The Rangers have traded up, sending picks No. 131 and 148 to Seattle for No. 102. With this selection, New York took Bowes, a left winger who scored 23 goals in the OHL last season. He added eight more points across nine playoff games, and is committed to playing at Providence next year.
Mondoux, 19, played 66 games with the OHL, scoring six goals and putting up 12 assists and was a plus-19 in that span. That production wasn't the same in the postseason, where he didn't record a point in four games and was a minus-2 on the ice.
He has committed to Notre Dame for the fall.
The 19-year-old comes to the Rangers after playing 60 games in the OHL. In that time, he scored 20 goals and made 25 assists, that production carried over into the OHL postseason, where he scored six goals and had seven assists in just eight games.
Patrikhayev is a 20-year-old Russian who shoots from the left and comes with plenty of experience playing in the MHL, KHL and VHL.
This past season, Patrikhayev scored three goals and assisted on 10 shots in 66 games with CSKA Moskva of the KHL.
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DAY 1
First round, pick No. 5: Defenseman Alberts Smits
Smits, 18, is a 6-foot-4 blue liner out of Latvia, who represented his country at the 2026 Winter Olympics. He played professionally with Jukurit in Finland's Liiga and for Municah in Germany's DEL.
He was the recipient of the E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence ahead of the draft, presented annually by the candidate who "best exemplifies commitment to excellence through strength of character, competitiveness, and athleticism."
In 52 professional games over the past two seasons, he has seven goals and nine assists. Smits got a taste of playoff action with Munich and tallied six points (two goals, four assists) in 11 games.
** New York also made a big splash on Day 1, acquiring winger Pavel Dorfeyev in a blockbuster deal with the Knights. Dorofeyev quickly inked a seven-year extension as part of the deal, and picks No. 26, 92, and a top-10 protected 2028 first-rounder went back to Vegas **
DAY 2
Second round, pick No. 64: D Benjamin MacBeath
Just like they did with their first-round selection, New York is taking a swing to bolster their left side of the blueline long-term. MacBeath is a 6-foot-2 defenseman who put up a whopping 51 points at just 18 years old last season with the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL.
The Hockey News: MacBeath is considered one of the fastest-rising defensemen available in the draft. The 18-year-old had an incredibly impressive rookie campaign with the Hitmen, recording 51 points. This strong offensive output allowed him to finish 12th among rookie skaters and 16th among all defenders in the WHL. On the international stage, MacBeath also suited up for Team Canada at the World U18 Championship, finishing the tournament with a plus-five rating.
Third round, pick No. 67: G Danai Shaiikov
The Rangers have always done well taking goalies in the draft, and they grab one here in the third round. Shaiikov is still just 19 years old so Rangers fans likely won't see him for quite some time, but that's perfectly fine with New York set between the pipes with All-Star netminder Igor Shesterkin.
Shaiikov finished with a 2.78 GAA and .90 save percentage in 50 games last season.
Third round, pick No. 77: D Charlie Morrison
Morrison is the third left-handed defenseman Chris Drury and the Rangers have grabbed in their first four picks. Unlike MacBeath, he isn't much of a producer on the offensive end, finishing with just 13 points in 41 games. He did average over 22 minutes of ice time this season, though, and contributes on the penalty kill.
TSHL: If Morrison is around, expect things to get a little rough. A defense-first blueliner, he stands out in many of the aspects of the game that are valuable in his own zone. The defenseman, who will play for UConn next season, loves to apply pressure on puck carriers. Morrison is capable of delivering solid body checks, but he is particularly effective at pinning opponents along the boards, using his stick to disrupt plays, and clearing the puck from dangerous areas. He was also head coach Éric Veilleux’s go-to option on the penalty kill with the Quebec Remparts.
Third round, pick No. 81: C Tomas Chrenko
New York addresses another position of need, grabbing a center in the third round. Chrenko is undersized at 5-foot-11, but his offensive ability makes him an intriguing high-upside swing. The 18-year-old finished with nine goals and 31 assists across 44 games last season at Slovakia's highest level.
Inside the Rink: Chrenko’s offensive game is built on hockey IQ and versatility. While he is not the flashiest individual talent, Chrenko molds his skills into a well-balanced offensive attack. As a playmaker, he has a strong ability to find teammates in the inner slot and other dangerous areas. Chrenko is also very effective as a supporting player, often acting as the connective piece during o-zone cycles.
Fourth round, pick No. 102 (Via SEA): LW Spencer Bowes
The Rangers have traded up, sending picks No. 131 and 148 to Seattle for No. 102. With this selection, New York took Bowes, a left winger who scored 23 goals in the OHL last season. He added eight more points across nine playoff games, and is committed to playing at Providence next year.
Sixth round, pick No. 162: D Andre Mondoux
Mondoux, 19, played 66 games with the OHL, scoring six goals and putting up 12 assists and was a plus-19 in that span. That production wasn't the same in the postseason, where he didn't record a point in four games and was a minus-2 on the ice.
He has committed to Notre Dame for the fall.
Sixth round, pick No. 163: RW Darian Anderson
The 19-year-old comes to the Rangers after playing 60 games in the OHL. In that time, he scored 20 goals and made 25 assists, that production carried over into the OHL postseason, where he scored six goals and had seven assists in just eight games.
Seventh round, pick No. 193: D Ivan Patrikhayev
Patrikhayev is a 20-year-old Russian who shoots from the left and comes with plenty of experience playing in the MHL, KHL and VHL.
This past season, Patrikhayev scored three goals and assisted on 10 shots in 66 games with CSKA Moskva of the KHL.
Continue reading...
