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The NHL draft commences Friday with the first round in which the Rangers will not participate if they decide to send their 12th overall pick to Pittsburgh to complete the J.T. Miller deal instead of deferring the transfer to next year.

GM Chris Drury has until late Wednesday to notify Penguins GM Kyle Dubas — whose team acquired the pick from Vancouver in the Marcus Pettersson trade a day after the Blueshirts snagged Miller from the Canucks — of his decision.

I’ve written multiple times that the Blueshirts should complete the transaction this year in order to keep the 2026 first-round selection in a draft that is advertised as being a higher-quality draft.

At this point, the team picture is not in focus, but the Rangers cannot be in the position of sacrificing what might be a premium lottery pick — and to a division rival, no less — if things go south.