N.H.L. Draft: Rangers Go Big, While Devils and Islanders Look for Scorers

While this year’s N.H.L. draft was virtual, it may have produced some very real talent for the three franchises in the New York metropolitan area.

The Rangers selected the consensus top prospect, Alexis Lafreniere, first over all and made another first-round pick after they traded up three slots. The Devils had three first-round selections, including the No. 7 pick, the Swedish wing Alexander Holtz. The Devils did not qualify for the postseason, and the Rangers were the first team eliminated.

The Islanders, who reached the conference finals, were without a pick in the first two rounds.

The draft was originally scheduled for June in Montreal, which would have been fitting as Lafreniere became the first Quebecois player selected No. 1 since Pittsburgh took goalie Marc-Andre Fleury in 2003. But the coronavirus pandemic forced suspension of play in March, delaying the playoffs until the summer and necessitating a virtual draft as fans also saw in the N.F.L., W.N.B.A. and Major League Baseball.

Despite the deferral, the first pick was a dream realized for Lafreniere and the Rangers. The Rangers, who had not selected first since the expansion era began in 1967, added a polished prospect with the skill and poise to compete at the top level immediately.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/08/sports/hockey/nhl-draft-rangers-islanders-devils.html