The Rangers only have twelve games left on the schedule and right now have the ninth worst record in the NHL. They could still end up with the 5th overall pick, but could also finish 11th from the bottom. While not a disaster, history has proven that the odds of drafting a future star decrease greatly after the top seven picks.
Winning games is great, but stealing a point in Florida and beating the Hurricanes at Madison Square Garden really hurt the proverbial “drive to the bottom.”
With the season winding down, the Rangers have no chance of catching Buffalo, Arizona, Vancouver or Ottawa.