According to Arthur Staple of The Athletic, a bizarre rumor out of New York that the Rangers weren’t willing to trade their first-round pick in 2024 because the NHL Draft was being held in The Sphere in Las Vegas is inaccurate. A previous report by TSN suggested the owner wanted to hold onto that pick because it would mean taking part in history. It might be that New York to pick as part of that draft, but that rumor has been debunked.
There was a report recently that the Rangers’ 2024 first is off the table this deadline because Rangers owner Jim Dolan is hosting the NHL Draft at The Sphere, Madison Square Garden’s new structure in Las Vegas. We’re told that’s not the case, so Drury is seemingly free to investigate deals that involve this June’s first-round pick.
Why Wouldn’t the Rangers Use Their First-Round Draft Pick?
Staple mentioned the rumor because of the discussion in a recent article about the Rangers and their trade deadline plans. Specifically, they have an interest in Scott Laughton out of Philadelphia. If the Rangers and Flyers make a trade, it is believed New York will have to part with their first-rounder. That would mean moving the pick the team wants to keep for the draft at The Sphere — a building that Dolan owns.
The Rangers also aren’t likely to trade Kaapo Kakko to the Flyers. Frankly, they don’t want to move a player to a team they will repeatedly play against. The last thing the Rangers need is for Kakko to be constantly burning them as he grows in Philadelphia. It would be a regular reminder they might have been better off not trading the player.
Witnessing a substantial trade unfold between two teams potentially headed for a first-round playoff showdown would be quite intriguing. If the Rangers find themselves in a position of necessity with the required assets, logic dictates that the Flyers would entertain the best available offer, even if it entails facing Laughton on the ice four times each year.
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