In the sixth round of the 2025 NHL Draft, the New York Rangers will have two picks: the 171st pick, which is their own, and also the 166th pick, which was acquired in a trade with the Seattle Kraken. With two picks so close to one another, there is the possibility that they use them both to move up, or they might be willing to part with one in a trade for something else, but for the purpose of this series, they will keep them both and we can review some Rangers 6th round draft targets for both picks.
2025 NHL Draft Series recaps:
Just like in the first part of this series, I will list a few players whom I think the Rangers should take a chance on, but with a bit of a twist.
Charlie Cerrato (Penn State University), Overager
Last month, I wrote a piece on my personal Substack about Charlie Cerrato, a 20-year old center who is in his last year of draft eligibility. I think that if he is available, the Rangers should use one of their sixth-round picks on him, full stop. I would even suggest they use the higher of the two picks on him. Cerrato is worth far more than the 166th overall pick in my opinion, but if he is still on the board at that point, I wouldn’t hesitate for a second before choosing him.
This past season was Cerrato’s freshman year at Penn State, where he helped lead his team to the Frozen Four for the first time. Charlie Cerrato, who is 6’1” and 195 lbs, had been ranked 188th by NHL Central Scouting for North American skaters at the time I wrote my post about him in April, but as of today, he has moved up to 110th in their ranking. I have no doubt this jump is a result of his outstanding play to end the season.
In 38 games, Cerrato had a total of 42 points — 15 goals and 27 assists. That was good for second on the team; he was also second on the team in plus-minus and penalty minutes, so he’s a real jack-of-all-trades, if you will.
Cerrato is a great skater, something Rangers prospects frequently seem to struggle with the most. He also has an impressive ability to break away from other skaters; I would argue he already has NHL-level separation speed. He then combines that speed with his strong hockey IQ and outstanding puck-handling skills to be an absolute menace on the ice. There is a chance a team with a lot of picks like the Penguins, whose development camp he attended last year, would be willing to use an earlier-round pick on Cerrato, but if he is available, the Rangers should be all over him.
Ethan Wyttenbach (Sioux Falls Stampede)
Ethan Wyttenbach might immediately get written off by some fans because the 18-year old is 5’10” and 181 lbs, but I think he is the perfect late-round pick. Wyttenbach spent this past season with the Sioux Falls Stampede of the USHL, where he put up 55 points (25 goals and 30 assists) in 55 games (including playoffs). The native New Yorker forward is ranked 185th by NHL Central Scouting for North American skaters, he is also ranked 103rd by FCHockey.
Most scouting reports say that Wyttenbach has great vision, good hands, and is able to process the game well. On the flip side, he struggles with managing the puck and has very little physical edge to his game, which is a concern with a smaller player like him. Despite some areas of his game needing more work than others, the offensive upside he has is worth the risk, and using a late-round pick on a player like him could end up being more than worth it in the future. During the mid-season Central Scouting rankings in January, he was ranked 222nd, so his stock has risen a bit over the last few months.
At the beginning of April, he was also named the first recipient of the Gaudreau Award, a new USHL award that honors Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau and is awarded to the USHL player who best embodies their legacy by showing elements of on-ice excellence combined with joy, enthusiasm, care, and responsibility. Wyttenbach is currently committed to Quinnipiac University.
German Suzdorf (SKA-1946 St. Petersburg)
On the opposite side of the spectrum, we have German Suzdorf, who at 18 years old is currently 6’7” and 209 lbs. The Russian (not German) center is ranked 133rd by NHL Central Scouting for European Skaters. Suzdorf played on two different teams in the top Russian junior league, the MHL. He started the season with SKA-Yunior Krasnogorsk, where he had 20 points (6 goals and 14 assists) in 28 games. Suzdorf ended the season with SKA-1946 St. Petersburg, where he saw his production dip a bit with only 5 points (2 goals and 3 assists) in 17 games.
Similar to some of the other towering prospects in the New York Rangers’ system, Suzdorf isn’t considered a dynamic offensive player, but his defensive game is very strong. He knows how to use his body well to separate opponents from the puck, and he also has strong awareness in breaking up rushes. He isn’t the strongest skater, which is always a risk with bigger players, and while his skating is something he needs to work on, his recent growth spurt could explain the clumsiness of his recent play.
Suzdorf plays a relatively safe game for a player of his stature; he doesn’t tend to make any bad hits or risky plays, but a higher level of play may expose those parts of his game. He has all the tools to be an effective bottom-line guy if a team can be patient with his development, and with the Rangers’ recent success with developing players similar to Suzdorf, he may be just who they would like to target.
Benjamin Rautiainen (Tappara), Overager
Benjamin Rautiainen is probably one of the draft-eligible prospects that should go earlier than he is projected currently, but even in his last year of eligibility he is still getting ranked as a possible late-round pick. The Finnish forward stands at 6’0” and weighs 174 lbs. Rautiainen is currently ranked 36th by NHL Central Scouting for European skaters. After attending the Maple Leafs development camp last summer, he returned to Finland and put up impressive numbers playing in the top Finnish league for Tappara; he ended the season with 37 points (12 goals and 25 assists) in 59 games.
Often described by scouts as a sniper, one of the brightest spots in Rautiainen’s game is his outstanding vision combined with his strong possession skills, which make him a threat with the puck on his stick. He isn’t the biggest player, but he is more than able to make up for that with his ability to see the ice incredibly well. He can find passing lanes that others would never notice. These strengths not only make him valuable on his own, but they can help make the players around him better.
Rautiainen doesn’t play a physical game, and some would describe his defense as lacking, but I think with a little weight added and further development of his strength, those areas of his game can be greatly improved. His toolbox is similar to that of top prospects, and in my opinion, he would be a steal this late in the draft if he is still available.
Next week I will tackle the fifth round of the draft, where the Rangers will have the 139th overall pick. As we move up the rounds, the names of potential draftees will get more recognizable, so hopefully you will stick around to find out who I think best suits the organization.
