The Rangers started a rebuild less than two years ago, and it's safe to say things are well ahead of progress. Despite a play-in sweep at the hands of the Hurricanes upon the restart, New York has a Hart finalist in Artemi Panarin, a top pick from last year's draft in Kaapo Kakko and the heir apparent to Henrik Lundqvist in Alexandar Georgiev (or is it Igor Shesterkin? Good problem to have). Now they can add what many think is a generational talent to the list.
On Monday the Rangers won the 2020 NHL Draft lottery, meaning for the first time in franchise history they'll pick first at the upcoming draft. Which means they will be the landing spot for Alexis Lafreniere, an 18-year-old wunderkind from Quebec. The left winger scored 112 points in just 52 games in the QMJHL, earning his second straight Canadian Hockey League Player of the Year honor. The only other player to win the award twice: Sidney Crosby. He turned out okay.
Though it will be New York's first No. 1 overall pick, it is the 15th time since the inception of the entry draft in 1979 that the team will pick in the top-10. How did those other 11 fare? There was an absolute slam dunk, but otherwise it's been underwhelming.
Kaapo Kakko (2019): Similar to this year, the Rangers had the sixth-best odds to win the lottery, but wound up with the second overall selection. They used it on Kakko, the Finnish right winger who had a bit of a disappointing rookie season in 2019-20. In 66 games he scored 10 goals and notched 13 assists (11 of which came on the power play), at times undergoing a few extended droughts. Of course, he's still only 19 and went right from his junior season to the World Junior Championships, to prospect camp, to rookie camp, to the NHL season, without a break. His future is still bright.
Vitali Kravtsov (2018): Two years ago the Rangers used the ninth overall selection on Kravtsov, a Russian winger who hasn't yet made his NHL debut. He spent the year after the draft in the KHL before coming to the U.S. prior to this season. He split the year into three segments: starting in Hartford with the Wolf Pack, going on loan back to the KHL before returning to the Pack in December. He finished his AHL season with six goals in 39 games.
Lias Andersson (2017): The 2020 draft will be the fourth straight in which the Rangers have a top-10 pick. The first in that stretch was Andersson, the seventh overall pick out of Sweden, who has been a disappointment to this point. He stayed in Sweden for a few months after being drafted before going to the Wolf Pack. Upon his call-up in March 2018 he became the youngest Ranger to score in his NHL debut, but that was the high point. He played 42 NHL games in 2018-19, scoring just two goals and six points. He made the team out of camp this year, but recorded a lone assist in 17 games before being sent down. He reportedly asked for a trade in December, and was sent on loan back to Sweden for the remainder of the season.
Dylan McIlrath (2010): The 10th overall pick in 2010, the tough defenseman hasn't hung around the NHL for long bouts since his debut in 2014. He played just 38 regular season games for the Blue Shirts between 2014 and 2016, the majority of which came in 2015-16 (two goals, two assists and 64 penalty minutes in 34 games). The rest of the time was spent with the Connecticut Whale/Wolf Pack before he was ultimately waived, then traded to the Panthers early in 2016. After just five games with Florida and a stint in Springfield with the Thunderbirds he was dealt again, this time to the Red Wings. This past year he appeared in 16 games.
Al Montoya (2006): Not realizing a franchise icon was soon coming, New York used the sixth overall pick in 2006 on the goaltender Montoya. Though he spent nine years in the NHL with six different teams, none of those were with the Rangers. He spent three years with the Wolf Pack, but upon Henrik Lundqvist becoming an All-Star he never got the NHL call up. In February 2008 he was dealt to Phoenix, where he made his debut the next season. He'd wind up playing in 168 games with the Coyotes, Islanders, Jets, Panthers, Canadiens and Oilers.
Dan Blackburn (2001): The Rangers drafted Montoya in part because their No. 6 pick in 2001 didn't pan out. Blackburn was going to be the heir apparent to Mike Richter, whom he backed up as a rookie in 2001-02. He did enough to earn a nod on the NHL All-Rookie Team, but when Richter suffered a concussion the next season, the workload became a lot for Blackburn, who general manager Glen Sather felt had some burn out. The team traded for Mike Dunham, and by 2005 Blackburn was forced to retire due to a shoulder injury that left him with nerve damage.
