The New York Rangers have had a very busy couple of days with the NHL Draft, adding new prospects to their pipeline. However, they also made a major deal to help the team improve as well in a trade. Coming into the NHL Draft, all eyes were on what the Rangers would be doing with their two first-round picks. New York came into Friday night with the fifth overall selection and the 26th overall pick. Due to the teams ahead of them and what the draft order was looking like, it seemed likely that the team was going to be landing a defenseman with the fifth overall pick. That ended up being the case, with the Rangers taking Alberts Smits with their first pick. The talented defenseman has a chance to come in and help New York right away, which fits in well with their plan of retooling rather than rebuilding. While the selection of Smits appears to be a good one, the major news was a trade that they pulled off with the Las Vegas Golden Knights. The Rangers traded their 26th overall pick, along with a third-rounder this year and a future first-round pick that is top 10 protected, to the Golden Knights for the talented forward Pavel Dorofeyev. As a 37-goal scorer last year, New York is filling a massive need for their team in a deal that feels like a good one for the Rangers. Here’s their trade grade for the decision. Jun 4, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Vegas Golden Knights right wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) battles for the puck against Carolina Hurricanes center Logan Stankoven (22) during the second period in game two of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center. / James Guillory-Imagn ImagesNew York certainly feels like they deserve a high mark for their decision to trade for Dorofeyev. Since the team is looking to get younger while improving, the talented winger fits those needs. Scoring was an issue for the team at times last year, and with 30 goals in back-to-back seasons, Dorofeyev is going to be capable of helping improve production offensively. While he is an impact addition, this isn’t just a move for the 2026-27 campaign. The Rangers were able to lock him up to a seven-year deal, and he is going to be a building block for the team going forward. With free agency lacking, adding a player like Dorofeyev is really a perfect fit for New York. He helps them improve what was their greatest need this summer and also is young enough that he will be an important part of the future for a long time. Overall, the Rangers are certainly deserving of receiving a strong grade for this trade.