Overview

• New York surrendered its first-round pick in the J.T. Miller trade but selected Erie Otters forward Malcolm Spence at No. 43 overall as a proxy first-round talent
• Spence posted 32 goals and 41 assists in 65 regular-season games for Erie and is committed to play at the University of Michigan in fall 2025
• Director of player personnel John Lilley highlighted Spence’s speed, physicality and two-way game as key reasons he was available at 43
• The Rangers used their other seven Day Two selections on a best-available-player basis, drafting five defensemen and three Europeans
• General manager Chris Drury will now shift focus to the July 1 free-agent period in pursuit of immediate roster upgrades for a team in win-now mode