Today’s game between the Ottawa Senators and the New York Rangers was a tale of two rebuilds. The Senators had been an awful team for years by design and spent those dark times stockpiling draft picks and developing prospects, and they seemingly began to turn a corner near the end of the 2021 season.
The Rangers have also done a decent job with their young players, but they’ve got some serious advantages, as well. They were blessed by the hockey gods in both the 2019 and 2020 draft lotteries. With their status as a big-market team, they’ve been able to attract franchise players through free agency, such as Artemi Panarin, as well as blue-chip college prospects for pennies on the dollar, like the reigning Norris winner, Adam Fox.