SAINT PAUL, Minn. — With the Rangers hovering over the bottom of the NHL standings, it’s easy to root for whatever outcome would most likely lead to general manager Chris Drury announcing Gavin McKenna’s name on the draft stage at KeyBank Center in Buffalo this June.
The worse the Blueshirts’ record is by the end of the season the better the organization’s draft lottery odds will be.
Certainly, a higher draft pick would be welcomed by a Rangers team that is actively looking to get younger.
Drawing the No. 1 pick for the second time in seven drafts feels like a long shot, but the Rangers learned there is no such thing in 2020, when the ping-pong ball with the organization’s crest popped out of the machine and allowed the team to take Alexis Lafrenière despite having the 14th-best odds.