The Rangers want to move up to the No. 2 pick if they can swing it, according to a report, with Chris Drury's group said to like a prospect named Stenberg.
One honest limit up front. The name is what's in the report, so that's what gets passed along, no invented scouting profile attached.
The verifiable part is the intent. New York finished 29th under Mike Sullivan, which hands Drury a high pick, and the word is he wants higher.
The timing fits, too. With the draft Friday, this is exactly when trade-up talk catches fire, as teams jockey for the players they've locked onto.
Here's the report in its original form.
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What climbing to No. 2 would cost the Rangers
Start with the mechanics. Moving up to second overall means a deal with whoever holds the pick, and a jump that high is never cheap.
You pay a premium to leap up the board. That usually means surrendering picks, prospects, or roster pieces, which is a real trade-off for a club that also needs to add bodies.
It does match Drury's recent posture. He's been aggressive, and a targeted climb for one specific player is the move of a GM who already knows exactly who he wants.
But interest is a long way from a handshake. The team sitting at No. 2 has to want to deal, and the price has to make sense for both sides. Plenty of trade-up talk dies right there.
Here's my read: draft-week move-up chatter is as common as it is rarely pulled off. If Drury genuinely loves Stenberg, fine, but I'd want more than a relayed quote before betting on New York landing at second overall.
So what we've got is a name and an intention, days out from the draft.
Whether Drury actually climbs the board, and what it costs him to get there, is the part that pays off Friday. Until then, it's a target, not a transaction.
Should the Rangers trade up to No. 2 in this draft?
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