Hockey Could the Rangers end up with Jack Hughes? by Will Wiegelman May 13, 2019 The New York Rangers had luck on their side during the NHL Draft Lottery, getting the second overall pick after finishing with the sixth best odds at number one. Moving up those four spots allows the Blueshirts to get a generational talent in either Jack Hughes or Kaapo Kakko, however, they will be at the mercy of the team with the first pick in the draft, their rivals in New Jersey. Although Hughes looked like the consensus top prospect earlier in the season, could New York snag him at number two? Let’s look back at the last time the Devils had the first overall pick. It was the 2017 draft and early projections had North American Nolan Patrick going first overall for a long time. Later in the season, however, European Nico Hischier snuck up and made it a close race, causing discussions over which one is better. New Jersey went with Hischier that year, leaving Patrick to their division rival, the Philadelphia Flyers. I see a very similar situation this time around. Hughes has been this draft’s top prospect since the first time the class was ranked. He looked like the far and away number one overall pick. Kakko burst onto the scene at the World Juniors last year for Finland, as European players often do. Currently, both Hughes and Kakko are participating in the World Championships alongside current NHLers. While Hughes has struggled in three games without a point, Kakko leads the tournament in goals with five and trails only Nikita Kucherov (six) in points. He is making a great case for himself as the first overall pick and the Devils should be watching. I believe the Devils will take Kakko first overall. He has shown the ability to lead a team like Finland at many different levels, whether it be at the junior level or above, and his goal scoring ability has been highlighted, something New Jersey lacked last season. He’ll be able to slide in next to Hischier and/or star Taylor Hall and give the Devils a big body as well. The Rangers brass will be scrambling on stage to give Jack Hughes his jersey. Post Views: 1,567 The following two tabs change content below.BioLatest Posts Will Wiegelman Latest posts by Will Wiegelman (see all) Lou Lamoriello Nominated for GM of the Year - September 10, 2020 In Movement Led by Hockey Diversity Alliance, NHL Postpones Playoff Games - August 27, 2020 UBS Arena: A New Home for the Islanders - July 22, 2020 Ilya Sorokin Signs with NY Islanders - July 13, 2020 Related TopicsFeatureHockeyJack HughesNew York RangersNHL Draft Click to comment You must be logged in to post a comment Login Leave a Reply Cancel replyYou must be logged in to post a comment. Newsletter Subscription Can't Miss Posts! Women in Sports: NHL Network Host, Jackie Redmond by Nicholas Durst | posted on March 4, 2019 XFL Co-Owner Dany Garcia Talks Business, Serving Others at espnW Women + Sports Summit by Candace Cordelia | posted on October 23, 2020 Women in Sports Interview Series: It’s a sure bet with Philadelphia native, Erin Kate Dolan (VIDEO) by Denise Gonzalez | posted on March 17, 2020 From Paramus High School to CBS Sports, Spero Dedes is making waves in sports broadcasting by Sunil Sunder Raj | posted on October 27, 2020 No Shame in Their Game – Female Mixed Martial Artists Use Onlyfans to Make Money by Brandon Berrios | posted on December 4, 2020 More in Hockey Tim Peel is Discharged After Caught on Hot Mic Tim Peel was Discharged from the NHL After He was Caught on the Hot... NHL, Amazon Web Services Partner to Develop New Stats, Data, and Insights The National Hockey League (NHL) is partnering with Amazon Web Services (AWS) in an... You Know I’m Right, Episode 81: ESPN’s Arda Ocal (Audio/Video) On the 81st episode of You Know I’m Right, Nick Durst and Joe Calabrese are joined by... You Know I’m Right, Episode 80: MSG Network’s Bill Pidto (Audio/Video) On the 80th episode of You Know I’m Right, Nick Durst and Joe Calabrese are joined by... Three keys to a successful Islanders offseason 5 Minute Major – Season 2, Episode 28 – Stanley Cup Conference Finals