On Tuesday, The New York Rangers traded defenseman Nick Holden to the Boston Bruins. While the third round pick the team received in return was expected, a player in the form of defenseman Rob O’Gara, was not. Who is Rob O’Gara and what can he do for the Rangers?
The first dominoes surrounding the trade deadline fell for the New York Rangers on February 20th, in the form of Nick Holden. In exchange, the Boston Bruins sent back a third round selection in this year’s draft along with defenseman Rob O’Gara.
O’Gara was not on anyone’s radar as a target, the belief being that the Rangers were only pursuing a draft pick for Holden. Furthermore, O’Gara was not assigned to the AHL’s Hartford Wolfpack, instead reporting directly to New York.
Being a relatively unknown prospect, let’s dig into what we know about the Ranger’s newest player.
Related Story: Holden trade to Boston is good for both teams
Background info
Getting the obvious out of the way, O’Gara is a left shot defenseman standing at 6’4″ and weighing in at 215 lbs (per NHL.com). O’Gara is also still only 24 years old so there is still a possibility that he may develop into an NHL regular.
The Bruins drafted O’Gara in the fifth round in 2011 (151st overall). From there, O’Gara matriculated at Yale University. He played there all four years, highlighted by an NCAA national championship in 2013.
After the conclusion of his senior year in 2016, O’Gara immediately reported to the Providence Bruins of the AHL. Then, he would notch his first professional goal in the remaining few games of that season.
For the past two seasons, O’Gara has primarily played for Providence, tallying seven goals and 22 points in 107 games. However, he has also had a few cups of coffee with the Boston Bruins, totaling 11 games over that time period, amassing zero points.
Interestingly enough, O’Gara is also a native of Long Island and actually grew up as an Islanders fan.
Related Story: Evaluating Nick Holden’s time with the Rangers
Potential Usage
As mentioned earlier, O’Gara reported directly to the Rangers despite his lack of NHL experience. In a corresponding move, the Rangers returned Ryan Sproul to The Hartford Wolfpack.
Rangers fans won’t have to wait long to see O’Gara as he will be in the lineup for the team’s tilt against the Montréal Canadiens on Thursday, February 22nd. He, along with, John Gilmour will compose the team’s third pairing.
Sean Hartnett describes O’Gara thusly:
"He is known for being a defense-first defenseman who plays a calm game and offers a physical edge."
O’Gara is not a defenseman who is expected to provide much offense, based on his career statistics. However, lack of NHL data on him makes it difficult to determine how effective of a defensive asset he will be.
Next: Trade comparables for David Desharnais
The Rangers have nothing to lose by seeing what they have in O’Gara by playing him in New York. The team was already playing four defenseman who have played the majority of their season in Hartford. Additionally, O’Gara is still on his entry-level contract. If the Rangers organization thinks that he has a future with the team, re-signing him should be inexpensive.