With the Montreal Canadiens’ 3-2 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres in Game 7 of their second-round series, the New York Rangers are now locked into the No. 26 slot for their second first-round pick of the 2026 NHL Draft. The pick originally belonged to the Dallas Stars and came to New York courtesy of last year’s trade that sent defenseman K’Andre Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes.

The selection won’t garner as much attention as the Rangers’ first pick at No. 5, but it still stands as a valuable asset in their effort to restock a depleted prospect pool. It could also be dangled in trade talks aimed at accelerating team president Chris Drury’s retool plans.

If Drury keeps the pick, it will be fascinating to watch how the board shakes out. There are a group of players expected to go somewhere in the top half of the first round, but the second half is considered much more jumbled.

“If you’re in the top 13, 15 you can do well,” an NHL team scout told The Athletic. “After that, it drops off.”

That’s not to say intriguing talents won’t be available, but the order will be in the eye of the beholder. Prospects some teams view as a worthy first-rounder based on their needs and values may receive a much lower grade from other clubs.

The Rangers have needs all over, but center could be a particular area of interest with the 26th pick. There are two reasons for that:

1. Unless top-ranked center Caleb Malhotra slips to No. 5, they’re likely to target a defenseman with that first selection.

2. There’s an interesting mix of pivots who many believe have flaws that will keep them out of the top 15 but are expected to go in the 15-30 range.

That’s why you’ll see more centers than any other position on this list of targets, which is based on my initial conversations and research. I included a few wingers and defensemen to properly assess all options while leaning on some of the in-depth work done by our prospect writers at The Athletic, Corey Pronman and Scott Wheeler.

Forwards

Tomáš Chrenko, C, Nitra (Slovakia) — There are varying opinions on the 5-foot-11, 172-pounder, who’s been highly productive at multiple levels in Slovakia and stands out as one of the best offensive talents who could be available in this range. Wheeler ranked him 28th and wrote, “He should be a first-rounder all day,” but Pronman is much more skeptical. He praised Chrenko’s “high-end creativity” and “strong speed and edge work,” but ranked him 65th due to concerns about being pushed around and the possibility of him moving to wing.

Alexander Command, C, Örebro (Sweden) — The 6-foot-1, 183-pounder would be a fairly popular choice if he makes it to No. 26, but most see that as unlikely. Pronman and Wheeler had him inside the top 18 of their most recent mock drafts, noting his mix of smarts, strength on pucks and a quick left-handed release as appealing traits for NHL clubs.

Maddox Dagenais, C, Quebec (QMJHL) — Listed at 6-foot-4 and 196 pounds, Dagenais was Wheeler’s choice for New York in his latest mock, where he wrote, “(Dagenais) checks a lot of boxes and played his way into the first round in the second half of this season.” According to Pronman, Dagenais has “all the aesthetic tools,” including size, physicality and “a high-end” left-handed shot that made him the No. 1 pick in the 2024 QMJHL Draft.

Jack Hextall, C, Youngstown (USHL) — Another center who may not make it to the Rangers, the 6-foot-1, 188-pounder plays with strength, smarts and dependable two-way commitment. Wheeler ranked the Michigan State commit at No. 27 while questioning his offensive upside, but Pronman had Hextall at No. 19 and called him “a skilled center with excellent offensive sense.”

Simas Ignatavicius, RW, Genève-Servette (Switzerland) — The 6-foot-3, 198-pounder has some experience at center but is mostly projected on the wing. Regardless of position, Ignatavicius brings a blend of tools — size, speed, hands and adeptness driving the net — that could make him a late first-round consideration. He was the Rangers’ pick here in Wheeler and Pronman’s joint mock draft from Tuesday morning.

