A major NHL draft decision looms as the Rangers prepare to select a top prospect in this year’s lottery, potentially reshaping their future. The team holds the right to pick first after winning the draft lottery in 2020, where they chose a standout forward who became the first Quebec-born player to go No. 1 in decades. With high expectations and franchise-changing stakes, the selection could define the next era of the organization. Fans and analysts will be watching closely to see how the Rangers proceed with their draft capital.

More than six years have passed since the Rangers won the NHL Draft Lottery and the right to choose Lafreniere, the consensus top pick in 2020 who became the first Quebec-born player to go No. 1 since ...