The 2025 NHL Draft is coming up soon and the New York Rangers have to decide if they want to keep the 12th overall selection in the first round. 

As part of the trade for J.T. Miller, the Rangers either have to give up their 2025 first-round pick or 2026 first-round pick.

In The Athletic’s most recent NHL Mock Draft, Scott Wheeler has the Rangers selecting defenseman Jackson Smith. 

Smith is a 6-foot-3 defenseman who’s coming off of an impressive year with the Tri-City Americans of the Western Hockey League where he recorded 11 goals, 43 assists, 54 points in 68 games. 

The 18-year-old is ranked  No. 9 on NHL Central Scouting's midterm ranking of North American skaters eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft.

“Smith’s a big, strong, powerful left-shot defenseman who plays hard and can impact play in a variety of ways,” Wheeler wrote. “He’s strong through his pushes as a skater, regularly beating the first layer of pressure laterally.”

On top of his impressive defensive abilities, he’s known for his blazing speed on the ice, which translates offensively. 

“Smith is an excellent skater,” Sportsnet’s Jason Bukala wrote. “He has the legs to escape pressure and lead the rush on his own, plus the agility to walk the offensive blue line to open up shooting and passing lanes.”

The NHL Draft is set to take place from June 27-28 in Los Angeles, California.