The New York Rangers had a disastrous 2024-25 campaign and are focusing on the upcoming 2025 NHL Entry Draft before trying to improve their team in free agency. As the draft approaches, there are split opinions on the strength of the draft class, but there is no denying that there will be some hidden stars in the later rounds. With that in mind, here are three potential targets for the Rangers at 43rd overall in the upcoming draft.
Jack Ivankovic
The first target is goaltender Jack Ivankovic, who might be one of the strongest goalies in the upcoming draft class and could slip into the second round. His draft stock has dropped a bit as he has been overshadowed by the strong performance of Joshua Ravensbergen, who has pulled away as the best goaltender in the upcoming draft class, but he could still be a steal for the Rangers if he’s available to them in the second round.
Ivankovic, who stands 6-feet, 179 pounds, is from Mississauga, Ontario, and played the 2024-25 campaign with the Brampton Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). In 43 games, he posted a 3.05 goals-against-average (GAA) and a .903 save percentage (SV%). He also played in the U18 World Championship and appeared in the U20 World Championship representing Canada. He played six games at the U18 tournament, posting a 1.05 GAA and a .961 SV%. In his one appearance at the U20 tournament, he stopped 24 of 26 shots in a loss.
While the Rangers’ goaltending depth is solid, Ivankovic is a solid addition to their prospect pool. By the time Jonathan Quick retires and they have found a new backup, Ivankovic can start to work his way toward, eventually, trying to crack the NHL roster. He will benefit from going back to the OHL and fine-tuning parts of his game that need fixing, but he already has the foundation and potential to become a solid professional goaltender.
Peyton Kettles
The second target is towering defender Peyton Kettles, who spent this season with the Swift Current Broncos in the Western Hockey League (WHL), where he scored five goals and added nine assists for 14 points through 53 games. He stands 6-foot-5, 194 pounds, and while this might be a bit of a reach at 43rd overall, he is a physical defensive defender who would provide stability as a bottom-pairing defender within a few seasons.
His size, combined with the fact that he is a right-shot defender, will entice some teams to take a chance on him if he’s available in the second round. The Rangers could take a chance on him there and turn him into a project player. With some added confidence and some fine-tuning to his offensive game, he could attempt to crack an NHL roster within two or three seasons.
Haoxi “Simon” Wang
Haoxi “Simon” Wang, is a left-shot defender from Beijing, China. He stands 6-foot-6, 212 pounds, and is another towering defender that the Rangers could take a chance on if he falls to them at 43rd overall. He is committed to Boston University in the NCAA for the 2025-26 season, and played the 2024-25 campaign split between the King Rebellion of the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) and the Oshawa Generals of the OHL.
With the Rebellion, he scored four goals and added 18 assists for 22 points through 38 games. With the Generals, he had two assists through 32 games. He is a solid defensive-minded player who will be an enticing selection for any team looking to bolster their prospect pool with a potential future bottom-pairing defender.
Any of these players could be solid selections at 43rd overall for the Rangers, but there are plenty of options for them. Time will tell what direction they decide to go, but these three players should at least be on their radar.
As the 2024-25 postseason moves along, be sure to continue following The Hockey Writers as your source for news from around the NHL and the hockey world.
-1736903671-q80.webp "Packers Sign Ex-Bears Rookie DL Amid Flurry of Roster Moves")
-1736655941-q80.webp "Browns Linked to Major CB Trade With NFC Contender")
