The New York Rangers have been awarded a compensatory draft pick in the wake of Alexei Cherepanov's death in October.

The draft pick, the 17th in the second round of the 2009 Entry Draft, was awarded at this week's General Manager's meetings in Naples, Fla. Rangers GM Glen Sather made a presentation at the meetings requesting a compensatory selection.

The Rangers selected Cherepanov with the 17th pick of the 2007 Entry Draft. He had been playing in Russia's Continental Hockey League when he suffered heart failure and collapsed on the bench during an Oct. 13 game. Efforts to revive him were unsuccessful. He was only 19.