Hughes or Kaapo?: Who do the Rangers Take?

The NHL draft is only a week away. The top three picks are owned by the New Jersey Devils, the New York Rangers, and the Chicago Blackhawks. The media's attention is centered heavily around the first two picks though. The hype around American forward Jack Hughes and Finnish phenom Kaapo Kakko is real; just look at their respected highlight tapes. However, as a Rangers fan, I'm less concerned about who the Devils take. They can take either of them; both forwards would be good. I am more concerned about who the Rangers would take and how it will affect the ongoing rebuild.

The Rangers have a history of drafting poorly. Going back to the 2010 Draft, they had the chance to pick Vladimir Tarasenko, Jaden Schwartz (two players currently in the Stanley Cup Final) or Cam Fowler, three elite talents. Instead, they chose Dylan McIlrath, a player who didn't break into the NHL until 2016 and was benched, scratched, and ultimately traded for a sixth-round pick in the 2017 draft. Glen Sather is no longer behind the wheel, Jeff Gorton now has control, and new president John Davidson is gearing up to speed up this rebuild and get the Blueshirts back into contention. Having the second pick is huge, but the decision is ultimately going to come down to who goes first: Hughes or Kaapo? I'll lay out the scenarios depending on which player goes first and how it could affect possible free agent signings

1) Hughes #1; Kaapo #2
This is the ideal draft situation for the Rangers. They are already loaded at center with Mika Zibenajed, Vlad Namestikov, Lias Andersson, Brett Howden and Ryan Strome all down the middle. Granted the last three aren't exactly elite centers, the 2018-19 season proved they could hold their own at the faceoff circle. The Rangers lack legitimate scoring and winger depth, which is why taking Kaapo would be the best. There would be a serious hole filled by an elite NHL prospect and along with incoming players like Vitali Kravtsov from Russia (the 2018 #6 pick), the Rangers offensive arsenal gets a much-needed boost. Drafting Kaapo would immediately set up a line that could be centered by Strome, Howden, or Andersson, with Kravtsov on the right and Kaapo on the left. The youth of that line would be tested but if they hype around these two is real, hopefully then the goals start coming in bunches. But how would drafting Kaapo shake up free agency? Adding Kaapo would allow the Rangers to use their cap space on an elite defenseman like Erik Karlsson, even though he is 29 and starting to show signs of slowing down. Winnipeg D Tyler Myers also comes to mind should they choose to use their cap space for a stronger back line. They could also continue their pursuit of Artemi Panarin to stack the winger depth and shift from being a defensive-minded team to an offensive-minded one. Ryan Dzingel is another player that stands out. He is relatively young (27) and had a great season with Columbus.

2) Kaapo #1; Hughes #2
While I would rather see Hughes go to the Devils with the first pick, I cannot stress his excellence on ice. He is part of the growing group of extremely talented American hockey players that are more prevalent every year at the draft. If the Devils take Kaapo first, the Rangers should be inclined to take Hughes, which really wouldn't hurt them. Hughes would add to a large group of centers that have had to play on the wing to make up for the lack of depth at that position. He would probably crack the NHL roster right out of training camp and would probably get the start over Brett Howden or Lias Andersson. The Hughes draft scenario would probably usher the idea of trading one of the two mentioned for picks or prospects, at the draft or post-draft. He would definitely solidify the center position, opening the door for spending on FAs like Panarin, Jordan Eberle, or Mats Zuccarello (the player every Ranger fan is dying to see back at Madison Square Garden, myself not included). The Rangers could also try to bolster the blue line with players like Erik Karlsson or Jake Gardiner, more offensive threats.

The summer rebuilding plan is contingent on the draft results next week. Whether the Rangers pick up Hughes or Kaapo will decide where the free agency money will go. Jeff Gorton, John Davidson, and head coach David Quinn will have to analyze the current assets they have to determine who will be inking contracts for NYR. A Top-6 forward or Top-4 defenseman is the real need, but free agent decisions will be based on draft choice. I hope it is Panarin; he would be a star for the Rangers. Yet it will all come down to who goes first.