The New York Rangers have two preseason games remaining, which means there is not much time left for some of the younger players to still make an impression on head coach Mike Sullivan and his staff. Not every one of these players is going to make the opening-night roster, but there is a chance that at least two of them can earn a spot. Here, we’ll go over the four most-notable young Rangers forwards still in training camp and rank them on who has the best shot to make the team, from least likely to most likely.
#4: Brennan Othmann
Of the four players we’ll cover, Brennan Othmann was the one who had the most to prove heading into this training camp and preseason. So far, he has been very disappointing, with just one goal in four games. He has played in every game so far this preseason, and in each game, he has not looked very impactful and sometimes you even forget he is in the game. He was given a chance to play on a line with Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere in his third preseason game, but that still wasn’t enough to get him going.
Othmann is now entering his fifth year with the organization as he was drafted 16th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft. He was a risky pick at the time to many, but he grew and improved his game over the years. However, he has yet to make the necessary adjustment to playing at the NHL level. As it stands right now, it seems that he is the most likely to start in the American Hockey League (AHL), playing top-line minutes for the Hartford Wolf Pack.
#3: Gabe Perreault
Gabe Perreault has played very well in the preseason so far. Like Othmann, he has also played in every game so far, scoring two goals and recording four points. He has played with multiple different linemates, and each time, he has looked comfortable and confident. While he has made some mistakes here and there, overall, he has been a very good and impactful player. He looks like a player who is trying to earn his spot on the opening-night roster, but as of now, it seems like the best spot for him could be playing top-line minutes in the AHL.
Related: Rangers’ Laba, Perreault, and Berard Deserve Spots on Opening Night Roster
The reason for this is that Perreault’s skill set is suited for a top-six role, and it seems the Rangers already have their top two lines set without him. Playing third- or fourth-line minutes is not going to help him improve his game, so if he’s not going to get top-six minutes, the best place for him is in the AHL playing top-line minutes every game. He could be one of the first call-ups when an injury occursm or perhaps he will play so well in the AHL that they have no choice but to call him up and give him a chance to play on the top six.
#2: Noah Laba
The player who has broken out and stood out the most so far in training camp is Noah Laba. He has played in every game so far this preseason, scoring one goal (an overtime winner against the New York Islanders) and recording five points to lead the team. He joined the Wolf Pack last season after finishing up his third season at Colorado College, playing 11 AHL games and recording three goals and five points. He played well in the Rangers’ rookie camp games against the Philadelphia Flyers, and because of that performance, he was a name to watch coming into training camp.
Laba has been very impressive so far, and it seems like he might have played himself onto the opening-night roster. He could be the third line center the Rangers have been looking so since Filip Chytil was traded last season. Jusso Parssinen has been penciled into that role since training camp began, but Laba has simply outplayed him and should be given a chance to at least start the season so the Rangers can see how he plays against the toughest competition in the world. The longer he stays in camp, the more likely it seems he could playing his first NHL game at Madison Square Garden against the Pittsburgh Penguins on opening night next week.
#1: Brett Berard
Out of these four players, Brett Berard seems like the player who most fits into the style Sullivan wants to play. He is a fast player with a scoring touch, and despite not being the biggest, he is not afraid to lay a hit and get into the dirty areas to make plays happen. He seems like the perfect bottom-six player the Rangers need more of. He played in 35 games with the Rangers last season, scoring six goals and recording 10 points. He dealt with a labrum injury last season and was not able to play up to his full potential, but now that he is fully healthy, Berard has the chance to be an impactful player despite only getting bottom-six minutes.
Even though he’s not been as impactful this preseason as Laba and Perreault, Berard would fit into the lineup more smoothly and does not have any other players truly blocking his path. He is not someone who needs top-six minutes to succeed and can play anywhere in the lineup and be impactful. He can also play on both the power-play and penalty kill, which he has done in these preseason games. He hasn’t been afraid to get in the lanes and block shots multiple times in one shift, brings the energy the team was lacking last season, and he has earned his chance to be on the opening-night roster.
These four young forwards fighting for an opening-night roster spot have been some of the most interesting players to watch this training camp. Some have stepped up and shown out, while others haven’t performed up to where they need to be. Will only one make it? Or none? It will be interesting to see how this list shakes out when the roster is finalized next week. Will two of these players make the team?
