Except for the first four or five "Automatic" Draft choices, opinions differ when the 2025 edition is examined.

This is especially true of the Rangers. With no picks in the first round, the first pick by GM Chris Drury was in the Swing-Low-Sweet-Chariot Second Round's 43d position.

Malcolm Spence may have slotted in a lot lower than expected but he does have an upside.

Maven's Round Table exalted member and super scout Jess Rubenstein examines the Blueshirts' 2025 collection with these commentaries: 

"Spence and Sean Barnhill got the Rangers off to a good start with the second and third round picks.

"Fourth Round pick Mikkel Eriksen is a smallish forward so he gets an 'incomplete' grade.  To his defense, I was told he was Norway's best under 18 player.

"Zeb Lindgren (fifth) is decent defensively but has no offensive upside. 'Skinny' says he gets rattled under pressure.

"Samuel Jung (sixth) is such a mystery; everyone is asking 'Who is he?' is. Only one scouting service even had him ranked and even then it was at 300 (there are only 224 draft picks)!

"Evan Passmore (sixth) has a huge body and is a decent defender but with no offense.

"Felix Farhammar is another mystery pick but I am going to give him the benefit of the doubt because he was taken at 203 and the last Swedish prospect they took this late was at 205 – Henrik Lundqvist!"

SUM TOTAL: Eight picks: two from OHL, one from USHL, and five Europeans. Five defensemen, one left wing, one right wing, and one center. Zero goalies.

Why The Rangers Did Well Without A First Round Draft Pick I'm not going to sit here and tell you that it's a good idea NOT to have a first-round pick in the Entry Draft but – on the other hand – it's not the worst thing in the world either.

The Rangers have not drafted anyone from the WHL since 2021. None from my favorite Major Junior team, the Portland Winterhawks, since 2014.

Rubenstein's Grade: "I give this Rangers Draft a C. The scouting staff allowed some good talent to go elsewhere.

"By contrast, I give the Islanders an A++. I give Mathieu Darche such a high mark partly because of his three first-round picks, which were excellent. 

"In addition, Darche got a steal of a goalie in the sixth round in Burke Hood of the Vancouver Giants who head coach Patrick Roy is going to love developing!"