Hockey is like no other sport with prospects. Highly touted prospects are watched with great scrutiny from draft year through, hopefully, making it to the NHL. There can be years before even first round picks go from draft year to rookie season. Rebuilds are the same in this regard, with picks and prospects being shuffled around for rebuilding teams.
The Rangers are no different with their rebuild, with the 2018 and 2019 trade deadlines composed of big sell offs. In 2018, the Rangers sent Michael Grabner to the Devils for a draft pick and prospect Yegor Rykov, who was immediately regarded as one of the top defense prospects at that time.