With the 2025-26 season starting tomorrow (Oct. 7), the New York Rangers are working to put the finishing touches on their roster as they look to bounce back from a tough 2024-25 campaign. In this edition of Rangers News & Rumors, we look at Noah Laba making the team, the odds of Conor Sheary making the team, as well as a quick update on J.T. Miller and Artemi Panarin.
Noah Laba Cracks Opening Night Roster
After an impressive training camp, prospect Noah Laba seems poised to make the Rangers’ opening night lineup this season. Fans were curious if he would be given the nod as a youngster who would have to beat out some other top prospects, but it seems like he has done just that and will start the season in the NHL.
Laba, who is 22 years old, was the Rangers’ fourth-round pick in 2022 at 11th overall, and he spent the majority of the 2024-25 campaign with Colorado College, where he had 26 points through 29 games. He also played 11 games in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Hartford Wolf Pack, where he had five points.
Related: Rangers Need J.T. Miller at His Best This Season
Things can obviously change, but it seems as though Laba will get a look up the middle in the Rangers’ bottom six to start the season.
Conor Sheary Expected to Sign With Rangers
After signing a professional tryout (PTO) agreement with the Rangers ahead of training camp, it is believed that forward Conor Sheary will sign a contract for the 2025-26 season after an impressive preseason showing.
The Rangers still haven’t made any announcements on Conor Sheary (PTO), but the fact that he’s still here and practicing on PP2 certainly makes it seem like he’s making the team.
— Peter Baugh (@Peter_Baugh) October 6, 2025
From earlier…https://t.co/6EISZ7n8Zw
Sheary, who is 33 years old, played just five games in the NHL last season with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he had no points. In 59 games in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch, he had 61 points. Throughout his career in the NHL, he has scored 124 goals and added 143 assists for 267 points through 593 games. He is a two-time Stanley Cup champion and is looking to get back to the NHL level full-time, and it seems likely he has earned a chance to do that with the Rangers this season.
Sheary previously played under Rangers’ new head coach Mike Sullivan during the past tenures with the Pittsburgh Penguins, so there is already some trust built between the two.
Nothing is official at the time of this article, but it seems as though something will be finalized shortly.
Injury Updates on Miller & Panarin
Fans have been wondering if forwards J.T. Miller and Artemi Panarin would be available to start the 2025-26 season, and recently, a positive update came for both of them, as they are both expected to be available for the Rangers’ season opener.
Panarin has been out for the entirety of the preseason after suffering a lower-body injury in training camp, while Miller suffered a non-contact lower-body injury at practice in late September.
Both players are expected to be key pieces to the Rangers’ potential success this season, and getting them back for their home opener is great news.
The Rangers start their season on Tuesday (Oct. 7) against the Penguins at home at Madison Square Garden.
As the 2025-26 season moves along, be sure to continue following The Hockey Writers as your source for news, updates, and more from around the NHL and the hockey world.
