New York Rangers Could Cost the Pittsburgh Penguins a 2025 First-Round Pick

The Pittsburgh Penguins made some very solid trades this season, and perhaps the best of all was acquiring a first-round pick in the move that sent J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers, as they would then parlay that move from Vancouver into that first-round pick by sending Marcus Pettersson and Drew O'Connor to the Canucks.

While the expectation was that Miller would help New York get into the Stanley Cup Playoffs and secure Pittsburgh a 2025 first-round pick, now, the condition is up in the air, and it could result in the pick being delayed.

The condition on that pick was that it was top-13 protected, meaning that if the pick fell within the top 13 spots in the 2025 NHL Draft, it would remain with New York, but if it fell out of that spot, the Penguins would get themselves another pick in 2025.

With just a few games remaining in the 2024/25 regular season, the Rangers currently sit 23rd in the NHL's standings, meaning that unless something changes over the next few days, the lottery odds would have them landing the 10th overall draft pick.

Currently, the Penguins odds would see them land the eighth overall pick in the draft, and given how loaded the 2026 class is, there's all likeihood that the team would prefer the pick to fall back to the 2026 NHL Draft, but with some good moves during the season, the team will be getting another first regardless, and that allows them the chance to potentially land another star of the future.