Ranking New York Rangers’ all-time Top 5 strongest NHL draft classes

The New York Rangers will be looking to make a splash at the 2025 NHL Draft. The Blue Shirts hold the 12th overall pick and hope to land a solid player at that spot.

However, history is not on the Rangers’ side. The club has been relatively unlucky over the years, failing to land one truly great draft class. Instead, the Rangers have been savvy at picking individual players as individual classes go by without ceremony.

With that in mind, here’s a look at the top five stronger NHL draft classes by the New York Rangers.

Top five strong New York Rangers NHL Draft classes

#5 2005

Coincidentally, the New York Rangers held the 12th overall pick in 2005. They used it on blue liner Marc Staal of the Sudbury Wolves. Staal played in over 1,100 games with the bulk of them coming in New York. He was a key member of the 2014 squad that went to the Stanley Cup Final.

That draft class also yielded Tom Pyatt, who appeared in 445 games, with four others making it to the NHL.

#4 2004

The draft class in 2004 produced several serviceable players. Lauri Korpikoski (#19) played in over 600 games, with Brandon Dubinsky (#60) hitting the ice for more than 820 games.

While goaltender Al Montoya, taken with the sixth pick, was a huge bust, Ryan Callahan, the 757-game vet, was a steal in the fourth round.

The New York Rangers had two other players make the NHL, playing 16 games between the two.

#3 1990

The 1990 NHL Draft was a solid one for the New York Rangers. The team’s first-round pick was a regrettable one, as Michael Stewart, taken with the #13 pick, would never make the NHL.

But Doug Weight did. He played in over 1,200 games. The Rangers got him at #34. However, he played parts of just two seasons in New York.

The draft also yielded another 1,000-gamer, Sergei Zubov, with the 85th pick. He was an important member of the 1994 championship team, as was fellow Russian Sergei Nemchinov, a 12th-rounder. Nemchinov played in over 700 NHL games.

#2 1986

In 1986, the New York Rangers had the ninth-overall pick. That pick became Hall of Famer Brian Leetch. Leetch was the cornerstone of the 1994 championship team. He played in over 1,200 games, the bulk with the Rangers.

The draft also yielded longtime NHLer Mark Janssens with the #72 pick and Darren Turcotte, a sixth-rounder, who appeared in 635 games.

#1 2020

The 2020 New York Rangers’ draft class gets the nod since it has been the class that’s produced the highest number of players impacting the team at any one point.

The Rangers were fortunate to land the top pick in the NHL Draft Lottery, using it on Alexis Lafreniere. He’s notched 193 points in 380 games and looks to be part of the team’s plans for the foreseeable future.

Braden Schneider was taken with the 19th-overall pick, with Will Cuylle landing at #60 in the second round.

Late-rounders Brett Berard and Matt Rempe have also played on role on the current Rangers’ team.