Nikita Klepov, LW, Saginaw (OHL) — One of the only no-doubt wingers on this list has some big proponents (like Wheeler, who ranked him 16th) and detractors (Pronman has him at No. 44). The Rangers may find the upside too enticing to pass up if he slips to No. 26, similar to when they snagged Gabe Perreault at No. 23 in 2023. Klepov led the OHL with 97 points (37 goals and 60 assists) in 67 games this season, and while size (6-foot-0, 180 pounds) and strength are common knocks against him, the Michigan State commit’s playmaking and deception give him top-six potential at a draft range where that could be hard to find. (Kamloops’ JP Hurlbert could fall into a similar category.)

Ilia Morozov, C, Miami University (NCAA) — The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder centered Miami’s top line for much of the season as one of the youngest players in the NCAA and held his own with 20 points (eight goals and 12 assists) in 36 games. He may never be a big point-producer, but Morozov is quite mobile for his size and “projects as a bottom six center who coaches will love to have in the playoffs,” according to Pronman, who ranked him 33rd. Wheeler has him at No. 22.

Brooks Rogowski, C, Oshawa (OHL) — Pronman had the 6-foot-7, 235-pounder as his pick for New York in his latest mock, calling him “a massive swing on sheer upside” while comparing him to 2024 Bruins first-round pick and current Boston College center Dean Letourneau. Wheeler doesn’t seem as convinced about his No. 50 prospect, noting that some evaluators see the Michigan State commit as “a big player who doesn’t involve himself or impose himself nearly enough for their liking and are turned off by his lack of intensity.”

Liam Ruck, RW, Medicine Hat (WHL) — We’ll finish off the forwards with a pair of twins whose stock seems to be on the rise. Both were highly productive while willing Medicine Hat to the third round of the WHL playoffs, but Liam is ranked higher by Pronman and Wheeler after registering 104 points (45 goals and 59 assists) in 68 games. The 6-foot, 176-pounder plays a “direct, scoring game,” according to Wheeler, with a high motor and good defensive instincts. Skating is the primary knock, but many see him as a prospect with the hockey sense and scoring touch to overcome it.

Markus Ruck, C, Medicine Hat (WHL) — Markus edged his twin brother with 108 points (21 goals and 87 assists) to lead the CHL while functioning as more of a facilitator than a finisher. Some view the 6-foot, 167-pounder as a likely second-rounder due to concerns about his skating while playing in the middle and his slighter frame. But Markus, too, is a committed two-way player with penalty-killing experience to go along with all of those points. Wheeler has him ranked 35th, while Pronman has him all the way at 87th.

Defensemen

Tommy Bleyl, RHD, Moncton (QMJHL) — I share in any skepticism about the Rangers taking an undersized defenseman in the first round, given their preference for bigger bodies on the blue line, but no defenseman can match the 6-foot, 165-pounder’s skill in this range. The Schenectady, N.Y., native (and yet another Michigan State commit) racked up 81 points (13 goals and 68 assists) this season, plus another 28 (six goals and 22 assists) in 21 playoff games, to go along with what Wheeler described as “effortless mobility.”

Adam Goljer, RHD, Trencin (Slovakia) — Pronman is decidedly higher on the 6-foot-1, 195-pounder, whom he ranked 21st overall and described as “a steady top-four defenseman who could provide value at both ends of the ice.” Wheeler has Goljer at No. 40, mainly due to a lack of consistency and offensive production.

William Hakansson, LHD, Luleå (Sweden) — The 6-foot-4, 207-pounder may be the hardest to pass up among the listed defensemen due to his athleticism and projectability. He doesn’t put up a lot of points but makes a good first pass and is stout defensively. Hakansson is ranked No. 23 for Pronman and No. 31 for Wheeler, with the latter writing that he is “never going to provide a ton of offense or be as mean as you’d maybe like, but he has a lot of the attributes teams are looking for in a depth two-way partner.”

Juho Piiparinen, RHD, Tappara (Finland) — The 6-foot-3, 203-pounder could be viewed as a bit of a reach here, with Pronman and Wheeler ranking him 38th in the class. Wheeler described Piiparinen as a bit “vanilla,” but his well-rounded game with no major flaws make him a relatively safe play for teams searching for a high floor in this range.