Draft Drama: Top Defensemen Rise | New York Rangers News

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On July 22nd, welcome back to the Hockey Insider Podcast. Today, we're diving into the buzz surrounding the 2026 NHL draft. The New York Rangers made ways in the third round, selecting goaltender Danai Shaiikov. After improving significantly with the Salt, he's now eyeing Michigan State, unless he makes an early NHL debut, a rarity for an 18-year-old defenseman. The top picks this year are generating plenty of excitement. McKenna is almost guaranteed to go first to Toronto.
Although there were murmurs about the Leafs targeting a defenseman, McKenna appears to be the obvious choice.
This draft class boasts remarkable defensive talent, including Rudolf, Smits and Reid, a formidable trio. If McKenna isn't taken first, it's hard to imagine any of these defensemen slipping outside the top five. It ultimately comes down to team priorities. Some franchises may value specific traits. Take Smits, for example. He's already competed at the World Juniors and Olympics, which makes him a solid candidate for immediate NHL contributions.
But watch out for Reid. Analysts project him as a future top-tier defenseman in just one or two years. San Jose is widely expected to snap him up with the second overall pick. That's it for today's Deep Dive. Thanks for tuning in. Don't forget to subscribe and join us next time for more hockey news and analysis. From your team, powered by AI, this is New York Rangers News Today.