A quick look at the Rangers' draft picks
LMalcolm Spence poses for a portrait after being drafted by the Rangers with the 43rd overall pick during the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft at JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE on Saturday in Los Angeles. Credit: Getty Images/Matt Winkelmeyer
No. 43 – Malcolm Spence, LW, Erie (OHL), 6-1,190: Plays an all-around game, with some physicality. Was the No. 2 pick overall in the OHL draft in 2022, and projected by most to be a first-round pick in the NHL draft. A serious tongue injury that caused him to lose 10 pounds may have been the thing that caused him to drop in the draft. Had 32 goals and 41 assists in 65 games. Committed to the University of Michigan.
No. 70 – Sean Barnhill, D, Dubuque (USHL), 6-5, 214: Scottsdale, Ariz., native was a rookie in the USHL who Rangers Director of Player Personnel John Lilley said came on in the second half of the season. “He's raw. And we just saw raw potential,’’ Lilley said. Had four goals, eight assists in 54 games. Committed to Northeastern.
No. 89 – Artyom Gonchar, D, Magnitogorsk (Russia Jr.), 6-0, 156: His uncle, Sergei Gonchar, played 21 seasons in the NHL, for six teams. Small, but skilled. Had seven goals and 18 assists in 50 games in Russia’s junior league. Will need to gain some weight before coming over to North America.
No. 111 – Mikkel Eriksen, C, Farjestad (Sweden Jr.), 5-11, 187: The youngest player in the draft, he had two goals and two assists in five games for Norway at the World Under-18 Championships, and 22 goals and 43 points in 40 games in the Swedish junior league.
No. 139 – Zeb Lindgren, D, Skelleftea (Sweden Jr.), 6-1, 198: Solid defender who competes hard and plays a physical game. Good skater who makes the safe play, and rarely turns the puck over. Had four goals, 15 assists and 76 penalty minutes in 38 games in the junior league and played five games in the pro league.
No. 166 – Samuel Jung, RW, Karpat Jr. (Finland Jr.), 6-3, 172: Czech player who had 22 goals, 32 points and 50 penalty minutes in 44 games in the Finnish junior league.
No. 171 – Evan Passmore, D, Barrie (OHL), 6-5, 212: Older player who had three goals, eight assists and 58 penalty minutes in 62 games in his second year in the OHL. Physical, with a long reach.
No. 203 – Felix Farhammar, D, Orebro HK (Sweden Jr.), 6-1, 185: Plays a physical game and kept moving up last season, starting in the U18 regional league, to the U18 national, to the U20 national league, where he had 3 goals and 18 assists in 43 games. Played two games in the pro league.
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
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