Pavel Brendl (1999): Thanks to a pair of trades with Chicago and Calgary, the team had two top-10 picks in 1999, the first of which was used on Brendl. He spent just two years in the organization before going to Philadelphia in the 2001 Eric Lindros trade. New York won that part of the trade, as Brendl appeared in only 78 NHL games over four seasons with Philly, Carolina and Phoenix.
Jamie Lundmark (1999): Five picks after Brendl, the Rangers used the ninth selection on Lundmark. Though he, too, was underwhelming, he's been the most successful Rangers top-10 pick since 1999. Debuting in 2002-03 at age 22, he appeared in 111 games over the following two seasons, scoring 10 goals. Three games into 2005-06 he was traded to Phoenix for Jeff Taffe, was dealt again later that season to Calgary, and spent the rest of his career with the Flames, Kings and Maple Leafs.
Manny Malhotra (1998): He had a journeyman career, but played just shy of 1,000 NHL games (991) after going seventh overall to the Rangers in '98. Between 1998 and 2002 he played in 206 games with the Blue Shirts, recording 41 points. Mixed in were multiple stints with the Wolf Pack, with whom he won the 2000 Calder Cup. In March 2002 his Rangers career ended with a trade to Dallas, the second of what would be seven different teams Malhotra would play for in a 18-year career that ended in 2015.
Niklas Sundstrom (1993): A very good two-way forward, the winger went eighth overall to the Rangers in '93. He made his debut at the start of the 1995-96 season and spent the next four years with the big club, highlighted by a 52-point season in '96-97 that ended with multiple Selke votes. Before the 1999 draft he was sent to Tampa Bay in a multi-team trade that saw the Rangers acquire Chicago's first-round pick, which they used on Brendl. Sundstrom would have a 10-year career overall, scoring 117 goals.
Jay More (1987): More actually had two stints with the Rangers. First, he was selected by the team with the 10th pick in 1987, and appeared in a single game in '88-89. He was then traded to Minnesota, shortly thereafter dealt to Montreal and was ultimately picked in the 1991 expansion draft by the Sharks. Fast forward to August 1996 and he was traded back to the Rangers as part of a package deal for Marty McSorley. It would be another short stint in New York, as he was sent the following February to Phoenix. Over 10 years he would play for six NHL teams.
Brian Leetch (1986): All of the above picks were, to be blunt, not great. Leetch might make up for all of them. The Chesire native went ninth overall to the Rangers and made his debut shortly after the 1988 Olympics. Needless to say he stuck, winning the Calder Trophy as a rookie and never looking back. He played in 1,127 games over the next 17 years for New York, earning five All-Star nods, two Norris Trophies and being the Conn Smythe honoree for the 1994 Stanley Cup champions. His No. 2 is retired by the team, and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009, his first year of eligibility.
Ulf Dahlen (1985): The seventh overall pick in '85, Dahlen enjoyed a successful 14-year career, where he played in 944 games. The first 189 of those came with the Rangers, where the winger came onto the scene hot. Debuting in 1987-88 he scored 29 goals as a rookie, following it up with 24 in just 56 games the season after. He was traded to Minnesota in March 1990 in exchange for Mike Gartner and spent the next four years with the North Stars, notching a pair of 30-goal seasons and scoring the final goal in North Stars' history.
James Patrick (1981): The team's first top-10 pick in entry draft history, Patrick was the ninth overall pick. The defenseman enjoyed 11 seasons in New York, earning Norris votes in three different seasons throughout his 20s. Unfortunately for him, his contributions to the 1994 Stanley Cup winning team was minimal. Just six games into the season he was traded to the Whalers along with Darren Turcotte. He played 10 more seasons, appearing in 1,280 games overall before going into coaching, where he's currently the head man in Winnipeg.