New York Rangers Report Card: Brett Howden

Brett Howden was a surprise inclusion on the New York Rangers opening night roster in 2018-19 after impressing immensely during training camp.

Brett Howden – Grade C

We continue our New York Rangers 2018-19 Report Cards today by assessing Brett Howden’s rookie year. Although there were road bumps, it was a season the young forward can be proud of…

His season

Part of the package that sent Ryan McDonagh and J. T. Miller to the Tampa Bay Lightning in a blockbuster trade on Feb. 26, 2018, Howden arrived in the Big Apple with plenty of hype surrounding his potential, although he was very much an unproven quantity.

Drafted 27th overall by the Lightning in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, Howden enjoyed a strong training camp for the Blueshirts and emerged as a stud more than worthy of a spot on the opening night roster.

And it was a bold move that paid off handsomely for new head coach David Quinn, who watched one of his hottest prospects blossom and take the NHL by storm during the early throes of the season.

With 12 points through his first 21 NHL games, Howden took to the big leagues like a duck to water and looked every inch the prototype two-way forward Tampa Bay thought he was when they drafted him.

It wasn’t just his offensive production that impressed either.

The 21-year-old thrived in every aspect of the game, using his 6′ 3″ frame to handle the rigors of an 82-game NHL regular season, and he proved he possessed hockey smarts too, excelling in his own zone when he was called upon to do so.

Howden’s versatility also shone through in the early stages of the season as he was tasked with taking on a multitude of roles.

Put on a line with star center Mika Zibanejad and popular veteran Mats Zuccarello at times, Howden was also used on the power play, the penalty kill and even as part of the three-man overtime unit.

Howden won the trust of Quinn from the very get-go and his early play, which resembled that of an NHL veteran rather than a rookie, ensured that the highly-rated Lias Andersson found himself mired in Hartford with the Wolf Pack, the Rangers’ AHL affiliate team.

There were a plethora of things to admire about Howden’s start to life with the Rangers, including the mature way in which he carried himself on and off the ice.

His hockey sense and understanding of the game deserves a A* alone, and he was also prolific in the faceoff circle early on, winning 54 percent of draws through his first ten games.

There were also highlight reels to backup Howden’s strong play, including a sublime between-the-legs goal against the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 11, which came hot on the heels of his first-ever goal in the NHL against the Buffalo Sabres in just his second game on Oct. 6.

However, and as with all young players, Howden did suffer his fair share of growing pains and he endured frequent point scoring slumps after the turn of the year.

He registered only three points in 27 games after the All-Star break and, as a result, he saw his ice time drop to below 10:00 per game on more than one occasion.

A knee injury sustained against the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 30 didn’t help Howden’s cause as he went on to miss a month of action.

Rustiness was plain to see upon his return to the ice but he did go on to finish the season with a flourish, posting five points in his last seven games and once again putting out a solid statement that he’s here to stay.

Why the grade

It is sometimes hard to rate rookies because, no matter what anyone says, they will always endure multiple challenges during their first season in the big leagues.

Howden certainly hit a plethora of peaks and valleys as he pitted his wits against the league’s elite on a night-to-night basis, but his attitude and character throughout the year should serve as both a positive for now and as encouragement going forward.

He proved early on that he belongs in the NHL and the consistency will come the more games he gets under his belt.

The biggest question for both the Rangers and Howden is where he will be the most effective in the lineup.

His offensive production in the first couple of months of the season suggests that he might one day be ready for a top-six role, although all the eye tests so far indicate that a third-line center role may be more suitable for both the player and the franchise.

Rookie slumps aside, Howden can look back on his first year as an NHL pro with enormous satisfaction and the Rangers can also be happy knowing they’ve got a prospect who seems perfectly suited for the modern game.

Finishing 2018-19 with 23 points (six goals, 17 assists) and an impressive 48.42 faceoff win percentage, the onus is now on Howden to enjoy another strong training camp and be ready to hit the ground running once again.

If he can improve on his numbers across the board and cut down on the amount of streaks without a point next season, then the Rangers will feel a whole lot better about their young forward who still has two years remaining on a contract that carries an average annual cap hit of $863,333.

The numbers

Games: 66
Goals: 6
Assists: 17
Points: 23
Game Winning Goals: 1
Power Play Points: 2
Plus / Minus: -16
PIM: 14
Hits: 64
CF%: 42.4
FO%: 48.42 (seventh best among NHL rookies with 50+ games)
Faceoff Wins: 353
ATOI: 14:56

Next Report Card: Chris Kreider