Blueshirts take Swede first

With the Rangers trying to “rebuild on the fly,” as Jeff Gorton said Friday during the draft telecast, they made two first-round picks in the NHL Draft, first selecting Swedish forward Lias Andersson with the No. 7 overall pick. They acquired that pick from Arizona earlier in the day in the trade that sent Derek Stepan and Antti Raanta to the Coyotes for Anthony DeAngelo.

The Rangers then selected Czech center Filip Chytil with their own pick, No. 21 overall.

Andersson, 18, had nine goals and 10 assists in 42 games with HV71 in the Swedish Hockey League this past season. The Rangers list him at 6-0, 200 pounds and reports say he can play any forward position, though Gorton described him as a center.

Andersson’s father, Niklas, played parts of six seasons in the NHL, including two-plus seasons with the Islanders in the ’90s.

The pick was the Rangers’ highest in the draft since they took goalie Al Montoya with the No. 6 pick in 2004, the last time they had two first-round picks. They hadn’t made a first-round pick since 2012 when they selected Brady Skjei. Chytil, 17, had eight points in 38 games with HC Zlin in the top Czech league this past season. Both teenagers are a ways away from making an impact at the NHL level, but with Stepan traded and Oscar Lindberg picked by Vegas in the expansion draft, the Rangers are stocking the cupboard with young centers who they hope can help them long-term. — Tasch