Explaining the Rangers' first-round draft pick conundrum

Chris Drury of the New York Rangers at the 2022 NHL Draft at the Bell Centre in Montreal. Credit: Getty Images/Bruce Bennett
When the Rangers traded their first-round pick in 2025 to the Vancouver Canucks as part of the package to acquire center J.T. Miller, general manager Chris Drury negotiated the pick to be top-13 protected, meaning if it fell within the top 13 selections, the Rangers would get to keep it this year and give up their first-rounder in 2026 instead.
As it turned out, the Rangers missed the playoffs, and the pick ended up falling at No. 12. So now, Drury has a decision to make.
With the NHL draft set for Friday and Saturday in Los Angeles, the Rangers have until Wednesday, 48 hours before the draft, to inform the Pittsburgh Penguins — who now own the rights to the pick after acquiring it in a trade with the Canucks — if they will transfer the pick this year or surrender it next year.
Drury could keep the pick and gamble that the Rangers will have a bounce-back season under new coach Mike Sullivan. If they do, and they make the playoffs, they would get a pick no higher than No. 17 in next year’s draft.
But if Drury wants to go after a restricted free agent this summer — and the market for unrestricted free agents has been described by many as underwhelming — he might need to have possession of his first-round pick next year. Teams that sign an RFA to an offer sheet with an average annual value between $4.68 million and $7.02 million will be required to give up their first- and third-round picks in 2026 as compensation if the player’s team opts to not match the offer.
The free-agent signing period begins July 1. If the Rangers intend to sign a big-money RFA, they’d need to have their first-rounder next year, and thus would have to give up their pick this year.
If the Rangers miss the playoffs again this season and find themselves in the lottery for the second straight year, their 2026 pick could turn out to be higher than No. 12 overall.
Edstrom gets two-year deal
The Rangers on Monday announced they have signed forward Adam Edstrom to a two-year deal that a source said carries an average annual value of $975,000. It matches the deal signed by Edstrom’s pal Matt Rempe, who signed with the club last Wednesday.
Signing Edstrom, 24, who had been a restricted free agent with arbitration rights, allows the Rangers to bring back what had been an effective fourth line last season with the 6-7, 241-pound Edstrom and the 6-9, 255-pound Rempe on the wings, flanking center Sam Carrick.
Edstrom had five goals and four assists in 51 games last season before suffering a lower-body injury that caused him to miss the final 31 games. He revealed at Breakup Day he had surgery, but he is expected to be ready for training camp.
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