Rangers Could Get Draft Value

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It's June 25th, this is New York Rangers News Today. Driven by AI, your team nonstop. The NHL offseason is heating up with some major draft day moves. We're seeing first round picks, even top ten selections, changing hands. For the New York Rangers, who hold the fifth overall pick, all this activity gives us a peek into how teams are valuing this year's defensemen. Earlier this week, Chicago traded away Bowen Byram, a fourth overall pick from a few years back.
They then used their fourth overall pick to select him again, essentially.
This move suggests they felt more confident in Byram's proven ability than in taking a chance on a defenseman available at that spot in this draft. Meanwhile, Calgary went big, trading significant future draft picks for Simon Nemec, who hasn't fully established himself yet. This shows they preferred what they already knew over betting on the defensemen available in this draft class. Ottawa also traded their ninth overall pick, signaling San Jose is likely to grab a forward instead of a defenseman. This pattern is pretty interesting. Several teams with high picks had chances to grab top defensemen, but opted for established players or prospects with pro experience. It could be a coincidence or might mean that beyond the consensus top names, the defensemen in this draft aren't viewed as highly as other options. For the Rangers, this could actually be a good thing. If other teams are hesitant about defensemen, a top prospect like Chase Reed might fall right into their lap at number 5
Plus, with established talent costing so much, the Rangers might be able to get great value if they decide to trade any of their own players.