The vault to second-overall in the draft lottery; the selection of Kaapo Kakko with that pick; the acquisition of Adam Fox; Kakko’s whirlwind, dominating performance in the World Championships; the hiring of John Davidson to run the operation; the trade for Jacob Trouba; the free agent signing of Artemi Panarin.

It was, in many ways, a prototypical flash-and-dash summer for the franchise that is Broadway’s Team. But these big moves do not alter the organization’s rebuild mission. They may have an impact on the timetable and operation coming to fruition — they had better, come to think of it — but while the Rangers have an elite talent in Panarin, the first legit top-pair righty capable of eating major minutes since Dan Girardi’s best days for John Tortorella in Trouba, and a sure-shot blue chip in Kakko, this is not a win-now team.

The players won’t share that perspective and nor should they. But David Quinn is going to have to resist the temptation to lean on his (few) veterans at the expense of his (many) kids when a point hangs in the balance. It is going to be delicate for Quinn, who could have as many as 10 entry-level players and seven age 21-or-younger depending on the roster.

This should be as intriguing a season as we’ve had in these parts for quite some time, maybe since 2005-06, when Rangerstown became Prague, N.Y. and goaltending royalty from Sweden arrived on the scene. If everything goes well, the Blueshirts could maintain relevance in the playoff race into the final month or so, causing management a headache over what to do with impending free agents Chris Kreider, Jesper Fast, Ryan Strome and Vlad Namestnikov.

Realistically, though, the Rangers are likely to struggle with a largely inexperienced defense that broke down badly the second half of last year just as it had done the previous season. They lack the hard-edge, north-south, smash-mouth forwards Quinn favors, even with Brendan Lemieux agreeing to terms on a one-year deal on Wednesday to rejoin the mix.

The Blueshirts will both benefit from and be victim to learning curves for entry-level players, and that not only means the rookies but second-year men Filip Chytil, Lias Andersson and Brett Howden. Mistakes will be made, even the same ones twice.

The Rangers should be a very fun watch most of the time if your sole objective in watching them isn’t seeing them win. The future will be on display even if its arrival date is not necessarily now.

The biggest questions facing the team:

What. About. Chris. Kevin Hayes thrived through his walk year, but Mats Zuccarello was rendered all but catatonic for the first three months of last season. What impact will playing on the final year of his deal have on Kreider, who has been notoriously introspective throughout his career and emerged as a team leader last season, and what effect will it have on his teammates? Will the parties negotiate on a multi-year deal (they did not during the summer) during the year or is management committed to dealing one of their best players, regardless?

And in goal, number…? Henrik Lundqvist started seven of the first eight games, 13 of the first 16 and 16 of the first 21 in Quinn’s first season behind the bench. Those numbers will not be repeated in the coach’s second go-round. Question 1/1A in nets: How will Lundqvist, who has thrived under an intense, heavy workload the last two seasons before breaking down the second half of each, respond to this load management and how will presumptive backup Alex Georgiev react to be being given more responsibility with everything still on the line?

Question II: What will the Rangers do once Igor Shesterkin masters the North American game at Hartford (and he will)?

El capitan? If the Rangers determine that Mika Zibanejad, blossoming into the player GM Jeff Gorton foresaw when acquiring him from Ottawa in exchange for Derick Brassard in July of 2016, can handle the added responsibility, the “C” will go to No. 93. If management believes it might become a burden, the Blueshirts will again go with multiple alternates.

Is the green blue line ready? The Rangers are counting on Fox, who emerged as a standout at Traverse City (it would have been a surprise, otherwise), directly out of Harvard, and on Libor Hajek, who played well in five NHL games before suffering a should separation following a disappointing year in Hartford. They are also counting on the heretofore largely unpredictable Tony DeAngelo, who remains an unsigned free agent. Darren Raddysh is the fourth right-handed defenseman in the organization. Brady Skjei, coming off two below-par seasons, will be granted major minutes as Trouba’s partner.

Here or there? Are the Rangers’ kids better off here, learning under Quinn and his staff and practicing with NHL players, if not ready for prime-time roles, or is their development better served with heavy ice time in the AHL?